Through it all.

We have officially made it to the 2 year mark of patching. 

The last 2 years have been busy/crazy/fun/exciting/exhausting/wonderful. Anderson had pirates at his first birthday party & dump trucks at his second. We've eaten waffles for breakfast, ChickFilA for lunch and black bean soup for dinner. We went to lacrosse games in Birmingham, visited family in Memphis, the Blue House in North Carolina, cook outs in Blountville, the beach in South Carolina.  We've added a fence, which was a long time coming. My sanity was saved when I "met" Easton, Austin, Tommy, Nicole, Julia...I have watched them struggle and grow and learn and patch.

Through it all, we've patched. 

Jack was diagnosed with lymphoma and kicked it's butt. We've watched  "Tractors", Fireman Sam & Polar Express. We acquired trucks and tractors then trains then ambulances and police cars then helicopters and airplanes. The garbage men have come & gone about 100 times. Anderson has been trick or treating as a pirate and a police officer . Emily became a mom as Stella joined the world.

Through it all, we've patched. 

Bop has made balloons at IHOP & parties. Mike Wazowski & Sully saved Boo countless times. We made it through staph infection, sinus infections, ear infections, fever viruses, busted lips, bruises & colds. Chloe has barked incessantly. Gabs has chased her ball. We ate ice cream at Sonic, Brusters, Marble Slab and McDonald's. 

Through it all, we've patched. 

Anderson has given up his bottle, his crib and diapers. He started talking, counting, walking, singing, jumping, recognizing shapes and letters, narrating his life and reasoning. We have had 13 pediatric ophahamologist appointments. We've visited countless parks, the zoo, Dollywood and Ijams. Good night Gorilla,  Dr. Seuss ABC & books about cars/firetrucks/construction have been read and re read.

Through it all,we've patched.

Anderson has gone from taking 2 naps to 1 nap to no nap to virtually no sleeping to even less sleeping. Noni has kept an eypatch on 2 hours, 4 hours, 10 hours, 14 hours...a day, without complaining. We went to Hilton Head with the Glovers, lived it up as a family on a cruise, I traveled to Europe for 2 weeks with my sister, Brandon went on a baseball trip with friends. We've been to weddings, baby showers and funerals.

Through it all, we've patched. 

The Birmingham family visited, the Memphis family visited and vice versa. I  graded thousands of AP US essays, Brandon  arrested criminals. Farragut won and lost many, many football and basketball games. We enjoyed hundreds of play dates with Clare & Jack. We ran errands to CVS, Target, the bank and the post office. Anderson made it to the potty never/sometimes/most of the time/always.

                                                             Through it all, we've patched. 

My (our) life was rocked when I went from being an Admiral to a Panther basically overnight . Anderson decided he was a construction worker, a garbage truck driver, a chocolate milk truck driver, a monster, a firefighter and a police officer. All of the patched variety, of course. I became a Bobble. I was resentful of people who had "easy" toddlers, then I accepted that a patch is nothing compared to what a lot of people struggle with, then I realized how lucky we are that medicine is advanced enough for us to be able to save our son's vision.
                                                        Through it all, we've patched.

Nicole is pregnant with my Reese. Clare is pregnant with Lucy. I am growing a sibling for my Bug. Our next two years are going to look drastically different, but in one little patched way they will look exactly the same. Anderson has gone from making us laugh with his facial expressions to laugh with his comments. He has gone from being a pretty good eater to a non eater to a normal toddler eater. Our house was infiltrated by a skunk and by a leaking washing machine, both of which provided massive inconvenience and a chance to spend time living with grandparents.

                                           Through it all, we've patched.

We have ridden a roller coaster of emotions: denial, sadness, anger, frustration, worry, pissed offness, curiosity, fear, exhaustion, resentment, happiness, relief, more frustration, empathy, gratitude, pride. 

We've cried. We've laughed. We've loved. We've lived. We've patched. 


We're won this battle, so far, and we are going to keep winning. 

Bring.it.