Foot Update

OK, I had my follow-up for my foot yesterday. There was some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I did not re-injure my Jones fracture! The healed fracture is solid (the Dr. was very surprised by this, it is apparently very uncommon) and was not what was causing the pain and swelling in my foot. The bad news is the real cause. There is a joint just next to my old fracture that was likely distressed by the fracture and has become inflamed. So I don't need surgery, but I have a bad joint in my foot that cannot be permanently fixed. I can do preventative things (much like taking it easy on a bad knee) as well as take anti-inflammation medication when it flares. If it gets really bad I can receive cortizone shots to relieve it.

The Dr.'s surprise over the Jones fracture reminded me of the story surrounding it. In July after I graduated (1997) I stepped on someone's foot during a volleyball game (I wasn't running or jumping, I just stepped on the edge of the other person's foot). I felt a snap and could not continue playing. The next morning I was x-rayed and the break was significant. Five weeks later I was in Pendleton at my required physical to play collegiate volleyball. The orthopedic surgeon who saw me x-rayed my foot again, and from that x-ray compared to my first he determined that the break had not healed in any significant way (which is common for a Jones fracture). He said to come back in 3 weeks for another x-ray, if there was still no healing going on he would recommend surgery.

So here I am 500 miles away from home for only 2 weeks. I had only a few friends (none of them close), and no life outside of volleyball (school was still a month away). So I turned to our branch president for our little young adult branch (for those of you unfamiliar with these terms, a branch is a small congregation--we only had maybe 30 active members of our branch because it was only for young adults). I set up a meeting for the following Sunday after church. I told him what was going on, and I asked him for a priesthood blessing. He then told me a story that I didn't expect. He referred to a story in the New Testament (John 9) about Christ healing a blind man. He focused on how the blind man had faith to be healed, and how afterward his faith was tested and he was healed spiritually as a result of his physical healing. I had read this story before, but had never seen it in this light. He gave me a blessing that I would be healed, and although I had some doubt I did my best to have some faith.

At my follow-up appointment the new x-rays showed "substantial healing" which was a big surprise, and was enough healing that he cleared me to play the same day. This recent experience brought back a lot of memories, and the results of my x-ray yesterday was a big reminder of how I changed as a result of that event in September 1997.

Sorry to get so sentimental, but I had to share. I think that the months during and just after my broken foot changed and shaped my life. I met Chris, and by December I was convinced that he was the reason I randomly decided to go to Pendleton for college--the experience with my foot prepared me to be able to listen to the promptings that lead me to where I am today. Its strange to say, but I am so thankful for that broken foot.

9 years down, forever more to go!

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On August 12, 1999 we were married for time and all eternity in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.

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We were only 20 years old, and now that seems so young. But we knew what we had was real and lasting, and that we were ready to be married.

I am lucky to be married to a man who is my perfect match.

We are conveniently opposite, and identical in the most important ways. We have a truly close friendship, and in a world where relationships like ours are rare I am daily grateful that we found each other.

The last nine years have been full of twists and turns. We've gained some weight, changed jobs, and lived in 3 different states within 18 months. We've also learned a lot of lessons, become the parents of 2 special boys and have spent a lot of time just being together. The ups undoubtedly outweight the downs.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY...I LOVE YOU CHRIS!

Catch-up Post

So I've done a terrible job posting over the summer. So here's a quick re-cap.
Jace got a big-boy bed. Complete with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, he liked it but it took a few days for him to settle down and sleep in a bed so easy to escape from!
Dallon also got a new bed. We went to see Wall-e, and he was obssessed! So we bought the sheet set at Walmart, and another flat sheet for $3. I sewed the 2 flat sheets together to cover his old comforter and Dallon was psyched! For weeks after we saw the movie he asked everyday if we could go again. We did go one more time when Chris' parents took us over the 4th of July.
This is the Wall-e Chris' parents brought when they came for the 4th. He took it everywhere and had to sleep with him everyday. He took it with us to the movie and I overheard lots of comments about how cool it was. Through the movie the first time we went he kept saying, "Look! Its Wall-e!" over and over for the first 15-20 minutes...a little embarrassing, but very cute. The second time he was a pro and made sure his Wall-e could see the movie from his lap.
We went to the Krumbein's cabin for their Independence Day BBQ again. Chris had to work (but made up for it with holiday pay), so it was me, the kids, and Chris' mom and dad. The boys had a great time.
Jace making more funny faces.

I experimented with my camera a little this summer. I didn't dress up the kids or anything, but the picts turned out nice.
Jace trying to pretend he doesn't know I'm taking his picture--little ham!
Trying not to smile, he does that a lot. He can hold it for a long time.
Dallon looking like a big kid! I can't believe how he doesn't look so little anymore.
One more exciting thing. We have a dog waiting for us in Ohio! Her name is Bianca and you can read more details on Dallon's fundraising blog at 4pawsfordallon.blogspot.com. We are done fundraising for our dog, we are planning to go to training in December. We need to do our travel expenses fundraising now--about $5000. Soooo excited that things are going so smoothly for us!

I am getting my substitute license this year. I can sub 60 days per school year, and at $130 a day it will be worth it. I can sub on the days that Chris is home so we won't have to have any day care either. My foot is feeling much better and I go in for my follow-up next week. Dallon starts school in September. And generally things are going really well. I'll try to keep up with my posts from now on!