Back in business

I honestly didn't think it would be three months in between blog posts. But I am forcing myself to get back in business and catch up before Christmas. :)

For those who might not know, I had hip surgery in October, so the last couple of months have been anything but routine! I've been fighting hip pain for years, and finally got a diagnosis about a year ago. What was supposed to be a fairly simple surgery with a short recovery time, turned into a much larger ordeal. The doctor went in to repair my torn labrum and shave down some bone due to Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), which caused the tear in the labrum. But when he got in, he saw much of my cartilage was either torn or missing, more bone needed to be shaved than expected, and my psoas muscle has to be cut because it was pinching my hip joint. Because of all the extra work that had to be done, I was on crutches, unable to put any weight on my leg, for almost 7 weeks. Now, at 8 weeks, I'm trying to wean myself completely off the crutches. Somehow, my right leg (the operated leg) came out much longer than my left and my right knee has hurt since the surgery, so those obstacles are making it hard for me to walk.

The recovery has been difficult, and I have definitely had some very low moments. I didn't realize how dependent I would be on Cory to do everything....yes, everything...for those first two weeks after the surgery. It was so hard to not be able to pick up Jackson. Poor little guy just couldn't understand it. I'm still learning to hold him while walking with a crutch. :) And mostly, it has been hard for me to accept the fact that my lifestyle will probably not be the same again. Because of the cartilage damage, I know the surgery I had will likely not take away all of my pain, and my only other option is a hip replacement. Since I'm so young, I need to postpone that for as long as possible, which means running and all the other forms of exercise I love are things I probably shouldn't do again. Katelyn has come to love running, and I was so excited to make this a mommy-daughter hobby. :(

But, there have been so many blessings over the last two months. First, I am so thankful for family. First of course, Cory, who did absolutely everything for the first two weeks while I was in bed most of the time. And I will say that our house was probably cleaner than when I am running things! :) Cory's dad came from California and spent a month taking care of the kids (and me!) when Cory had to go back to work. And Cory's aunt, Barbara, came from Tennessee, and spent 10 days taking care of the kids and me. In true nurse fashion, she made sure I was resting, heating and icing all day long. :) I was incredibly humbled by their willingness, and even eagerness, to help me in such a huge way. Secondly, I think for the first time since I became a mom, I have been able to just sit back and watch my children. That may sound strange since most of us moms never get the chance to sit on the couch for weeks at a time and do nothing! :) And while it not nearly as glamorous as it sounds, I was able to just sit and observe the most beautiful blessings God has given me. I spent a lot of time thinking, and crying :), about how fast Katelyn has grown into a little girl; and listening to Jackson jibber jabber and he reads book after book, wanting to hit the pause button on this precious stage in his life. It was those moments which made the low moments worth going through. And lastly, but certainly not least, God has shown me what an incredible church family I have, and what it really means to serve the Lord joyfully. After Cory's dad went home, I needed help for a week while Cory was at work. Every day, from the time the kids woke up, to the time they went to bed, women from my church were here, filling the mom role for me. They cleaned my house, did my dishes, folded my laundry, and took care of Katelyn and Jackson - and in doing so, kept me sane. :) It was humbling for me to ask them to tie my shoes for me, but the fellowship was an incredible blessing. And I definitely learned a few lessons in how to serve others with joy. :)

So this hasn't been a normal post, but I wanted to share these blessings with you. I have not taken many pictures in the last couple of months, but I will share what I do have, and hopefully be able to share Christmas pictures in a timely manner. :)