It was good to be back home, and it was good to finally have relief from the pain. I was advised to walk around and try to get back to doing normal things, taking it easy and lifting NOTHING! I also showered. After ten days, I was pretty stinky. (Actually, really stinky. Just ask Lee!) Where were the kids, and what were they doing during all this time? They were having a GREAT vacation. Sleepovers at Lee's parents, my parents and Aunt Sharon's were just right for them! They didn't miss me one bit! Thanks all for helping with the kids!!
Now that it's the end of April, I can honestly say that I have 98% recovered. I have an occasional, very slight tingling in my ankle and toes, but it is ignored with any kind of activity or distraction. I sit on a "fit disc" in the car, similar to sitting on a ball, but smaller (obviously). Thanks mom!! I walk, I do my core excercises, and I pay attention to how I lift (light things-don't worry). I'm taking care of myself, because I do NOT want to go through all of THAT again!
So, back to my birthday present!! Lee took me in last Tuesday at 8:30 to get my eyes corrected. It was a bit scary, and a bit horrible as my eye's were secured open while they sliced and lasered them, but boy was it worth it!!! I left one hour later with near perfect vision. 20/20 in one eye 20/40 in the other (over time it should progress to 20/20)! Pretty good! I'll take it! Thanks mom and dad for the very best birthday present ever!!! You are the best!!!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
My Birthday (part 1)
My-o-my! It has been quite some time since I have updated here! I just re-read Lee's blog about his bull. It seems like that was so long ago! We've celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, various birthdays, and even a birth! Yikes! A lot happens in a few months!
My birthday, as you well know, was Febuary 16th, and I celebrated at the end on January with my dear sissies and parents. Dad made us a fabulous dinner including Spencer steaks and creme brule (!!!). Sharon and I each received some "old people" reading glasses as one of our birthday presents, followed quickly by the WONDERFUL gift of LASIK!!!! We were shocked, but very excited. No more contacts, no more glasses, no more blurry nights getting up to stumble about, no more dry contacts, no more driving half an hour back to the nearest town to pick up contact paraphenalia that I forgot at home while on a camping trip, no more contacts washed down the drain by curious children, no more trashed contacts after a good cry...this list could go on for a long time...
I was quick to make an appointment early on the following week. I was scheduled for the next Thursday for my consultation with my eye doctor. I was ready. Well, not quite. I ended up rescheduling for later on in the month, the 24th. This was not to be. I had been fighting some sciatic pain for a couple of months, and that Thursday it was bad. Real bad. I was barely able to get in my car after BSF. I started driving, and was in so much pain. The pain started in my right glute, and screamed all the way down my leg to my toes. I was crying and praying and cursing and screaming. It was really bad. I made it to Seabeck, and was so thankful that Elizabeth was home. I hobbled to her door, and she was so gracious to lend my her guest bed so I could lay down and try to relax. A couple hours later, she and Jason kindly drove me the rest of the way home with my car. I made it to bed, and was done. I was hurting. I had no idea what was wrong, except it had something to do with my sciatic nerve. Whenever I tried to walk, it took my breath away. Needless to say, it was difficult to make it to the bathroom. Pain, pain, pain.
Lee and I decided to head in to the ER on Monday morning. We did not want to go, but had to find out what was going on. We also were apprehensive about how much it would cost. A few months previous, we decided to not spend the increasing monthly insurance premiums with decreasing coverage, so we were without insurance. After much prayer, I was totally confident that God would take care of this. I had been studying Isaiah this year at BSF, and I had the opportunity to think about God and who he was to the Isrealites, as well as to me. He is the Lord forever, the Rock eternal, the Holy One of Isreal, the Upright One, the Righteous One, the Lord Almighty, my Maker and my Savior. Even in the midst of my pain and my fear, I had to offer praise to my God. Focusing on him, and praising him for his faithfulness changed my focus from me to Him. Verses popped out at me:
"O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." Is 25:1
"You will keep in perfect peace him (or her!!) whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." Is 26: 3-4
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you: he rises to show you compassion.: Is 30:18 (that's me too!)
"He tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs (that's me!) in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Is 40:11
"The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives streanth to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Is 40:28-29 (What a claim, what a promise!)
"I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Is 41:9-10 (One of my favorite verses!! Thank you God!)
Early in the morning, we were off. Lee drove me in as I lay down in the back of the car. Of course there was snow on the ground, and of course we got behind a snow plow. The windows were down and the heat was cranked so I wouldn't be carsick or cold. I was glad to finally make it to the ER. They checked me in, checked me out and gave me drugs. After a very painful lay-on-my-back while they did the MRI, it was determined that I had a mild herniated disc. MILD???? Are you kidding? The pain didn't feel very mild. However, I was thankful it was mild, because mild meant no surgery (thank you, God!) We finally got to go home around 5:00 with four perscriptions to reduce the swelling around the disc and to help with the pain. I was on the road to recovery!! YEAH!!
My birthday, as you well know, was Febuary 16th, and I celebrated at the end on January with my dear sissies and parents. Dad made us a fabulous dinner including Spencer steaks and creme brule (!!!). Sharon and I each received some "old people" reading glasses as one of our birthday presents, followed quickly by the WONDERFUL gift of LASIK!!!! We were shocked, but very excited. No more contacts, no more glasses, no more blurry nights getting up to stumble about, no more dry contacts, no more driving half an hour back to the nearest town to pick up contact paraphenalia that I forgot at home while on a camping trip, no more contacts washed down the drain by curious children, no more trashed contacts after a good cry...this list could go on for a long time...
I was quick to make an appointment early on the following week. I was scheduled for the next Thursday for my consultation with my eye doctor. I was ready. Well, not quite. I ended up rescheduling for later on in the month, the 24th. This was not to be. I had been fighting some sciatic pain for a couple of months, and that Thursday it was bad. Real bad. I was barely able to get in my car after BSF. I started driving, and was in so much pain. The pain started in my right glute, and screamed all the way down my leg to my toes. I was crying and praying and cursing and screaming. It was really bad. I made it to Seabeck, and was so thankful that Elizabeth was home. I hobbled to her door, and she was so gracious to lend my her guest bed so I could lay down and try to relax. A couple hours later, she and Jason kindly drove me the rest of the way home with my car. I made it to bed, and was done. I was hurting. I had no idea what was wrong, except it had something to do with my sciatic nerve. Whenever I tried to walk, it took my breath away. Needless to say, it was difficult to make it to the bathroom. Pain, pain, pain.
Lee and I decided to head in to the ER on Monday morning. We did not want to go, but had to find out what was going on. We also were apprehensive about how much it would cost. A few months previous, we decided to not spend the increasing monthly insurance premiums with decreasing coverage, so we were without insurance. After much prayer, I was totally confident that God would take care of this. I had been studying Isaiah this year at BSF, and I had the opportunity to think about God and who he was to the Isrealites, as well as to me. He is the Lord forever, the Rock eternal, the Holy One of Isreal, the Upright One, the Righteous One, the Lord Almighty, my Maker and my Savior. Even in the midst of my pain and my fear, I had to offer praise to my God. Focusing on him, and praising him for his faithfulness changed my focus from me to Him. Verses popped out at me:
"O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." Is 25:1
"You will keep in perfect peace him (or her!!) whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." Is 26: 3-4
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you: he rises to show you compassion.: Is 30:18 (that's me too!)
"He tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs (that's me!) in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Is 40:11
"The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives streanth to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Is 40:28-29 (What a claim, what a promise!)
"I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Is 41:9-10 (One of my favorite verses!! Thank you God!)
Early in the morning, we were off. Lee drove me in as I lay down in the back of the car. Of course there was snow on the ground, and of course we got behind a snow plow. The windows were down and the heat was cranked so I wouldn't be carsick or cold. I was glad to finally make it to the ER. They checked me in, checked me out and gave me drugs. After a very painful lay-on-my-back while they did the MRI, it was determined that I had a mild herniated disc. MILD???? Are you kidding? The pain didn't feel very mild. However, I was thankful it was mild, because mild meant no surgery (thank you, God!) We finally got to go home around 5:00 with four perscriptions to reduce the swelling around the disc and to help with the pain. I was on the road to recovery!! YEAH!!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Bull (by Lee)
I don't know if you have heard but this year I shot the biggest bull anyone has ever seen on Tobbogan hill in the last 30 years. I went to a spot, it was there, I shot it. An old timer on a quad gave us a ride back to the truck and ended up back at our camp to see the horns. Once word spread, other hunters stopped by and verified that this bull was epic. The most awsome part of the event was when dad was asked, on more than one occasion, if we were were related to Roy or Lee, who haven't been seen in over a decade on Tobbogan Hill, besides ghost stories. Hunters on that hill still remember those characters.
Belive it or not, Dad would restrain his response. I think it's because his heart was speaking way louder than what his voice could deliver. "Yeah, Roy's my dad and this here's my son, named after Lee, who's my mom's brother". That's all he would say.
Dad showed up a day after I shot it. We went to where it was. I was worried about the logistics of getting it out and taking care of the meat. He said, ya done good, we'll gitter out. He was flawless in getting it boned in no time while I packed. Once the boning was done he packed what meat was left until it was done. We got this monumental bull back to camp within two days. That fat old sunofagun can still cut meat for six hours, on a hillside, put 60 punds on his back, and walk 2 miles... three times.
Belive it or not, Dad would restrain his response. I think it's because his heart was speaking way louder than what his voice could deliver. "Yeah, Roy's my dad and this here's my son, named after Lee, who's my mom's brother". That's all he would say.
Dad showed up a day after I shot it. We went to where it was. I was worried about the logistics of getting it out and taking care of the meat. He said, ya done good, we'll gitter out. He was flawless in getting it boned in no time while I packed. Once the boning was done he packed what meat was left until it was done. We got this monumental bull back to camp within two days. That fat old sunofagun can still cut meat for six hours, on a hillside, put 60 punds on his back, and walk 2 miles... three times. Teeth (october 5th)
As I was outside tonight doing some yard work, Natalie came up to me, upset and tearful. "You threw away my tooth! The bag wasn't closed all the way and it came out in the trash!" She had pulled out tooth number 2 for the week earlier in the evening and had put it in a zip lock bag on the counter. That was the last place I remember seeing it. Apparently, I tossed it. Bummer...chalk another one up under Failure Mom.
I began looking through the trash, which of course was full, all the while telling myself what a horrible mother I was. Poking through the egg shells and juice boxes, lines from Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout kept running through my head. I was interrupted by bath time, and the smell coming from Sawyer's diaper, and Natalie's cry of triumph: "I pulled out another tooth! You can stop looking! I saved the day!" Indeed, she was holding in her hand her other top tooth! Now I really had to keep looking for that other tooth! I had to find it! How many kids get to put two teeth under their pillow for the tooth fairy??
I went back at it once the kids were asleep and in bed. I was listening to the news (which puts the time past 10:00) as I methodically inspected and shook out all of our trash from the last four days. No tooth. Big sigh. Still beating myself up, I began cleaning up the kitchen, tidying and sweeping before I went to bed. And there it was. Sitting on the kitchen table on a pile of papers, still zip locked up in it's baggie, was the long lost tooth. I hadn't thrown it away!! I'm not a horrible mom!! Natalie will be so excited!! I went in and woke her up, telling her that I was putting her tooth under her pillow. She opened her eyes and dreamily said ok. She won't remember in the morning.
Off I go. I need to round up some cash. This tooth fairy can sleep happy!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Moments
I took the kids to the park today. It was a beautiful, not-too-cold fall day. The sun was bright as were our outlooks. We played at the play ground, kicked the soccerball around, threw rocks in the river, and ran through the yellow blanket of leaves lying on the ground. Here's the kicker... I FORGOT MY CAMERA!!! We've been to the park before. How many pictures do I need, right? BUT THEN, they were doing the most picture worthy things! The wind picked up and yellow leaves came fluttering down from up, up, up in the tree. All three were running, and squealing and dancing among the floating leaves. When the wind stopped, they piled up leaves and threw them as high as they could above their heads. It was picture perfect and I didn't have my camera. As I just sat and watched I loved the moment. I loved that it was our moment, and it was fun and special. I loved that I wasn't looking at it through my camera. I loved that they were so carefree, and I wasn't missing a moment of it. I may not remember it in the years to come, but today I simply sat and paused and enjoyed.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Anniversary #11
For our 11th anniversary, Lee and I went back to where it all began....North Mason High School!!!
It just so happened there was a home football game, so we grabbed our coats and hats, and went on our special date. It turned out to be really fun, and not as scary as I thought it would be...(I haven't been around teenagers in a looooong time.)
The night was clear and crisp, and the smell of grass and dirt was in the air. Whistles blowing, fans hollering, and kids chatting it up took us right back to good ol' highshool.
You can't see it very well, but to the right of Lee is the scoreboard showing the Bulldogs ahead 14-20. They ended up winning 14 -28! Yahoo!!
Hope
Yesterday I was struck by two things, at separate times, in separate ways. The first thing was this little ad that I saw in a magazine for a book called Disneystrology. To sum up, it links astrology and Disney to small ones who don't know the difference. Instead of what's your sign, it's based on your birthday and it tells you what Disney character you are like. Harmless fun? Maybe. But then I read this in the book of Isaiah and it got me thinking...... Verse 2:6 says this: They are full of superstitions from the east; they practice divination like the Philistines. These people received the judgement of the Lord and it was really bad! Why in the world would I want my kids, who love Disney by the way, to even head down that path of dread??? But it's harmless! It's Belle and Nemo, right? What if it's just the beginning of something more???
The second thing that struck me was witnessing an excange between Lilly and Sawyer. I walked in on Lilly sitting in front of Sawyer. She was holding in her hands a little Bible and she was singing the song, The Bible is a Treasure Book, to Saywer. The Bible is a treasure book of stories that are true. It tells of people long ago of folks like me and you. I choose reading the Bible.
So, I have hope. Judgement and destruction fell upon the people of Judah because of their sin and evil ways. However, there was promised hope in the "branch of the Lord" (Isaiah 4:2-6) I have hope that my kids, who are learning the truth of God's word, the Bible, will remember it as they grow. In the midst of this crazy world and all of it's temptations and evil that will try to snare them, I have hope.
"For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity.
The second thing that struck me was witnessing an excange between Lilly and Sawyer. I walked in on Lilly sitting in front of Sawyer. She was holding in her hands a little Bible and she was singing the song, The Bible is a Treasure Book, to Saywer. The Bible is a treasure book of stories that are true. It tells of people long ago of folks like me and you. I choose reading the Bible.
So, I have hope. Judgement and destruction fell upon the people of Judah because of their sin and evil ways. However, there was promised hope in the "branch of the Lord" (Isaiah 4:2-6) I have hope that my kids, who are learning the truth of God's word, the Bible, will remember it as they grow. In the midst of this crazy world and all of it's temptations and evil that will try to snare them, I have hope.
"For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity.
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