Apologies to those of you left hanging after my last blog update, wondering how my mom is doing, wondering how Lilly's recovery is going, wondering if I have dropped off of the face of the earth...
Life is, once again, "normal" for all of us, praise be to God!
So, let me do a little catching up for all of us (especially those of you who don't keep up on Facebook, where I do tend to post a *little* bit more frequently). When I last wrote, my mom had been discharged and was recovering in a nearby residence graciously offered by friends. Lilly was slowly getting through her post-op pain, was beginning her physical and occupational therapy, and was slowly easing back into her preschool routines. And we were all getting back up to stride in our regular routines here at home.
Whew, what a difference a month of so can make!
My parents drove safely back to PA after a week or two of Florida sunshine and some precious time here with all of us and are doing great back at home. I have to say I really enjoyed having them right around the corner, able to pop over for dinner several times a week, come to church with us, and go out to eat with us--not to mention all the help with gardening, house projects, dog walking, homework, carpooling, and general parenting wisdom. It was a blessed few weeks, despite the circumstances that got us there. Maybe someday we will live is the same zip code, or at least the same state.
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| Celebrating everyone's "wellness" at the Chinese buffet! |
Lilly, for her part, is back to school all 3 days, has graduated from her PT, and is making great strides in her OT, working on range of motion, strength, and flexibility--particularly in her left side, the side that was most expanded during her surgery. She never ceases to amaze us, and has nearly mastered riding her two-wheeler with training wheels (it is still a bit big for her, but she has been eying that bike in the garage for over a year now, knowing that it would someday be hers. The trike is history). She also gave her teachers a scare yesterday when she decided to try some somersaults at school as the kids were apparently all showing off their gymnastic abilities. She seemed to suffer no ill effects from that stunt, though I am hoping she doesn't make it a habit...not sure her rods are really meant to withstand acrobatics.
So, what else have we been up to? What does "normal" mean? Well, let's see...
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| ...spring break=time to romp in the woods with good friends... |
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| ...spring break also=sleepovers and play dates with good friends... |
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| ...time to "chill out" as a family... |
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| ...fun at the Bay with the Barracudas swim team learning how to use the yolo board--stand-up paddle-boarding... |
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| ...time for Jared to create homemade survival gear--like this hammock--and enjoy the outdoors... |
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| ...we celebrated Lilly's 2nd anniversary of "family day"--the day we met her two years ago in China, oh, and someone had her 5th birthday, complete with a Build-A-Bear party... |
So there you have the highlights of what we have been up to...
Even more exciting--and somewhat daunting--are the big things that are approaching quickly...
- I am heading to Boston in less than 3 weeks for the Boston Marathon on MOnday, 18 April, Patriots' Day. My training for this one has been a bit sporadic, given the events of early 2011, but I am excited just to have qualified and have an opportunity to participate in this exciting, world-renowned race. I am relinquishing any self-imposed pressure to do a PB and will simply enjoy the experience. A great run time will simply be icing on the cake. I am thankful for Hopkins friends, now Bostonians, who will be offering me hospitality and some transportation! And excited to see a long-lost college roommate and fellow collegiate swimmer.
- We are awaiting final word on our next assignment...stay tuned! It seems to be narrowed down to two locations, both of which are exciting and appealing in their own ways. We are hoping to have a more definitive word (as in actual orders!) sometime in the next few weeks. Then follows the inevitable PCS chaos of listing the house for rent or sale, showing the house (which means keeping it clean--yikes!), researching our new location, choosing a neighborhood/schools, etc... Not to mention the chaos of the move itself...
- We are already looking at Lilly's next surgery, currently scheduled for mid-May, around the time that school lets out for the summer here in Niceville.
So, if you don't hear from me again on this blog for some time, you now know why! And always assume that no news means good news...
May you have a blessed Easter! Thanks for reading!
