Like a Chicken . . .

. . . running around with his head cut off (sorry, no images today!).  That has been me the last two nights at the Y!  Seriously, I was filling in for three people on Monday night - all at the same time! - and three people last night, but only for the first hour, then I settled down to two!  I guess that's what happens when your boss is in the Netherlands on a MUCH needed vacation!  My favorite had to be catching the sub (I wasn't the only one!) who ran his second class too long and started his third class ten minutes late.  Then he tried to finish it ten minutes early.  All in a day's work . . .

The Best is Yet to Come!

Our New Life Adoptions pictures arrived yesterday.  Here's an awesome sneak preview:

 https://www.facebook.com/alisonleaphotography/

I won't be using this for our Christmas card - too many people are missing!  I just hope that it's making anticipation mount in your hearts . . . 

 

Thankful Thursday - Part One!

It's hard to believe that one year ago yesterday, I received my first bionic knee.  I would love to say how absolutely wonderful it is and how much more I can do with it, but that wouldn't be true.  What is true is that a little over a year ago, I could barely walk around the block.  Today, I can walk forever, but I can't clean the floors without pain.  CPR is a total knee killer.  Sam says when I get up off the floor, I look like a preschooler with my bottom lifted up high.  But I can walk.  And I can swim.  Today, I swam two and a half miles on my bionic knees.  Perfect?  Nope, not a chance.  But so greatly improved I am forever thankful . . .

Thankful Thursday - Part 2!

In all honesty, I don't think we've sat down together for a family meal since we celebrated Micah's birthday on November 8th . . . until tonight.  Matt's work got rescheduled.  Micah got home early.  I didn't work.  We had Forced Family Fun Time (alias 3FT).  Sam missed it, but we ate homemade macaroni and cheese by candlelight.  It was a most excellent time!

Class of One.

Monday night, I had one student in my First Aid class, but for good reason.  Tim had been in my CPR class two weeks ago (class of seven), and needed First Aid as well for his position as a volunteer with the Dakota County Bike Patrol.  Yup, he's a fat tire rider!  So the powers above me decided we would have class.

It was a hoot!  I was Tim's victim multiple time and he managed to save me every single one!  We watched not only the mandatory videos, but also the ones he wanted to.  So we checked out impaled objects, animal bites, and administering emergency epinephrine because those were things he actually may encounter while volunteering.  Overall great night.

The Gorey Details . . .

It's only taken a year, but today I finally asked, "What did you really do when you gave me my total knee replacement?"  Here's a condensed version of Dr. Tad's response:

"We put a tourniquet on your thigh and cut your knee open.  We take several measurements of your knee bone(s) to make sure we have the right measurement.  Then we go to our replacement samples and find the perfect fit.  We bend your knee up and down to make sure the new parts work.  If all looks good, we go to the actual knee replacement parts that are sterilized and sealed, open the right package, put it in and make sure it works once again.  Then we glue it in and sew you up."

Note:  We so did not discuss what kind of saw he used when he sawed my bones off.

There were more comments and a lot of laughter in there.  Then I asked, "Why was my surgery so fast?"  His kind response, "Because your knee was so easy to get to.  Imagine if someone were three-hundred pounds . . ."  More laughter.

So I'm done.  It may take another year for all the aches and pains to go away.  But they are happy with my new right knee and I am satisfied.  I can walk again. 

My job?  Don't run on it, use a thick towel when kneeling on it, and take antibiotics for all dental work and colonoscopies.  

With Heavy Hearts . . .

 

Sam got an e-mail before bed last night saying that the school board has decided to close his elementary school, M.W. Savage, along with Sioux Trail Elementary and Metcalf Junior High next year.  It is with heavy hearts that we share this . . . Sam plans to finish his teaching career in the district, just no longer at MWS.