November

How time flies!  I had forgotten about my blog until last weekend when a friend I hadn't seen in a while mentioned that she liked reading it.  Sorry!  November has been a nice month for our family.  It started off a little sad when my parents headed home after spending the month of October with us.  Having them here was such fun and they are missed.

Soccer season was in full swing at the beginning of the month and my son played goalie for some of the games.  When his father asked him if he liked playing goalie he replied, "Yes, because it's pretty tough".  :)  His sister has not taken to soccer as we thought she would.  Perhaps next year on an all-girls team she might come out of her shell a little more.

Ballet keeps her busy while her brother takes swim lessons on the weekend to try to get him ready for summer swim team.  We had some family pictures taken a few weeks ago.   I am always amazed at how the photographers can get some good shots.  Snow and sleet pelted us all during the shoot and both my younger two were grumpy.   Thankfully we got a few good ones!

My in-laws came out the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and brought my youngest his new (to him) bedroom furniture.  The furniture was formerly my husband's when he was younger so it's special to our family and I'm glad to have it.  No more cribs for us!  We are so thankful that Grammy and Papa were willing to drive all the way out here pulling a U-haul with the bedroom furniture and dining room chairs - our house is much better looking thanks to them!  Thank you Grammy and Papa!

I had a follow up appointment for my hip before Thanksgiving.  My orthopod thinks it's healing and gave me the okay to start exercising longer and harder; however, still no running for another 6 weeks.  I'm used to not running by now and honestly, it's been a good break.  I've been biking and elliptical-ing.  I started race walking again recently and hope to hit the pool some over the next few months.  My oldest went to the appointment with me and when I conveyed my disappointment to my ortho after being told to lay off running for another 6 weeks, he turned to me and said bossily, "Mom, instead of running you just need to relax more."  Clearly he doesn't understand that relaxing is not an easy feat for me!

Thanksgiving was a lively holiday - we had 17 people including the five of us.  I enjoy cooking the Thanksgiving meal but never quite understand how every year some of my dishes turn out well and others do not.  It's the luck of the draw!  This year I was pleased with the turkey (we fry it - YUM!), the dressing, and my vegetables.  My guests provided deserts and other sides and all were yummy.  Grammy always makes the gravy and cranberries - her dishes turn out wonderful every time (I strive for that to be me in a few years!).  My rolls decided to be ornery this year - they never rose and looked (& tasted!) like little rocks.  Oh well - I'll try again next year!  Happy Holidays!

It's Broken

As I mentioned in my previous post, I found out last Friday that my hip is fractured.  Right after I left the ortho's office, my sister and I started getting ready for my mom's birthday weekend so I am just now able to focus on it.

The fracture is a hairline, stress fracture on the ball of the hip ball & socket joint.  Considering that I have been running on this injury since my youngest was a few months old (he turned 2 in Sept) I have likely been in various stages of fracture/healing for well over a year now.  I'm beginning to question the pain center of my brain after walking around with pleurisy from pneumonia for months last winter and running on a broken bone for over a year.  Not sure it's working right!  I felt pain with these ailments but nothing that would indicate the severity of both.

The likely cause is two-fold.  The first contributing factor was 3 very closely spaced pregnancies that sapped my bones and left them weak and brittle (there are only 3.5 years between my oldest and youngest).  Second, I felt so good after the delivery of my 3rd child that I was up and running within a week and up to 5 miles in a few months.

The good news is that whatever shape my bones were in when the fracture occurred, they look great now and the doctor is hoping that the fracture will heal on it's own.  I cannot run for at least 6 weeks, but can bike, do the elliptical or other machines, walk, & swim.  Plenty of exercise options!  If it doesn't heal on it's own, then they'll have to surgically put in some pins.(really hope that it doesn't come to that!) but it is not likely that that will be needed.  Have a great week!

Happy Birthday Mom!

My sister and I have been planning a surprise birthday weekend for my mom's 60th birthday since last February.  My mom is notoriously difficult to surprise because she delights in figuring out what we're doing for her birthday before it happens.  My father, the master of surprises, suggested we have her family 60th celebration out here.  It was a great idea and this weekend was a LOT of fun!

My mom was completely and utterly surprised!  She could not believe that so many people came out to help celebrate.  For me, it was so neat getting to show everyone around our town.  We kicked off the surprise at my house on Friday night.

The next morning was an early one for everyone to get to the balloon fiesta (hundreds of hot air balloons) before dawn.  A few who are not morning people (namely my sister and daughter) chose to rest rather than brave the early morning cold.

The afternoon, I took those who wanted to get a little exercise on a hike and the we finished up the evening with a fun evening of just hanging out.

Yesterday after church, a few of us took my mom out to get her a new outfit for the evening party.  We finished off the weekend with a dressy party at our country club.  It was a great weekend!  I found out on Friday before everyone arrived that my hip that was hurting when I run is actually fractured.  More on that later. :)

God is Good!

This weekend our church was blessed to have an amazing visitor and speaker, Mike Cope.  My husband and I had the pleasure of taking him out to dinner on Friday night with two other couples from church.  He is an amazing, gifted speaker.  Meeting him and spending time with him was special for my husband who grew up listening to Mike speak at youth rallies in high school and still closely follows his messages today when Mike is a faculty member at Abilene Christian University and considered one of the thought leaders and best speakers amongst Churches of Christ. 

The elders at our church made the decision to move toward a gender inclusive worship earlier this year and are implementing this at the beginning of October.  Mike Cope was the perfect speaker to have this weekend because he led his church through a similar process many years ago and offered wonderful perspective and words of encouragement.

Although this process has been rough for our church body, I am more confident than ever that our church is moving in the right direction and that we will be better able to make Christ known through the fruits of this change.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!  His love endures forever!

Looking Forward

Like a breath of fresh air, cool fall air swept through the desert this week.  I love fall (really I like all the seasons) because it means football, soccer, hot air balloons, and specific to this fall...my parents are coming to spend a month out here!  I can't wait!  They are going to be here at such a fun time and will get to experience so much while they are here.  It will be such a treat to get to spend a whole month with them! They are staying in a furnished apartment that is only about 1 mile away and is easily walkable.  I can't think of a better set up! :)

School is moving along just swimmingly.  A few years ago I had my doubts as to whether putting my kids in an early child development school was a good thing when I went to work part time rather than just hiring a nanny.  Now I know for sure that it WAS!  My son was extremely well prepared for kindergarten and navigated a new school, new kids, and a new routine easily.  Likewise, my daughter adjusted wonderfully to her new class - she takes a little while to warm up, but I've learned not to interfere in or stress about that process and she settles in nicely in a few weeks.

As for the other 3/5 of our family, we're all doing well.  I am already thinking ahead to the holidays and looking at photographers for our annual family Christmas picture, juggling the kids' schedules and activities, and enjoying running on my pain-free hip. :)  My kindergartener is in a running program at school where he earns beads or every mile he runs so often I get in my usual workout in the morning and then end up running an extra mile in the evening.  My husband is enjoying work - he is out right now at a happy hour with some of his fellow managers while the kids and I enjoy an evening at home.

My 2-yr old is a little sponge soaking up his world.  His speech become more complex and clearer by the day and he is starting to ask lots of questions.  He has known his colors for a few months and is starting to learn his numbers and letters.  Happy Fall everyone!  Enjoy!

 

Picture Hodgepodge

Here is a picture hodgepodge from the last couple of weeks.  We're enjoying the beautiful weather!  :)

A Birthday And An Update

My youngest turned 2 this week!  Here are a few pictures of my silly, goofy, fun-loving, mischievous boy.  Love him to pieces!

All is well in our house.  We have settled into a nice routine with the kids' schedules and work.  I'm up every morning by 5.  I pack lunches, prepare for the day, and get in a workout.  I get the kids up between 6:30 and 6:45 (if they are not already up) and get them ready for school.  My husband heads out with the younger 2 around 7:10 while I get ready and then head out with my oldest around 7:50.  Our evenings have been a bit busy lately, but they are freeing up over the next couple of weeks.  I'm teaching an additional course this semester that I haven't taught before and so far things are going well with both courses that I teach.

I am enjoying a break from training right now and decided to go see ortho about my hip during this down time.  I'm glad I did because the doctor saw some strange things on x-ray and is looking into it further on MRI in a couple of weeks.  He says it's nothing too bad, but that something is indeed not quite right.  While waiting on an official diagnosis I have been instructed to run as usual but not to increase my mileage.  He did state that whatever is going on will probably be resolved in time for me to train for a half marathon early next year!  So glad I went in to get it checked!