Last Saturday, I got a phone call from Ian, our daycare provider's son. He said that his mom (Julie) was in an accident while zip lining. She was with a group of girls from a local high school soccer team that she works with (she does all of the photography for them at games and such), and long story short, she hit the guard rail at the end, fracturing some vertebrae and damaging her spinal cord.
She remains in ICU, and is currently experiencing paralysis of the lower half of her body. Because she still has some swelling, doctors are unsure what to expect as far as her being able to walk again. She will probably be moved this week to a rehab hospital about two hours away, and our biggest hope and prayer is that she will be able to walk and continue doing the job she loves. However, it will take a long time to get there. It will take at least three months for her vertebrae to fuse and heal, and then if she can regain feeling in her legs and feet, a great deal of physical therapy to walk again.
Julie is being amazingly positive through all of this. She said if she can't walk again, she wants to figure out a way to continue doing daycare out of her home, but will need Ian as an assistant to do the things she can't do. The woman is a saint. It hurts my heart to hear of the possibility that she may not walk again, but hearing her positive outlook reminds me of why we love her so much in the first place.
I have been pretty emotional all week about Julie. She is not just our daycare provider; she is our friend and family. The boys miss her and Leland keeps asking when Julie get better. We told him she hurt her back and is in the hospital. He hasn't been able to visit her yet since she's in ICU. But hopefully he can this week before she is moved to Grand Rapids.
Then on Thursday, Dave's boss, Mike, unexpectedly passed away.
Dave has worked for MAC Custom Homes for 15 years. Since MAC is a small company, and Mike handled pretty much everything, Dave worked closely with him for all those years. Over the last 13 years that Dave and I have been together, I have gotten to know Mike, his wife Robin, and one of their daughters pretty well. We love them and truly consider them members of the family. Actually, I consider them closer than some of my family.
Hearing of Mike's passing has been devastating. It's all Dave and I have talked about, and many tears have been shed. I went to see Robin yesterday, and was barely able to keep my composure. Once I got in my car to leave, I just sobbed. I just can't imagine a MAC Christmas party without Mike. Or even Dave going to work and having someone else being in charge of it all. And when I think about Robin going home or running MAC without Mike, I am just overcome with sadness.
You can read his obituary here.
It has been an emotional week for our family, to say the least. I can only imagine how hard it has been for Julie and Mike's families. If you are a praying person, please pray for these two families as they cope with the challenges that lay ahead.
Dave has worked for MAC Custom Homes for 15 years. Since MAC is a small company, and Mike handled pretty much everything, Dave worked closely with him for all those years. Over the last 13 years that Dave and I have been together, I have gotten to know Mike, his wife Robin, and one of their daughters pretty well. We love them and truly consider them members of the family. Actually, I consider them closer than some of my family.
Hearing of Mike's passing has been devastating. It's all Dave and I have talked about, and many tears have been shed. I went to see Robin yesterday, and was barely able to keep my composure. Once I got in my car to leave, I just sobbed. I just can't imagine a MAC Christmas party without Mike. Or even Dave going to work and having someone else being in charge of it all. And when I think about Robin going home or running MAC without Mike, I am just overcome with sadness.
You can read his obituary here.
It has been an emotional week for our family, to say the least. I can only imagine how hard it has been for Julie and Mike's families. If you are a praying person, please pray for these two families as they cope with the challenges that lay ahead.
