Bryson's Birthday

I think I finally got the picture from Bryson's birthday on here from the White Sox game with the help of my Brother-in-law. I will try to post more pics of the family as I get the hang of this!

Julie

Please Pray!

We found out that Stephen Curtis Chapman, a well known Christian singer, lost his daughter. His son was pulling into the driveway and did not see his little sister and ran her over with an suv, and she was killed. Please pray for this family. They are strong in their faith in Christ, but will still need prayers of other believers to help them through the rough days ahead of them.

God Bless!
Julie

Road to Recovery......

Sorry it has been so long since I posted. I was very busy the week leading up to my knee surgery. All went well. I guess the miniscus was not torn. That's a good thing. The doctor did a lateral release. Apparently my knee cap was being pulled to the outside of my knee because of the tendons or whatever. So they did a lateral release. As soon as they cut, they did compressions for about five minutes. When they released the compression, my leg blew up like a balloon! Nice, eh? Well, that was on Monday. Tuesday I went to my first therapy session. That was interesting. my foot had swelled up quite a bit. My toes looked like little cocktail weenies! It was not very cute. My foot was very cold too. The physical therapist was afraid that I might have a blood clot. I was just along for the ride....those drugs they gave me were working very well! After working on me for two hours, and I didn't mind the foot rub, he said it was not a clot. So they gave me a couple of exercises and I was on my way home. Unfortunately when I got home, I started vomiting from the nice drugs that were helping me with my pain. (not so fun!) SO I didn't take any. Today when I went to therapy, I was in a whole lot of pain! I have to admit, I did cry a little through therapy, but they got my leg to bend to 110% and yesterday I couldn't get it past 80%. So today the pain has been pretty bad. I worked so hard in therapy that now my leg is worn out and I can barely get it to cooperate. I have to will it really hard to get it to work. I did end up taking more drugs, and yes I am under the influence of a orescribed narcotic. So if I am rambling or this doesn't make sence, that is why. I hope everyone is doing well. I will try to post again soon. Please pray for a speedy recovery for me so that I can get back to work!

God Bless!
Julie

Back to Work.

The weekend went by way too fast! It always does. Bryson had a birthday party sleep over on Friday, so we got to have some one on one time with Morgan. We played outside and she wanted an ice cream cone. When we got home we got our pj's on and snuggled on the couch. We fell asleep watching TLC. Saturday we played outside all day long. We were at my sister-in-law's house. The kids love to p[lay with their cousin Keegan. We ended up having dinner there. Sunday we got up and went to church. Service was good, as usual, and then we came home and just hung out. The kids and I made cards for Grandmas, since we didn't do it on Saturday. We went visited my mom and brought her her mother's day gift and card. Then that night we had dinner with the family. It was a good weekend. Tomorrow I am going to the zoo with Morgan's class. I went last Thursday with Bryson's class. It went by so fast. we only have a short time to see things since we had to be back at the school by 3:00. My surgery is scheduled for Monday, May 19th. I am a little nervous, but can't wait to get my knee fixed. I have osteoarthritis in both knees, but my doctor thinks I have a tear in my meniscus. Anyways, I hope all the mother's that read this had a great mother's day. I just feel blessed that I was able to have children and be a part of their lives. They are awesome kids and I wouldn't trade being a mom to my three kids for anything!!! They are definitely a gift from God. I can't imagine my life without them!

Blessings!
Julie

Blah!!!

I just feel blah. I went to the zoo today with Bryson's class, and ever since we got home, I have been feeling blah. My knee started bothering me with all of the walking and I am just tired. I guess we all go through these days. I think I must need a vacation or something. There is only one problem, after my surgery I won't have any vacation time left. Well, I'll just have to make the best of being laid up for about ten days. Thank God tomorrow is Friday!!!!

Goodnight!
Julie

Pain in the Knee!!!!!!!!

Well, I found out that I get to have surgery on my right knee. Let me back up and explain.

I was on my way out the door about a month or so ago, running a little bit behind. My knee was hurting when I woke up that morning, but I didn't think anything of it. When I walked out the front door and stepped off of the porch, POP went my knee. Immediately I though, "this cannot be good!" I hobbled to the car and drove to work. I happen to work at an Orthopedic doctor's group, so I had my pick of who I wanted to see. I was seen immediately by one of the doctors. He ordered me an MRI of my knee and took some xrays. The MRI said there was no evidence of cartilage damage. So why was I in so much pain? I hobbled around on cruches for a few days. After two cortizone injections with a needle that I swear was a foot long, and might I add that getting those injections were a very strange feeling, I will need to get a scope to see why I am still in pain. This is the good part. The other thing that I found out by my xrays was that I have HORRIBLE knees. As in, I am looking at knee replacement for my other knee! WHAT!! I am only 32 yrs old. Now they won't do them any time soon, but sometime down the road, there is the strong possibility that I will have to have a knee replacement done. Alright, I admit, I had a hard time turning 30. I did cry and get depressed. I swore I would neve get upset about another birthday, but with the way my knees looked in that xray......I don't want to get any older!!!! At 30 I had to get my first mammogram. OUCH! All of those stories about, excuse me, your boob getting smashed like a pancake.........it is soooooooo true. I happened to look down during my mammo. WOW! I had a hard time with that because most people start getting mammograms when they are 40. Not me though! I have to be outside of the normal box. I had a lump in my breast. Everything turned out to be okay, but now I have to get a mammo every year. Better that than the alternative, right? So I am very surprised at the new I got. Yes, it could be worse. I am just very suprised at the degeneration in my left knee. I asked him when he thought I would be able to start running. He said that I could ride a bike, or swim the river, but I would never be able to be a runner. I was bummed. So anyway, my surgery is May 19th. Please pray that everything goes well, and that my aging joints would be young again!

I need to get some sleep. I am going to the zoo with Bryson's class tomorrow. Next Tuesday is Morgan's class.

God Bless!
Julie

I love my kids!

I am in awe of how much love I have for my three kids! We started with Trevor. He was six years old when Chris and I met. Trev and I had our ups and downs trying to adjust to the new situation. He had spent a lot of time with just him and his dad. He didn't want to share him. There were other outside influences that mad our relationship a struggle, but I feel like we have come such a long way. I love him just as much as I love our other kids. He is so loving and tenderhearted. I'm so blessed that I have him in my life. Bryson and Morgan are just two of the most opposite kids you will ever know. Morgan does not like any attention, and Bryson demands a lot of it. One minute they are hugging each other, the next minute I'm having to pull them off of each other. Morgan may be little, but look out when she gets mad. (She is not afraid to take her brothers on.) Bryson is just a little sport nut. He was born with a ball in his hand, his first word was ball, and he sleeps with a football at night. He is 100% BOY!!!!! They are all so different, but my love for them is all the same. I can't imagine life without them. I love their smells, not so much the feet, but you get my drift. I just love them all to pieces. Take the time to enjoy your kids! You won't regret it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Julie

Another day........

Okay, I don't know how to download pics to this so you can see my beautiful family. I tried, and as you can see, I failed. I will eventually figure it out. If anyone has tips, feel free to share.

On another note, I have been thinking a lot about things in my life. I have been reading a blog about a sweet mother and father, and the loss of their daughter. You can see their story if you go to Inspiring People and click on Bring the Rain. Their little precious baby passed away on April 7th, two hours after she was born. It is an awesome story, and it completely inspires me. I have been praying for their healing daily, every moment I think of them. Today was no different. I tried to fathom the gravity of their loss. The grave has robbed them, but in spite of that they continue to praise the Lord for his goodness and for this plan and trial set before them. So I thought of how many times I complain or get angry because I don't get my way, because God brings me down a path that I was not wanting to go. So I go, as if one without a choice, sometimes kicking and screaming. I am ashamed at my behavior. I am embarrassed to say this, I am like a two year old in the toy section at Target whose mommy hasn't allowed her to get the toy she wanted. God forgive me me for being that way. Then I see Angie and Todd's story and think, wow, they praise Him in the storm. They don't understand why God chose Audrey's life to be just over two hours, but they are still trusting God. AMAZING! Sure they have questions, and sometimes she said she has even screamed at God, but they still trust in Him. I am so completely moved by this. I have been through a lot in my life, struggles, heartache, almost losing my husband to depression. Through all of that I can SHAMEFULLY say that I gave up on trusting God's plan. I was too busy feeling sorry for myself and freezing up so to speak, and forgetting the promise that God has a purpose and plan for my life. So I have been moved to this.......I need to ask for forgiveness for not submitting my life to God completely. I have been putting things in God's hand, only to take them back with questions and concerns, and "God are you sure you know what you are doing." I question the God who placed every star in the sky in it's own space, knows every hair on my head, feeds every animal, caused the blind to see, the lame to walk, and sacrificed His own son on the cross for me, who has the nerve to question Him. Um, does anyone else see a problem with that? It's okay, I confess how wrong I am. I am sorry for all the times that I failed to trust. But the great part about all of that is that I am forgiven. It is never too late to start over. God gives us many chances, Lord knows I have had my share of them. So right now, with whoever read this as my witness, I am committing my life into the hand of the one who made me. Yes this will probably be a struggle because I have always liked to do things myself, and fix things myself. (My mom and dad will testify to that!) But, since I have come to the realization that I don't do such a good job directing my own life, it is best left in the hand of God. Angie and Todd gave up their will when it came to their sweet Audrey. Yes they still hope for a miracle up until her last breathe she took. But now they are her voice. They are spreading the word of God healing her, and in their loss, how he is healing them and bringing them to a whole new level of trust. God is good all the time! He never makes mistakes. I am so glad for that. I know I will still stumble on the trust issue, but I am committing to do my best, even when it is hard and I can't understand why God does the things he does. He is always faithful, in every situation! So that is what I wanted to share. I will always be grateful to Angie and Todd for their testimony, even though they don't know me. Please go to Bring the Rain and read their story. It will change your life in some way. I know it changed mine.

Blessings to you all!
Julie

Bryson's Big Day