Tuesday, November 27, 2012

overdue update...

 
I guess the last biggest update on Ben and I was back in September when we went to the Summer Sports Clinic in San Diego! Wow, time has flown by and so much has taken place!

To say we have been busy is an understatement! We have been BUSY with a capital B! Not always is it just because we are physically out of the house doing things but I have been busy with so many other things that just take time at home...e-mails, calls, reading materials, testing, working with Ben and just doing the daily list of things in the house.

Ok, for an update. I will go over some change things and then give you a lil idea of our schedule! Bare with me!

I guess I will start back in October! The 15th was Ben's last day in the Army as I mentioned before in a blog post. The day after his current therapy program he was in was done, nurses were done, where we got supplies were done...everything that was normal to us for the past 1.5 years was suddenly done and over with. There was about a 2 week gap where Ben didn't have any therapies and so we packed it up about 3-4 times a week and went to the Y. As Ben was on the bike I would run behind him. It was actually quite fun and a slight reminder of when we would work out together before...

 
During this two week stent Ben saw a few new docs, got labs, had oral surgery appointments, celebrated out 5th wedding anniversary and went to a lil town across the mountains at the last minute, saw some more docs, made calls, wrote emails...the list goes on and I am sure you get my point!

Also during this time Ben was blessed to receive a recumbant bike from an amazing couple whom we have never met! They approached us about getting it for him and we were blessed to say yes! Well, since my bike still needs a good tune up Ben said that I should just run beside him! I did and it was really fun. Ben has legs of steel, so strong but he is still learning how to get around people (but sometimes its the peoples fault), steer and just go SLOW! I don't think Ben knows the word slow! Of course we have been going on the days when its not raining!



 

 
 
The beginning of November we took off to Rockport, Texas for a wedding! Ben's good buddy was getting married and he asked Ben to be in his wedding. I have gotten to know his finace and she asked me to be in the wedding as well! It ended up being so much fun! We stayed for a week and just go to have fun and relax at the same time! Ben has not seen his buddy since last year due to him living in NC and being multiple times during the last few years.
We were able to spend time with both sides of the family, be involved in the wedding festivities, go surfing, take some drives, have paddle boat races, paddle boarding on a kyack, Boiling Pot, pool and enjoy the sun!
 
We got back from Texas and Ben had an intro therapy appointment, kind of like a meet and greet. He also had an EEG (which we found out today was normal-praise Jesus!) done that week. Next was dinner with friends, errands, piles of laundry, more emails and phone calls! Ha!
 
{rehersal dinner}
 
 
 
 
 
 {moter boatin}
 
 {paddle boarding on a kyack...sure}
 
 {boiling pot}
 
 
 
 
{first raw oyster...prob won't happen again} 
 
 {kiss that lil shrimp}
 
 {surfing sunday}
 
 
 
 
 {twins...}
 
 
 
This past week as y'all know was Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving morning I ran the 4 mile Turkey Trot (hadn't run in a few weeks but I made my goal and didn't stop running) and Ben was there to cheer me on! I ran it with my lil bro, his now finance (eeekkk!!) and my friend Jessica! We all ended up running our own speed but finished it...and all those calories burned went towards a piece of pumpkin pie! 
We have alot to be grateful for. It's hard to be grateful at times because of how life is but we are grateful. God has blessed us deeply! We went to my parents house later in the day. It was the year for all the siblings to be there and also my aunt came down. It was crowded, close to 40 peeps, but it was fun and filled with good food and lots of laughter!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
So, a taste into our schedule these past few weeks and what's on our plate for the next!
11/19 - PT (40 min away)
11/20 - YMCA, errands with Ben all over town
11/21 - Watched the nephs all am and then dentist appt in afternoon
11-22 - Thanksgiving...full day.
11-23 - Ben's uniform jacket to alteror (sp), errands for weekend
11/24 - Sleep in (finally), lunch with friends, shopping with girls while boys watched football,
11/25 - Church, errands for my lil bro, off to drive 3 hours across mountains, lil bro engaged!!!
11/26 - Spent day with lil bro and girlfriend on getaway, drive back, resist temptation to decorate tree
11/27 - Drive to Seattle for a neurology appointment, returns in Seattle, Costco to get food for party
11/28 - Speech (40 min away), haircut for Ben, drop things off for uniform, Ben chiropractor
11/29 - Dental appointment on post, rehersal for ceremony, errands
11/30 - Ben's retirement ceremony
12-01 - Weekend with no plans...breathe!
12/02 - ?
12/03 - Anesthesia appointment on post, dental appointment, PT
12/04 - PT, ST, OT...I think, my b-day
12/05 - Ben's oral surgery to open his palate and put in appliance...this will not be fun!
12/5 - whenever...take care of Ben and help him recover...
...and a few days later the schedule will go back to the above! :)
 
Ha, catch my point of busy? This doesn't even include those emails, phone calls and just all the things that need to be done to keep this house going! There are other things in the works to that I will share later on. Just thinking of all this makes me want to drink a cup of coffee but its almost midnight and that's the last thing I need!
 
If you still want to send a card for Ben for his retirement you are more then welcome to! He would love to have them for his book I am putting together for him!
 
You can send them to:
2641 Ballantine Dr. SE
Olympia, WA 98501
 
Thank you for all your patience with me on posting! I know I need to post more but at the same time I need to be with Ben and run this crazy house! Thank you also for your prayers, they mean so much to us and we for sure still need them! I want to do an update soon on how Ben is phyically doing and how you can pray for him!
 
We are blessed, despite things, we are blessed!

5 comments:

Laurel said...

Thanks for the reminder about sending cards to Ben. My kids are going to make him some cards right after lunch, and then I will hustle them over to the post office. Hopefully . . . you will get them by Friday.

Hope your week is BLESSED!

Laurel
mama of 12

sharon said...

Thanks for the update....your life has been more than busy, so really appreciate you taking the time. Exciting news about lil bro's engagement. Continue to pray for strength as your transition into a new phase of your life. May you be encouraged today. love ya, Aunt Sharon

Anonymous said...

My Dave ran The Turkey Trot Thanksgiving morning, as well. I don't think he was up to your speed, BUT he too, did finish. The pictures are wonderful. Thank you for sharing. I am so glad Ben got his bike. Much love to each of you. I will trust Father for His strength to uphold you during this busy time. I love you, Marion

Laurel said...

Hope you got my kids cards in the mail, and hope your Retirement Celebration is a true BLESSING to both of you.

Laurel

Anonymous said...

Wow, you have been busy! Happy late anniversary! I am constantly amazed (but not shocked) at how much Ben is kicking this tbi in the @ss as much as I am constantly amazed (but not shocked) by your strength and energy! Big hugs from rainy California! <3 Alma