Praises of a Wife and Mommy

  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...

 Whew… the emotions have been running high this past week. Some of it is probably because my daughter just had her birthday—and not just any birthday—but the big one . She’s officially an adult. I’ve loved every single stage of raising her, and even though she’s “grown up,” I know she’ll still need me. I think what stirred me even deeper was reflecting back on my own 18th birthday. Just a month before I turned 18, my mom was diagnosed with leukemia. I’ll never forget visiting her at a hotel while she was receiving treatments. She was tired, drained from chemo, and it was heartbreaking to see as her daughter. That birthday ended up being my last with her, as she passed away that October. So, as I celebrate my daughter’s 18th, I can’t help but treasure every moment… while also fighting those sneaky little fears that try to creep in. Thoughts like, “What if I leave her young, too?” The enemy likes to whisper lies in moments of weakness, especially while I’m recovering from this inj...

 The rhythm of my days lately is filled with phrases like: “Please will you…?” “Thank you for…” “I need help…”  "Thank you" "Thank you"  "Oh I appreciate that so much"  It’s a nonstop reminder that my body is not 100% yet, and I’m still in the middle of healing. If I’m honest, it’s humbling. I really do desire to do things on my own. I want to jump back into walking, driving, cooking, and even just taking a simple evening walk with my husband—which is something we love doing together. I long to show up at my kids’ activities without a scooter or wheelchair tagging along.  I can tell you that I made dinner last Friday night.... haha I put pizza and chicken nuggets in the oven because well... that was my best after a long week of work.   I was okay with it and I heard no one complaining either!  But here’s where I think God is teaching me: it’s not weakness to ask for help. It’s wisdom. And maybe, just maybe, part of this season is about learni...

 The first weekend of September, my mother-in-law and her boyfriend came for a visit. I was excited to see family, but I’ll be honest—there was also some nervousness. Would I be too tired? Too sore? Would my healing hold us back from doing things together? They arrived Friday evening, which just so happened to be Eddie’s birthday. With everyone’s schedules, we kept it simple—pizza and then out for ice cream at the shop where my daughter works. Once again, my amazing son was my personal chauffeur, pushing me in a wheelchair all the way to the ice cream place. We laughed so much along the way—sometimes joy rolls right beside us, even on wheels. The next day was my daughter’s cross-country home meet (I already shared that in my “Learning to Navigate Daily Life ” post), and then later we went out for dinner. That night was harder. The restaurant was noisy and full of energy, but after a few days of quiet and stillness, the loudness felt overwhelming. No one really knew I struggled th...