Late last summer we moved into Brandon's parents' house - for a variety of reasons, but really just because we wanted to really start blending our two families together, we needed it more than words can really even say. It has been one of the biggest life changing moments in our lives, and honestly, looking back since the end of August last year, I don't know how any of us would have survived without each other being right here.
Moving itself was brought with so many challenges, we had to completely gut three rooms of the house and that was just the start of it...some of you may remember the challenges we faced in trying to get the last two rooms done with the flooring not going down right, not having the right size carpet and oh yeah, the 40,000 honey bees that were residing below the window sill in what was to be my little man's room. To think we almost didn't pull up the baseboards in that room. If we hadn't of done that, we wouldn't have found the water damage and in turn we wouldn't have found these cute little guys.
At that point all we could do was laugh...or cry...and in reality, we did a little of both.
Moving itself was brought with so many challenges, we had to completely gut three rooms of the house and that was just the start of it...some of you may remember the challenges we faced in trying to get the last two rooms done with the flooring not going down right, not having the right size carpet and oh yeah, the 40,000 honey bees that were residing below the window sill in what was to be my little man's room. To think we almost didn't pull up the baseboards in that room. If we hadn't of done that, we wouldn't have found the water damage and in turn we wouldn't have found these cute little guys.
At that point all we could do was laugh...or cry...and in reality, we did a little of both.
By divine intervention only, we made contact with a local bee keeping chapter and the next day these feral colony was taken a couple counties away and put into a hive that we could only hope allowed them to survive throughout the fall and winter.
I swore that day I never wanted to see a honey bee around the house ever again...not because I didn't like them or anything, but simply because it was a true test on our sanity at that point and took up so much time that we didn't have to give right then in trying to get everyone settled into their new surrounding and get ready for the upcoming school year in addition to just all the other chaos going on at that point in time.
Over the course of the last year, honey bees became the running joke "seriously Jessica, we survived having 40,000 bees in the house, we can make it through anything." Or even better yet the times when everything is falling apart around us and one of us says "remember that time we were renovating the bedroom and we found the bees?" Even when I was preparing for surgery, I found a pair of LuLaRoe honey bee leggings to wear for recovery...because it just became the reminder to smile, we've got this...and in every situation we've faced we try to take that same attitude.
I swore that day I never wanted to see a honey bee around the house ever again...not because I didn't like them or anything, but simply because it was a true test on our sanity at that point and took up so much time that we didn't have to give right then in trying to get everyone settled into their new surrounding and get ready for the upcoming school year in addition to just all the other chaos going on at that point in time.
Over the course of the last year, honey bees became the running joke "seriously Jessica, we survived having 40,000 bees in the house, we can make it through anything." Or even better yet the times when everything is falling apart around us and one of us says "remember that time we were renovating the bedroom and we found the bees?" Even when I was preparing for surgery, I found a pair of LuLaRoe honey bee leggings to wear for recovery...because it just became the reminder to smile, we've got this...and in every situation we've faced we try to take that same attitude.
Earlier, I was working in the garden before another set of crazy storms headed our way...the weeds and grass were starting to overtake parts of it, the snap peas were dead, and there's some little creature living in the bush beans that I haven't quite figured out what yet, it was hot...and humid...and I just felt like my hobby garden with the kids was a waste of time. It was started before I had surgery, May was nothing by chaos, rain and limitations and the same with most of June too...and I just have not been able to keep up with it in addition to the rest of our lives, to include the nonprofit and all of our gown requests. It has been HARD to say the least to remain positive when you see so much spiraling out of control and yet can only do so much in a day.
I sat down outside the garden and was just feeling really down about the last couple of months and how overwhelming they've been on everyone when I saw two little honey bees flying around the clover that is feeding the wild rabbits which live in the backyard. And in that moment, I smiled and remembered that we have already made it through so many terrible situations that would have broken relationships...and yet we've come out stronger than ever before. Professionally, the nonprofit has never been stronger in exposure, in gown requests being completed, in reaching out to new families and even new donors...in making a difference in the lives of children across the globe. This year has been amazing for lack of a better word to use right now.
It is in that, I just want to say...the struggles each family is facing are REAL, the pain, the fear, the constant worry about what tomorrow will bring, the not knowing when a last breath will be taken, the everything that surrounds each of you...and while it is definitely more serious than honey bees in your house, the concept is kind of the same, look back and see how far you've come already. Even if it is nearing the end of everything you live and breathe each day for...look at that bond shared, the milestones that were met with such excitement, the good times, the closeness that has been brought not only to your family, but the community around you, because of your child's life and journey, someone else has hope, someone else has yet to give up, someone else is fighting for better treatments and cures, and someone else cares so much their heart breaks in the bad times and floods with joy in the good times with you. It isn't a lot, and no it doesn't dull the heartache, but it may just give you a reason to smile...even if it is just for a couple of seconds or the one side of your mouth.
I sat down outside the garden and was just feeling really down about the last couple of months and how overwhelming they've been on everyone when I saw two little honey bees flying around the clover that is feeding the wild rabbits which live in the backyard. And in that moment, I smiled and remembered that we have already made it through so many terrible situations that would have broken relationships...and yet we've come out stronger than ever before. Professionally, the nonprofit has never been stronger in exposure, in gown requests being completed, in reaching out to new families and even new donors...in making a difference in the lives of children across the globe. This year has been amazing for lack of a better word to use right now.
It is in that, I just want to say...the struggles each family is facing are REAL, the pain, the fear, the constant worry about what tomorrow will bring, the not knowing when a last breath will be taken, the everything that surrounds each of you...and while it is definitely more serious than honey bees in your house, the concept is kind of the same, look back and see how far you've come already. Even if it is nearing the end of everything you live and breathe each day for...look at that bond shared, the milestones that were met with such excitement, the good times, the closeness that has been brought not only to your family, but the community around you, because of your child's life and journey, someone else has hope, someone else has yet to give up, someone else is fighting for better treatments and cures, and someone else cares so much their heart breaks in the bad times and floods with joy in the good times with you. It isn't a lot, and no it doesn't dull the heartache, but it may just give you a reason to smile...even if it is just for a couple of seconds or the one side of your mouth.
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