Summer Love ' n

This has been a STRANGE summer to say the least!

But despite all the health problems and the lack of vacations it has been productive:

I ended up bottling 12 pints of green beans and 36 quarts of tomatoes - All from our garden. I even made 1 batch of boysenberry freezer jam. It is beautiful and yummy! It makes me miss Knottsberry Farm! (The vacation we had planned to take!)


This amazes me, 'cause I know how lousy I've felt. I couldn't have done it without my sweet helper - Vaughan. He would come home from work and we would start the bottling process. I love canning and I wish I could have done more. But I'm happy with what was accomplished under the circumstances.

I hosted 2 bridal showers in June. Luckily, the majority of the preparations took place before I got too bad. I had so much fun and I loved doing them.

When I found out I was having surgery I panicked at the thought of anyone seeing my bedroom. I have had a corner of my room stacked with boxes that I needed to go through for MONTHS. I had *planned* to have them sorted through and put away by the end of June, but just didn't have the energy to do it. Nothing like PANIC to give your body the adrenaline it needs! It took a few days and some more help from my sweetheart but we got it done. It FEELS so good to not see all that clutter. My room is far from the sanctuary I want it to be, but it's coming. I have encouragement now!

I have read more books and watched more movies than I can count. It's been the most relaxing summer I can remember. I had to rely on my girls and Vaughan to do so much. I seriously have not cooked a meal since mid June. I've assisted and coached, but others have had to do the cooking- and they continue to!

When I look back now - post surgery - I realize just how awful I felt. And how much pain I was in. Pain really zaps your energy! While I am still having pain and problems with my foot, I have to let the nerve heal - I am feeling better everyday.

I would never want to repeat this summer, but I do have to say I have felt the LOVE. Love from my family - especially my girls and Vaughan, love from my friends and ward and love from the Lord. He has been there with me through all of this.

It's definitely been a summer full of love and I've learned so much. I look forward to having my health and being able to serve my family again. But I will miss spending quality and quantity time with my girls. Just laying around visiting - watching movies. No rushing or hurrying.

I have thought I would like to forget this summer - but I've changed my mind. I'm going to remember this summer as the summer I learned just how much I am loved.

Absense Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Or at least I hope so! LOL!

It's been a long time since I've blogged. And most of my blogging has been negative. I have lots of fun things to blog, but sitting here is kinda painful and I'm not a fast blogger!

My life has been kind of consumed with my health - or lack there of. I'm pretty much in pain and have no energy. I think that is because of the pain. hahaha!

I pretty much exhausted all attempts at avoiding going to a dr. But I do feel like I made some right choices and that the Lord directed those choices.

I made an appointment to see an orthopedic Dr - instead of a Spine specialist, which was originally what my brother wanted me to do. I saw him last Friday. He ordered an MRI and xrays of my leg. He suggested I have one done on my spine, but I declined because of money and I have always felt like the problem was my leg.

The MRI was one of the worst experiences of my life. Ughhhh. It was painful and stressful. Hopefully, I will never have to do that again. *shudder*

My followup appointment was today - Wednesday. Dr. Porter came in the room and said "Well, we have a diagnosis!"

After spending several days trying not to think the worse - cancer, surgery and other thoughts - I was relieved that he didn't come in the room and say, uhhhh, I don't know what it could be!

Anyway, it is a ganglion cyst. Don't google it, it's kinda gross and it doesn't really cover "my" situation. Apparently, MY cyst decided to get up close and personal with my nerve and that is why I'm in so much pain, my leg is numb and I've lost strength in my foot and use of my big toe.

Let's talk about losing the use of your big toe for a minute - sounds kinda like big deal right? But I've learned that when Heavenly Father gave us certain body parts, He gave them for a reason. And besides it's mine and I want it to work. Could I LIVE without my big toe - yes. But hopefully, I won't have to.

So - surgery is in order. YUCK!

I could get all panicky about that, and I'm sure I will, but right now I'm worried about how we are going to pay for said surgery. I've been ordered my those who love me :) , to schedule it, so I am. And like I have been saying for WAY TOO LONG - "It will work out."

Now, I think I will panic about the surgery! ARGHHHHHHH! Scary and I really am dreading it. I know it could be worse, but isn't any surgery just yucky. (yes, thank you very much!)

So give me a few more weeks - and then I will play catch up! We had a fabulous 4th and my daughters went to girls camp. Hope had a birthday and despite everything - life does seem to just keep going along!

Hope your summer is eventful in a much more healthy way!