Perspective

This post has taken me some time to write.  My blog isn't a political blog or a soapbox or a money maker.  It's just a journal of my life with my guys; however, today's post is different.

This post was written throughout the past two weeks.

April 20
I have been humbled.  My knee is pretty messed up.  See Chapters 1-5. Surgery is set for Tuesday, the 24th.  In the meantime, Hubby has been gone for 12 days.  He's coming home today and I am so excited to see him.  Meanwhile family, friends, coworkers, church members have stepped in to make this injury a little less painful for me.  I am overwhelmed with the love and care.  I have turned down a ton of offers of help for each one I've accepted.  My cup runs over.

April 22
My knee injury is so trivial compared to Travis Mills injuries.  Staff Sgt. Mills is with the 82nd Airborne with the U.S.Army, same as our Sam.  On April 10, Mills headed out to do his job.  A IED planted by terrorists exploded.  Travis Mills lost his limbs.  His wife, baby girl and his parents lost his limbs too.
You can visit Travis' site here.   His site gives daily updates.

April 23

While I was having a fantastic day skiing on Mt. Baker there were U.S. soldiers fighting a war against terrorists in Afghanistan.  

While I was amazed at the beauty of the snowy mountains, U.S soldiers are in a land where everywhere they look it's sand.

While I was laughing, a lot, there were military personnel making decisions to head out on patrol.

While I had lunch in a gorgeous lodge, a soldier ripped open another MRE(meals ready to eat).

While I felt the sun on my face as I rode up the chair lift many soldiers felt the sting of sand from another wind storm.

While I enjoyed friends a soldier was homesick in his tent.

While I injured my knee in April, 33 soldiers(unofficial number from Unknown Soldier) lost their lives at war in Afghanistan.  April was the bloodiest month in Afghanistan to date.  I'm sorry you have to read that here but our media isn't going to tell you.

April 24

Cast all your anxiety on him, because He cares for you. I Peter 5:7

Surgery day!  Dr Thorp is happy with results and I'm pretty happy on pain meds.  Hubby is taking good care of me.

April 28

While I go about my life whether I'm baking, parenting, cleaning, skiing, blogging or spending time with family and friends, there are soldiers working to ensure that others might have the freedoms and privileges that I enjoy everyday.  They work to see to it that I get to putter around with the trivial instead ofworrying about terrorists.  Sam's roommate left for the Middle East today.  Be careful Zeke and God bless you.

April 30

I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.  Psalm 121:1-2

*Zeke, I stole your pic.

Sometimes it doesn't hurt to put things into perspective a little.  To look at your plate and realize that someone else has a lot more on their plate.  It's easy to wallow in self pity.  Life is tough, God shapes us and toughens us up with the hard stuff.  I'm uncomfortable right now, I want my 'normal' back.  

You probably want it back too...haha.    Projects, recipes, funny stories about Max are more entertaining to read than posts about war, casualties and wounded soldiers.

May 1

If you want to make a difference today, if you want to do something for me today please consider the Wounded Warrior Project.  Really, just click and give.  I've never asked my readers for much actually I don't believe I've ever asked you for anything but today I am putting myself out there and asking you to give.  It doesn't matter how much, just something.

More importantly I'm asking you to please pray for Travis and his family today, for other wounded soldiers and for our troops.  Ask God to bless their day.

And most importantly please pray for peace.

And I promise I'll be back soon with yummy recipes, Max's JSB and graduation, a visit to Danny and where in the world is That Sam I Am, and a project or two.  Today though, I gotta keep it real.

By the way, Wounded Warrior Project is a very well run organization, it meets my and Hubby's criteria.

God bless you!

I'm Here

I don't carry my camera when I'm on crutches.  I don't paint, garden, bake or craft either.  

Apparently, I don't blog either.

The following is a brief update even though I'm not moving at my usual pace:

Surgery on Tuesday morning and I should be home early afternoon.

Easy peasy!  I hope.

*I went to work a couple days and got things ready for next week.

*On Friday afternoon Hubby came home and we are happy he's here.  Twelve days is too many!

*Max has less than two months of school left. {freak out}

We are planning his graduation party, trying to decide on a date and setting a menu.

Danny wanted a big cheese tray at his party, Sam wanted bacon wrapped water chestnuts and Max wants rhubarb punch.  I fill in from there, but each of them has had a request.  Max wants the bacon wrapped water chestnuts too.  We just can't decide if Sunday afternoon or Wednesday night would be better.

*I've been reading.  The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin, I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella and Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard, none of which are too heavy but they occupy me.

*Oh, and I pin.  I did actually make a marinade for the chicken tonight that I found on Pinterest.

*I'm not going to lie, I have good days and not so good days.  I am looking forward to going about my business at my usual speed.

Until then...

A Long Story That Goes On and On

If you haven't read Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
and Chapter 4, go ahead and do that now.

Chapter 5

Meanwhile, I've been waiting for appointments and answers for my knee and jumping through insurance hoops and referrals.  Fortunately, there were cancellations, I was able to have my MRI and see an orthopedic surgeon on Friday.  I was hoping for a sprain, or a torn meniscus or a torn ACL or none of the above.  Unfortunately, my knee has a torn meniscus, a torn ACL, and a contusion on the bone.  I've been sent home for a week to reduce swelling and increase my range of motion(ROM).  It's difficult as I try to increase the range of motion, it tends to swell back up.  I'm working on it though.

On Friday I return to the doctor and then I'm scheduled for surgery on the following Tuesday.

I've had a lot of help.  Rides, dinners, gardeners, visitors, care packages, flowers and housekeeping have all shown up.  Max and Kassie worked hard on Saturday.  

I am overwhelmed and very grateful for every friend and family member that have helped me. 

I'm taking care of correspondence, balancing the checkbook, keeping up on the laundry, and making lists of things that I need to take care of after I recover.

I am trying to stay positive, improve my ROM,reduce the swelling and keep my sanity.

Max is amazing and has been very, very good to his Mama.
I'll keep you posted.

She Said Yes!

 Max had a little project yesterday.  He wanted to ask Kassie to JSB (our high school's prom) and he wanted to be creative.  I kept coming up with ideas that were "lame."  He eventually decided to ask her to come over and hot tub and to have "JSB?" in lights in the trees.  I helped him draw the letters on the cardboard and Max did the rest.  And then he stalled on asking her to come over until it was getting dark.

He had sparkling cider and a plan to turn the lights on after they had been in the hot tub for a bit.

I'm just relieved that Kassie said yes.

Easter on the Farm 2012

We had Easter on the farm this year.  It seems complicated to other people but it's really very simple.  On Easter we get together with my Dad's brother's family and my Mom's sister's family.  My Dad's SIL and my mom's sister were BFF's in high school, my Mom's sister passed away, but her kids and grandkids still come but her husband doesn't cuz he got remarried.  What's so complicated about that?

Anyhoo, my Uncle Darryl and Aunt Judy hosted this year and they live on the farm, I love that, Easter, new life, a farm, it's great.  Aunt Judy made a darling centerpiece that she'd seen on pinterest.  I love it when someone actually makes something from pinterest instead of just pinning it.

There is a basketball court upstairs in their barn.  The bigs and the littles had a wild game.  I think it was Levi and Max against Alex and the littles.

Emily trying to guard Dylan.  You go girl!

Abby Jo, (I just love her) is turning into a beautiful young woman.  She is so kind.

Huh?  Romeos (farmer boots) and basketball shorts?  Girl, where is your pretty Easter dress and bonnet?

As you can see in the background behind Dylan, the farm is right on the US Canada border.  We try to keep our Easter egg hunt good clean fun so as not to turn it into an international incident.

Hey, it's minimax!

Miss T. had a nap right before the hunt.  She looked so pretty in her Easter dress.

Hey bud, thanks for taking time to smile, there's an egg in the branches for you!

Thanks for hosting us Uncle Darryl and Aunt Judy!  Thanks Kathi for making and bringing the potato casserole for me!  Thanks for running around with my camera, Melinda!

It took me a good part of the morning to get get ready to go, I'm a little slow on the crutches and just kinda woozy in the morning; however, I made to dinner.

A Long Story Continued...Blah, Blah, Blah

 Chapter 4

We have a mini photo shoot at the top.  We see Jim and Stacy and their kids, visit with them and we ski down.  I am loving life.

I'm starting to get a little tired and want to get back to chair 7.  There is something reassuring about seeing the lodge when you're getting tired.  Dor skies off to find Marc and Cameron to ski with them.  Shelly and I head to ski closer to the lodge.

Still, best day ever.

As we get to the little track, a SLOW area, that is clearly marked SLOW, I feel like there is a fair amount of traffic as the trails kinda meet up.  So, I wait until it's clear and start skiing down.

BAM SLAM

I literally get slammed from behind and fly up in the air.  My knee hyper extends and my head gets bumped.

I always try to keep this blog family friendly.  That said, I can only say I was hit from behind by some 

dumb a** boarder.  Going too fast and definitely out of control.

I say I'm ok, I stand up and yeah, I'm not okay.  My knee crumples and I kinda want to cry.

But I don't.

Shelly is looking a little freaked out. A ski instructor comes by and asks if I'm

 okay and I gotta say no.  It kills me but I'm really not okay.  He calls for help and I tell him I don't want to ride in a sled but I do need help.  They help me to the side, a medic comes on a snowmobile.  

His name is Brian and he's very kind.  

I tell the ski instructor he may go, I'm fine.  But the little girl in pink that he's giving the lesson to is very concerned and says, "I wanta stay with her."  So sweet.  Everyone is kind and professional at this point.  I really appreciate Mt. Baker's medic crew and the little girl in pink and Shelly.

They get me to the aid station and of course, they aren't allowed to diagnosis me but they get me comfortable and get me some Ibos and ice.  They fill out paper work.

They aren't allowed to diagnosis me but I am hearing torn ACL in the background.

Shelly runs around returning gear, getting the truck, the wine and the crutches.  Paul, the medic rearranges my knee and if I don't move I feel ok.  I'm praying for a sprain.

Shelly comes back, I tell her to text Dor  to not quit skiing as I'm fine.  Which Dor hadn't because she thought we were joking anyway.  Shell and I have a glass of wine and we make lots of new friends at the aid station. Dor, Marc and Cam show up. They load me up and we go home.

Sadly, the hot tub party is off.

I don't go to the ER as it's not life threatening.   I go to bed with pain meds and ice.

Saturday morning I call for a doctor appointment, take a precarious shower, Shelly picks me up and we go to the doctor.  Since it's Saturday I can't get an MRI so I have to wait until Tuesday to see my regular doc and get referred on.  The doc is pretty sure I have a torn ACL.  I have a knee brace, ice, and pain meds.  

FAQ's

Would I go again? Yes!

Am I mad? Nah, poop happens and I had  a fantastic day on the mountain.

Will I ski again?  I'm hoping I'm healed up for next year.

How's the timing?  Horrible.  Hubby is leaving for 12 days.

Friends and family?  Yep, I gott'em.  I hate to ask for help but I may have to and it's okay cuz they'll get me back.  And they know I'm good for it.

I'll keep you posted.

To Be Continued...