We were SO excited to hear that Jacob wanted to come out for a whole week! Jacob brings the best out in our family and I love that he requires the boys to repeat that "Jacob is the best". I think it makes Jacob feel amazing when they say it without his prompts!
The last few MONTHS have been rougher than normal. We have been battling Zakary's back pain since we moved here. He's had back problems that have come with injury and playing too hard for years, but this pain has been unrelenting for nearly three years. He has dealt with it REALLY well for 2 years. While he was laying around from his Achilles Tendon Rupture he realized what it was like to NOT have back pain. As soon as he was off crutches and walking again-the pain returned and he has really struggled to manage. He has tried physical therapy, acupuncture, essential oils, massage, a spinal surgeon (told him to stop thinking about the pain), narcotic pain medication, he found that one leg is longer than the other and has custom shoes to even that up, yoga, crossfit, an inverter table, a TENS machine, counter pressure, and all this to no avail! He continues in pain and it has become a huge interruption to his life. For three months he simply comes home and lays down. For January-March I didn't mind so much--- but APRIL!!?? The sun is shining, the grass is growing, the snow is melted and it is time to get outside--and yet, Zak is in too much pain to enjoy it. It is torture for all of us-especially him.
So, as the time neared for Jacob to come visit my heart hoped that he would be willing to help me outside in the yard! I asked him and he said yes! He arrived at midnight on Saturday April 11th in Milwaukee.. THAT was a blast just driving home with him at 2 in the morning! I loved catching up with him! He is in love with two girls, one is on a mission and the other is a dancer. We talked about that choice a lot. Sunday morning church was great and I let him take one GIANT nap on Sunday afternoon.. and then the week was full of lots of work. We have SO many garden plots and flower areas and half of them have completely grown out of control. Jacob rototiled them all! I decided that I wanted a patio on the south side of the house--Jacob was right there putting in paver stones.. my boys mentioned that they would love a treasure box--and Jacob went to work making them. Jacob took Moses and Heber out for ice cream.. he also took them to pick out a kite and helped them learn to fly it. I also decided I wanted a rock path under a hammock and Jacob wouldn't stop working til that job was done.. To make it completely fair, I was there for some of the work and so was Zak. Even though his back hurts-it only bothers him with he stops moving-so Zak worked with Jacob on the patio and hammock paradise while home from work. Jacob did the majority of the work and still had time for kite flying, reading with the boys, putting Gretel down for cuddly naps and playing farkle. We really had such a wonderful time with him here!! Jacob really is the best! My yard and the general level of happiness that he left here is proof of that!
