Praises of a Wife and Mommy

 Week 7 turned out to be one of the hardest weeks yet. After getting the boot, everything felt heavier — literally and emotionally. My body was adjusting to bearing more weight, but my spirit was also feeling the weight of life. It was a full week with parent-teacher conferences that went late into the night, plus the balance of trying to walk again, and then two funerals and visitations to attend while wearing my pastoral hat. If I’m honest, I really wanted to be at those visitations. Just over a year ago, I earned my chaplaincy certificate and was filled with excitement for what God would do with it. I’m still waiting — waiting for the right season, the right timing, the right open door. But in the meantime, He keeps reminding me that being present for people, even when I’m still healing myself, matters. By Wednesday night, I hit my breaking point. I had been at school since early morning and worked until 8 p.m., but I was given permission to leave for a bit to attend a visit...

  Teaching high school has been a new adventure after 13 years in the elementary world, and I continue to be amazed at how God uses the smallest moments to touch my heart. One of my students shared with me about his own healing journey — he had surgery about a year ago and used a walker for a while. As we talked, he told me how much he loved elderberry syrup and asked if I’d ever tried it. I said no, but I’d love to. The next day, he showed up with the cutest little gift bag — inside was a small jar of homemade elderberry syrup. It had the perfect blend of cinnamon and nutmeg, a cozy fall flavor that made it extra special. I could practically taste the thoughtfulness!  It might seem like a simple gesture, but to me, it meant so much. At my last school district, I rarely received gifts from students, so this thoughtful act caught me off guard in the best way. What moved me most wasn’t the syrup itself, but that he saw me. He understood what it’s like to go through a heali...

 Trying to get to my kids’ activities isn’t always easy these days, but they’re the one thing I’m determined not to miss! I love being their biggest fan in everything they do. Last week my daughter had her fall choir concert, and thankfully I found a great seat. I was a bit worried about where I’d park my trusty knee scooter. After some strategic maneuvering (and a few tight turns that could’ve qualified me for a scooter obstacle course), I found an edge seat and made it work. Our school’s theater area is cozy —that’s the nice way of saying it’s a little small and could use a few more accessibility updates! The funny thing is, I noticed two other people using knee scooters that night. I almost felt like we should have formed a scooter squad—maybe come up with a secret handshake or synchronized parking plan. There’s something oddly comforting about knowing you’re not alone in your wobbling and wheeling! I even thought I would be strategic and leave through the emergency exit as I ...

  The more I’ve used my knee scooter through this healing journey, the more I notice others using them too. It’s funny how something as simple as a scooter can become a bridge for connection. I’ve had some of the sweetest little conversations with strangers who are scooting their way through healing as well. It’s a reminder that we’re never alone — God finds ways to connect us right where we are, even on wheels and one good leg! At work, I even have a knee scooter buddy! Her story is different from mine — she’s healed, but she uses her scooter on long walking days because her surgery came with limitations. When she shared that, my heart went out to her. I’ve been praying for longevity in her healing and for continued strength. It’s amazing how God can use shared struggle to create shared encouragement.  Of course, we had to get a picture together — two scooter sisters just rolling through life! And I’ll admit… my smile in the photo was a bit fake.   But to my defense, ...

  The same day I got my cast off and graduated to the boot, I had another milestone waiting...  shaving my leg! It’s funny the things you look forward to after weeks in a cast, but it felt like such a big step toward feeling human again. The doctor had warned me there would be layers of dry, dead skin and that shaving too soon might cause razor rash. So, I took the advice and started with a trimmer instead of a razor. As the long hairs disappeared, I just had to laugh — healing can be both humbling and hilarious sometimes! The shower felt amazing, but as expected, the dead skin didn’t all come off in one go. I think it’ll take a few more showers before I’m fully back to normal. But before that shower, the emotions hit hard. I tried to figure out what 25% of my weight-bearing would feel like — and honestly, it was painful. My tendon is tight, and my muscles are weak. Every step was uncomfortable and awkward. I did a few laps around the house with my crutches, and tears came....

  Well, the day finally came — cast removal day! I had been praying for this next step, hoping I’d get to graduate from the blue cast to the boot stage, and thankfully… I did!  No new cast — just the boot... with crutches. This appointment felt different from the last one. The first time they removed a cast, I was so anxious my heart rate increased and I had to fight fear.  But this time, I was calm — maybe because I’ve had a little practice at this whole “trusting God through healing” thing. Instead of panic, I just giggled because the saw and vibrations actually tickled my foot. I’ll take “ticklish” over “terrified” any day! Once the cast came off, the nurse wiped my leg with some cleansing solution — and oh my, that felt amazing. After seven weeks of being wrapped up, that poor leg was dry, itchy, and in serious need of lotion, sunlight, and a shave. Seeing my leg next to the other one though… whew. That was a moment. Reality hit. The muscle loss, the odd color, th...

I’ve shared a lot about my healing journey lately, but today I want to pause and talk about my husband’s . He’s been walking his own path of recovery, and honestly, it’s been both inspiring and hard to watch.  We laugh often that we are doing hard things together as we are one!  Just two days before my Achilles surgery, Anthony had surgery on his bicep tendon. That alone would’ve been enough to make our summer interesting, but his recovery has come with an extra challenge—nerve damage. Healing has been slower than we hoped, and there are still a lot of “waiting” days. He’s no longer wearing that big plastic brace (praise the Lord for that small victory! 🙌). I think that change has brought both freedom and comfort—because let’s be real, plastic and sweat do not mix well. We scrubbed that brace so many times, but somehow the finger area always stayed stinky and gross.  It’s the kind of thing you just have to laugh about or you’ll cry. Anthony has had several physical the...