a year in review :: the first 6 months

This year has been one for the record books!  I haven't done the best documenting.  So with no further ado, here are some highlights : a year in review {2012 - the first 6 months} 

 

We spent the first 6 weeks of the year in TLF on base - I spent 75% of that time in the car; I'm sure of it  Cameron was nominated for Company Grade Officer of the Year - When I saw the prize I really wanted him to win :)  And of course, I thought he deserved it!  He really did.  Ella turned 2 in January.

We moved back into our house.  ALL the kids loved laying on our new carpet in the big empty rooms before we got our furniture put back in.  Cameron and I took a trip to Denver to see a neurosurgeon - surgery is scheduled for 3 weeks later.  We spent every Saturday that month watching the big boys play a little b ball

 Brain Surgery took over the next 6 weeks of our lives.  We couldn't have done it without all the help of our friends and family.  I am BLESSED beyond anything I deserve to feel 100% better.  I am grateful everyday for my new health.  I have learned and grown and become better.  Looking back, this month was TOUGH - tougher than I ever could have imagined - but my load was made light by all the support I had from family and friends.  It was all worth it for me and I wish there was some tiny possible way I could repay you.

My best Colorado friends visited me - I may not remember much (and I know I did some "drunk texting") but I still think about how much it meant to me to have you come see me - especially you girls that drove SO far to see me.  Love you.  I got to take a ride on an electric wheel chair :)  I was on walking restrictions but still had to get out!  2 weeks post op : getting the staples out was possibly more traumatic then my surgery - good thing I'm good at pretending to be tough.  My med regimen was intense for a while.  Flowers from Aunt Camille were a weekly highlight.  Cute jammies and slippers from friends make lounging around so much funner (thank you everyone - my lounge time wardrobe is a million times better!).  While I was in the hospital I spent DAYS throwing up.  This sandwich was my first meal I enjoyed - and believe me it tasted better than anything I've ever had!

In April I blow dried my hair for the first time in 6 weeks.  I came home to see my kiddos after missing them like crazy for the past 6 weeks.  Sharlene helped me take the kids to Isaac's art show and my mom came to help me take the kids to the zoo.  I took the kids to the park solo.  I thought they'd play and I could sit.  They begged me to push them in the swings - thankfully Landon saved the day.  The pinewood derby - my first "public" outing - I didn't last through the whole time.  Isaac rocked the house on his soccer team

In May Isaac got his first REAL haircut.  He cried because he said he, "looked like a man".  Austin played baseball like a pro.  We had plans to do a big 1-0 birthday party and I just couldn't pull it together to do it.  Sorry Landon.  We made the day special, starting with breakfast.  Landon loved his birthday cake pancakes.  That night we created a birthday tradition (that didn't last because we were afraid of fire danger during our late summer birthdays...).  Landon wrote a birthday wish on a paper lantern and we let it go.  We jumped in the car and followed it until it disappeared.  We were all laughing and giggling and saying, "there it is!"  "I see it!"  "Oh wait that's not it!"  I think his wish came true.  Landon also played on the All Star baseball team this year.  Austin was a proud supporter.  (I still need to go through the baseball pictures....)

In June the Grandmas had to get back to their own lives.  I was sad to see them go.  I was grateful, though, that I had packed the freezer with meals before my surgery.  I was still struggling with fatigue and surgical pain.  I went back to Denver for a checkup.  Things looked fantastic.  My MRI picture was the most beautiful brain I've ever seen :)  I couldn't believe how much better I was feeling, even though I was still struggling.  I was thanking God everyday for how well I felt.  We started Austin's allergy treatments with a new doc.  That meant retesting.  I was disappointed to find out he had developed more allergies.  Boo.  Cameron had a little accident of his own this month.  He crashed on his motorcycle.  His knee and wrist  broke.  He tore his ACL and MCL and fractured tibula, fibula, femur and he lost 33% of his meniscus.  Knee surgery was scheduled for July.  We called on family again to help us.  Thanks, again, Sharlene for dropping everything to come help us.  We spent some warm days in the sun.  There wasn't a lot we could do between my recovery and Cameron's injuries.  Sharlene hadn't seen the Falls of Twin Falls so we stopped to take a look.