August 6, 2015

Oh to go and redo a day...I would sleep in on August 6th. I considered it. My alarm went off at 4:45am and I thought about texting my two friends and saying I was skipping the run that morning. But it was a typical Thursday morning and I was meeting two girls for an early 4ish mile run. I left my house a little after 5am and ran about half a mile to meet up with them. When I met up with them I made a u-turn so we were headed back in the direction of my neighborhood. I was following closely behind them. Apparently, too closely. You know so I could be involved in conversation, because why else do you run with friends? I always enjoy the conversation and distraction. Then just as quickly as our conversation began, I hit an uneven part of a sidewalk and bit it. Because I was so close to them I didn't see the the step up. I hit the ground hard. My memory is fuzzy but I don't think I even stumbled or had time to react. It was not a slow-mo movement. I just hit the ground fast and hard. I had a small water bottle in my right hand and I was still gripping it as I lay on the concrete. I had attempted to catch myself with my left hand. And that was the arm I knew was injured. Before getting off the ground I said, "I'm going to need to head home. Y'all go on." I knew I was hurt. It wasn't a - dust your knees off and keep running type of thing. My friends walked me home. Later they told me that my speech was slurred on the walk home and I wasn't walking straight. I was a little tipsy. I kept saying I felt like I was going to pass out. But adrenaline got me home and during the walk I wasn't crying or feeling much pain. Good ole adrenaline. The fall happened about 1/2 mile from my house. I called my dad as I walked so he could come and sit with my boys. I knew Jeremy would be taking me to the ER as soon as possible. And as soon as I saw my husband, the blessed adrenaline was depleted and excruciating pain set in. Thankfully we didn't have to wait long for my dad and we headed to a nearby ER around 5:45am or so. The place was empty and I was seen right away. There they gave me some drugs, confirmed with a painful x-ray that I did indeed break the radius. My arm was kind of funky looking. We knew it was broken without the x-ray. And then that sweet ER doctor set the broken bone. God bless him...all the while he was yanking my arm in the air attempting to set the bone and I was trying my best not to curse he was saying something like, "I could never be an orthopedic. They have to do this to people all the time." I think he said that phrase several times. He also informed me during that visit that we would most likely be looking at surgery in a few days. Boo. At this point, I can't remember some details. 1) I was on drugs. 2) It has now been 3 months ago. But I think it was that afternoon that we saw the Orthopedic. Man, she was wonderful. If my little family ever needs another Orthopedic she will be our girl. When we started trying to figure out childcare for my surgery date, she looked at me with the most compassionate eyes. She had just realized that I was a mommy to little ones and she knew far better than I did what a challenge life was going to be for me due to this injury and the weeks that were ahead. She is also a mommy to little ones and so she quickly won an imaginary prize for best bedside manner and compassion. I'm going to spare you the 6 week saga of recovery from surgery. It was a rough 6 weeks. Full of tears and frustrations. Apparently, not everyone can break their arm as good as I can. My Occupational Therapist, who I'm still seeing weekly, calls it "my very special wrist fracture". It is called a galeazzi fracture. If I understand it correctly, it means that I broke the bone (the radius), displaced the joint and created and whole lot of ligament damage in the process. A few weeks ago, after a follow up with my doctor, the truth leaked out. I got a strong impression that she never expected my arm to fully recover from this injury. So the fact that I had as much movement as I did at my last follow up made my doctor really happy. Both my doctor and OT say that I am way ahead of the game. I'm further than they expected me to be at this point. If I didn't want to live a physically active life, I would probably be okay with where I am right now. They tell me that I'm at a "functional" place with my forearm rotation and wrist movement. But functional doesn't include push ups and those types of things that have become a normal part of my week. I haven't exercised at all since the day of my fall. I've now been cleared to run, I just need to get out there and do it once in the daylight. I have not been cleared to go back to Camp Gladiator and I probably won't for several more months. I've missed it. But my left arm is not ready for weights or push ups and planks at this point. I'm no longer in constant pain, but many things do cause pain. But it's supposed to be a good pain, so I do those things anyways. Lifting Abe and carrying heavy things is painful, but it's forcing my arm to move in ways that it doesn't want to move yet. I'm trying to push it out of it's comfort zone and stretch it a little further every day. I'm 2 months in to rehab and I've been told I have 4 months left. The morning that I broke my arm, I honestly thought that I would be in a cast for a month or two and then I would be good. I never actually went into a cast, but instead a permanent 6 week splint. I never imagined this would go on for nearly 8 months. And I'm sure it's good that I didn't know the severity of it all. Those first 6 weeks took a toll on me physically and emotionally. I was in a funk. But I am definitely on the upswing of things now. Things are improving each week. And that my friends is what happened to me on August 6, 2015. A few pictures from this unexpected little twist in my life.

 At the ER with a funky shaped arm.

 Jeremy taking off all my nail polish the night before surgery. This man... acts of service is a way he easily shows love. That is what comes naturally for him. And he was a total rockstar through this whole ordeal. He kept up with the house, the laundry, meals and made sure our little guys felt loved. Not to mention, being my set of hands and caring for me. I know it was stressful for him and I must have apologized a billion times for getting us into this predicament. But he was simply amazing. When the going gets tough, Jeremy shines.

And by the end of the 6 weeks, he could totally rock a ponytail for me. I had some sad, sad hair for a couple of months. Try doing your hair with only one hand. Not pretty. Also try putting on a bra or washing your hair or putting on deodorant. Oh I was a mess. And Jeremy had to do just about everything for me.

 I can't believe I'm even posting this one. Jeremy sent it to my parents with the caption "the lunch lady is ready for surgery". Haha. Sometimes he's so funny, at my expense. But still funny.

Post surgery. Finally getting some snuggles from my little guy. It was a hard adjustment when I suddenly couldn't hold and take care of him.

 Jeremy was home with me for a week. And then family and friends helped out for a few days and took care of some meals. That was a blessing.

 

And these two boys were the other rockstars at our house. They had to open sippy cups and peanut butter jars. They had to get Abe from his crib for me. And here they are washing the grapes and removing them from the vine. They didn't have me serving them much at all and instead it was their turn to serve me. It was good for them. And I very rarely heard a complaint.

 I won't lie. My boys watched A LOT of TV during my recovery.

 My hand...I think the doctor realized at my next visit that the medical assistant had wrapped me too tightly. I mean!! Swelling was normal post surgery, but look at the size of that hand!

 In the picture above I think I was two weeks post surgery. They unwrapped me to check the incision and pin. I didn't realize until this moment that there was a pin HANGING out of my wrist. I nearly passed out. I knew I had a metal plate and some other new metal in my arm. But I didn't know anything was coming externally out of my skin. But it was keeping my wrist stable so I wouldn't rotate my forearm at all. The radius is the bone that rotates while the ulna does not, so it needed to be stabilized during the healing process.

Then I was moved to this uncomfortable contraption that was made and molded to fit me. Let me just be honest and say they were all uncomfortable. But this one I hated the most.

 Peeling, crusty, dirty, stinky arm. 6 weeks post op and x-rays were done. Bones were healed. But still I was in a ton of pain. It made no sense. I was taken out of the permanent splint and put in this removable one...

At this point, this was as far as I could straighten my arm. It had been bent at 90 degrees for 6+ weeks. Today I can almost straighten it all the way.

 First thing on the agenda was a bath so I could wash my arm.

 The picture above is showing how I couldn't rotate my forearm.

And now I can turn it almost completely palm up. Palm down is a struggle, but I'm making progress. And Bio Oil is doing wonders for my scar. I've come a long way and I've got a little longer to go.

random favorites.

I wanted to share some of my favorites, thinking that it might just change a life. Maybe that's a huge exaggeration, but I think they are still worth sharing with the world.


Key Lime Greek Yogurt + sliced almonds + blueberries might just be one of the best flavor combinations ever invented. And I sort of want to take credit for this combo. I do not typically like ANY type of greek yogurt because it has a tangy/tart flavor that I just can't handle. But since key lime is naturally tart, I love this one and only greek yogurt flavor. Try it. It makes a great breakfast or snack.

 

Speaking of snacks, have you ever dipped fresh veggies in guacamole? I usually go for hummus. But lately, I've been using the 100 calorie portion controlled guacamole. And with carrots and sugar snap peas you hardly realize that you would rather be eating chips. :)

Season's of a Mother's Heart by Sally Clarkson. I started reading this book in the spring. Just taking a chapter here and there, normally in the mornings before the boys were up and ready to start the day. It helped to prepare me for my day ahead. And although the title shows it being for the homeschool mom, I think it can be an encouragement to any mom! This book has encouraged my heart in so many ways and it will be one of those books I pick up and re-read over and over for years to come.

Shellac manicures! I really wish I could justify paying someone to paint my nails every two weeks, but I just can't. And shellac manicures are so amazing because the polish doesn't chip and typically stays on a two full weeks. So a couple months back I picked up this Sally Hansen gel polish set in Target to try out. It is great! I love it!

I'm going to admit that my feet get a little rough around the edges. Ok, alot rough. I like to blame the waterpark in the summer time. And I blame the dry winter air in the winter time. Then during the mild seasons, I like to blame things like long distance running. :) But really, maybe it's just my feet and the fact that i go barefoot 99% of the time. But this stuff is amazing. I slather it on every night when i get in bed and it keeps my old crusty feet from getting too crusty. I've tried everything you could imagine. Even straight coconut oil. This stuff is the best.

Camp Gladiator! I seriously only went in January to take advantage of a free month of workouts. I had no intent on "going bold" as they call it by committing to sign up for a 6 month or 1 year commitment. But at the end of January when my freebie time was up, I was completely head over heels in love with these workouts, the trainers and the entire atmosphere at CG. Jeremy surprised me on my last day and told me to commit to a year. I nearly cried happy tears. There are not many things I would set an alarm for 4:30am for...but my morning CG fix is one of them. 

Happy New Year!

We had an extra special New Years Eve celebration. The Myers came and stayed the night so we could ring the new year in together. My big boys love to play with Camryn. She shares her princess dresses with Holden. Why does Holden love to dress up like a princess? I have no idea, but he does. :) And she has lots of dresses to choose from. And at this visit we even noticed a special friendship blossoming between the little brothers, Reid and Abe. Abe went to bed before the real fun began. We did a countdown at 8pm for these party animals. And then they all went to bed.

 Amanda was kind enough to pick up these obnoxious horns and then leave them at our house when they left. ;)

We taught them how to cheers.

 The sparkling apple cider was "spicy" to Reid.

A little game before bed.

 2014 had some great moments. Some really sweet, fun and memorable moments in our family. But the last half of the year has included plenty of struggles and discomfort. Things that I've pleaded with God to take away, to heal, to walk us through safely to the other side. And for whatever reason, He keeps us here. Sometimes just treading water. And sometimes peacefully making it through one day at a time. But I know He is present with us, each and every day. That is enough. He is enough. I pray that I can know and remember the depth of that truth as I head into 2015, unsure of what exactly this year holds for us. I'm also thankful to have this guy by my side through it all.

Happy 2015!

Flashback Friday

In honor of a very special date this weekend, I took a phone picture of a day in history I'll never forget. The day that we committed to forever.

Sunday we will celebrate 12 years! Some people say Jeremy looks EXACTLY the same today. Even down to the same hair. It's true. He hasn't changed much in the looks department. But we have both changed and grown up a lot in the past 12 years. Tomorrow we will celebrate with a little date night. And in two weeks we will celebrate with an entire weekend alone, including our very first half marathon. I am so excited!!

thirty-four.

At the end of March I turned 34. And for the record, that age sounds very old to my ears. I think I'm really in my late twenties. I'm not saying I look it anymore, but I feel like I am. Jeremy's 34th was an odd one this year. And what do you know, mine turned out to be an odd one as well! The night before, Jeremy and Holden were at the ER (again! Holden had been to the ER the week before also). So we were up til the wee hours of the morning on my birthday. The next day, we all took it easy as Holden was not back to himself yet. The following night, I enjoyed dinner out with my family. There is nothing better than a patio dinner in the spring.

Pre-birthday, I celebrated with my sweet friend, Amanda. We meet for dinner for our birthdays each year. It's a fun little tradition that we've started since we moved here 4 years ago. We shared pizza and sangria and had a few hours to sit and chat. Just the two of us. It was a nice evening out.

And post birthday, Jeremy and I celebrated with friends, Noé and Lauren. We've been talking about the four of us going to Billy Bob's for a couple of years. And by us talking, I mean Lauren and I. I'm pretty sure the boys could have happily lived without this adventure. But Jeremy knows I've been wanting to go for a while. I hadn't been since my 25th birthday! In college, dancing was a weekly event and sometimes I really miss it. But apparently, Jeremy does not miss it. He's over it. He's too grown up for it. Boo. And I'm not. But he hesitantly agreed to go for my birthday. And he danced with me a little. So I can't really complain. A few pictures from our night.

 

 

 

So 34. Here I am. I'm very thankful to be in this particular place in my life at age 34. Going on 12 years of marriage to my college sweetheart. And today I'm still thankful for each moment of those 12 years. The good and the bad, the easy and the challenging. And of course, I'm mommy to three very handsome little boys that God hand picked for us. So this is what 34 looks like for me. I think it's beautiful. And I'm ready to see what another year has in store for me.

My second 10k.

Yesterday I ran the Cowtown 10k all by my lonesome. I tried to talk Jeremy and several friends (at several different times) into running with me. But no one was biting. So I just signed up and was determined to run alone. About a month ago I wasn't sure I could run it alone. When I ran my early morning runs with a friend, 5 miles became easy, even though we only ran about 2-3 miles together and then we would go our own separate way towards our own homes. The chit chat was a great distraction for me so I really enjoyed running with another person. But running with someone and being distracted by the conversation, proved to me that my body could do the mileage. It really was a mental thing...which is what my friend kept telling me. Yet, I kept insisting it had more today with my legs and my lungs. She was right and I was wrong. I can admit that now. My challenge was definitely more mental. And it still is at times. So Friday night Jeremy loaded up a Matt Chandler sermon for me and some of my favorite tunes onto my phone. I love a good conversation with a friend. But I've been realizing over the past few weeks that a deep, thought provoking message is a really good use of my time while running. Saturday morning while it was still dark, Jeremy, Holden, Pax and I headed to the race. Abe stayed home sleeping since my parents were visiting. The race was literally beginning as a I arrived at the start line. Obviously we didn't leave our house early enough. What else is new! So off I went in the huge mass of runners. And 1 hr and 5 minutes later I was crossing that same line. It felt good. It was a fun experience, even though I didn't know any of the other 3972 runners. That's right, there were 3972! I love the atmosphere and camaraderie of those races. And now {big gulp} I think I might be ready for a half marathon. Well, not physically ready. But I'm ready to line one up and start working towards that next goal.
I should mention that Holden has been so excited about this little race I was doing. He's run with me more than once. He loves to run, chase and race anyone that is willing. And he talks a big game. He thinks he's faster than his momma! So when the winner crossed the finish line at 33 minutes (or whatever crazy time it was!) Holden said loudly and in a frustrated manner, "Why did mommy lose?!!" Sweet boy really thought I was going to win that race. It took me 5 minutes to even make my way to the start line, yet he really though my face would be the first one he saw to cross the finish line. I think he might have a little bit of a competitive edge. :)
A few pictures from yesterday's 10k.

 With the finish line finally in sight...

They are smiling so great for this picture because i bribed them with a sip of my grape flavored Propel water I had gotten after finishing.

Things I'm currently loving...

Homeschooling - For real. This isn't me pretending my life is dreamy or easy. It isn't. We knew homeschooling would be a more difficult route for me. But we have now completed week two and my big boys run to the kitchen table once I put Abe down for his morning nap. They love it. I hope it continues. The routine of our day has been a blessing to these little boys. Honestly, I wish I would have started a month or more ago when we were bored out of our minds this summer.

Mother's Day Out - See, I'm normal. I need a little space. I'm happy to be in this new routine, but Thursdays will definitely be a perk around here. I don't know what I'll do each week. But I get a little me time on Thursdays...well, me and Abe time. And I'm glad it's back in our weekly schedule.

Tabata - Making the time for exercise has been a little more challenging since coming home with Abe. I've been a little more tired and just haven't prioritized it as frequently as I should. But Tabata is so wonderful. They are hard core, intense 4 minute workouts. You do 3-4 rounds somewhere in your day and you're done. You can do it all at once (with a small break between rounds) or you can spread them through out the day. 12-16 minutes total and I can mark exercise off of my to do list. Yes, it usually gets put on my to do list. So does showering. Not joking. I think I just like to mark things off a list and have a sense of accomplishment. You can read in detail about Tabata here. And she has plenty of Tabata workouts to try out that will make you sweat. Check out any of these: One, Two, Three, Four...

Our new fridge calendar - So we had a little 5 year old that was asking us to play the Wii or the Xoom constantly. And we said yes to this request about once a week. And we said no to this request about 721 times per week. And so he threw a little fit about 718 times a week. Jeremy made the comment to me that we had no rhyme or reason of when we said yes or no. So Holden was always asking in this cautious, inquisitive way...probably completely assuming a no, but hoping for a yes. So we came up with a plan to allow the big boys to play the Wii or Xoom twice a week for an hour each time. We set it up so they can play on Mondays and Thursdays. It's written on the calendar so they never even have to ask us anymore. Any other day, the answer would be no. But on Mondays and Thursdays, after school work has been completed, they can use that 1 hour whenever they would like. We just started this on Monday and they haven't asked to play at all. It's a miracle. The calendar will also be good as we talk about days of the week and dates and learning about our calendar system. This was pretty much Jeremy's brilliant idea and I love it.

Netflix - About a month ago we decided that we could probably drop our Dish (which we haven't yet done but fully intend to!) and do a free trial of Netflix and Hulu. And now Jeremy and I have become huge nerds that watch 2-3 documentaries per week, where the subject is normally about food. Jeremy has actually watched several other types of documentaries that make me snooze. But the food ones draw me in. We aren't big television watchers. We can easily go days without turning it on. But Netflix has rocked our world.

 

Pinterest - Between homeschooling and finding new recipes for my family, I'm really not sure how I would survive without this little tool. It's been a huge help to me in many ways.

 

Is there anything you're especially loving these days?



weekend with the roomies.

I'm a little behind on this blog of mine. But I couldn't let this wonderful weekend go completely undocumented. Two weeks ago today my 3 college roommates and myself all met up at the Gaylord Texan Resort for a little reunion and relaxation. It had been way too long since we had done a girls weekend. In fact, I think it had been about 6+ years. Since all four of us have lived in four different states for several years, it had just become more challenging to make it happen. But now that we have all returned to Texas and Kristy pushed for this trip, we all jumped at the opportunity. I am so glad that we did. These 3 girls will always be called "my roomies", spoken in the present tense, though we haven't lived together for 11+ years now. Back in college, we were like sisters in our closeness, all the way to our silly spats. We were able to laugh about those moments during our recent weekend. Today, 11 years later, life looks so differently for each of us. Four amazing Christian men in our lives, and 9 wonderful little blessings (ages 5 and under) and more to come, I'm sure of it. I'm happy with where I am today in life, but I'm thankful for these relationships that have stuck with me over the years. These relationships that hold buckets and buckets and buckets full of memories from a very special season in my life.
On Saturday we floated the lazy river for 7 hours! It was glorious. And hot! But because we had so much to talk about, there was never a dull moment. I needed the fellowship and conversations more than anything. We talked about being a wife, motherhood, learning to truly trust Jesus, our favorite cocktails, and how everything had changed, but in some ways so much was still the same. It was good for my soul! I think that we decided this little trip needs to be an annual commitment.

thirty-three.

Yikes. I turned 33 last week. Let me just be honest and say that sounds WAY old. And let me just be honest and say that I still feel like I'm only 26. And let me just be honest and say that I may be singing a different song when the sleepless nights with a newborn come my way. That always has a way of making me feel {and look!} a heck of a lot older. ;) My birthday was was a pretty low key day. Unfortunately, the boys did not behave as if it were my birthday. That's always frustrating when your kiddos don't want to participate in the day you've set aside for youself to be treated like a princess. I didn't capture photos of the low points of this day. But I promise, they existed. Don't let all the smiling pictures fool you. Anyone else out there ever get there expectations crushed by mere preschoolers? I took the boys to Costco to get a few groceries and somehow walked out of their with a little something extra to celebrate my day. Jeremy and I actually had a date night this past Saturday to celebrate a little more without the sweet children. :) Here are a few snapshots from my actual birthday.

I have a thing for carrot cake. So it's only appropriate that my birthday is often close to Easter.

I had a couple of gift opening helpers.

My sweet husband picked out this gift. I absolutely love it!!

 

And here's to an exciting year ahead! :) But hopefully not one that will make me feel {or look!} 34 at the end of it. I have high expecations for what is in store.