Gratitude

I was overcome with an immense feeling of gratitude this morning. The kind that fills your whole body, the kind that you feel you have to document, and in this case even share.  Even though I don't know how much of it is sharing on the rusty old blog.

At the very end of December we made a big, long move to Texas.  It was a BIG decision, and a BIG move, and now we live in a BIG city, in a BIG state.  We had lived away from the comfort of our family in Utah before, so we knew what it would be like, and we knew we could do it.  It wasn't a decision that we were extremely excited about but knew that we needed to do it.

We pulled into Little Elm on the evening of January 1st.  December was a month full of Christmas shopping and family gatherings, packing up the house in boxes, spending time with friends for the last time, doctor visits, physical therapy and even an MRI.  Did I mention Landon hurt his back in October?  Well he did, and it wasn't getting better.  By mid-December he was miserable, barely functioning.  We were down to crunch time, the time where we needed to be packing up and tying up loose ends.  And he was down and out.  We needed to figure out something pretty quick, not to mention it starts playing with your mind…how are we going to make it to Texas, how is he going to work, did we make the right decision to do this?!  After so many phone calls with insurance, and doctors offices, and referral offices, he was finally able to get an MRI.  It was the Saturday before Christmas.  On Monday morning a pain clinic called us, they had reviewed the MRI which showed a big herniated disc, and wanted Landon to be in that morning for an epidural steroid injection.  We had been watched over, the timing of it happening so quickly was such a blessing in my mind.  The shot didn't do wonders, but it helped, a lot.  With the help of so many people, our family and friends, we were able to celebrate Christmas, finish packing, load the truck, and make the 20 hour ride to Texas.

I have felt so much gratitude since we have been here.  I feel that we have been watched over from a loving Heavenly Father who has put certain people in our lives for a reason.  I am so grateful for the people that have reached out to us.  I am so grateful that Landon has been able to work through his back pain.  His pain didn't go away from the shot, but it helped and he was able to work starting on January 5th.  The first few weeks were really hard on his weak back.  Although the pain in his back subsided, the pain from the pinched nerve continued to go down into his leg and his foot.  He couldn't really enjoy life.  It was hard for him to stand for longer than a few minutes without the pain starting.  His work was ok for some reason, I think the movement from standing to sitting was helpful.

Since his back wasn't completely healing, we decided to go ahead with surgery.  It wasn't ideal but we were hopeful that it would help.  He just had surgery on Friday.  At this point, we don't even know what the outcome of the surgery will be because it is too soon to tell.  We are hopeful and prayerful that it will help him get back to his normal self.

And this is what has lead me to have this strong feeling of gratitude today.  It is hard to go through things like this away from the people that can help you the most, your family.  But, we have been surrounded by so many good people and people have reached out to us.  We have crossed paths with certain people for a reason.  I couldn't find a preschool for Andrew when we got down here, and I was telling someone about it and she told me of a co-op group of moms from the ward who I could call.  I was hesitant but I went for it.  They were all so nice to bring us into their group half way through the school year, and to switch around schedules and add us in.  Andrew has loved it but I never knew when I joined their group that THEY would be helping me when Landon had his surgery.  My sweet cousin that lives close to us texted me a few days before Landon's surgery to see how I was doing and when I let her know what was going on she offered to take my kids the day of his surgery.  She took them all day, and was so nice about watching them for as long as I needed.

I don't like to reach out to people, I don't like to inconvenience people, and I am pretty independent.  So when people want to reach out and help, I definitely hesitate.  But it makes me realize how inspired people are, and that it is ok to ask for help or to at least accept it.  We are all here to help each other out!

A nearby church brought by a little pot of soil and seeds yesterday as a welcoming gift to the neighborhood.  The church is called New Leaf.  I thought, how appropriate for the timing of Landon's surgery.  We hope that this surgery turns over a new leaf for him, that the pain can go away, and that the recovery will go well.  Gratitude is a wonderful feeling, I need to work on experiencing it more because it can do wonders on your outlook in life, and make you realize how amazing this world is.    

Missing Omaha

I had no idea how much we would miss Omaha until we were gone.  I tend to live towards the future and sometimes forget to live in the now.  I enjoyed Omaha, but had I known just how much I would have missed it, I would have maybe taken it all in a little more.

I really miss... 

chatting with my friends

Having fun RDEP parties

I can't believe how little Kinnie and Andrew were when we moved there!

The beautiful gardens!

The view out our front door, it never EVER got old

The once a week dane classes at the clubhouse and cute little recitals

The rainstorms!  The buckets of water that poured from the sky and amazing lightening storms

Decorating our little window 

The visitors!

"Our" swings.  We were pretty much the only ones who used these swings since we lived on the outskirts of the complex.

Kinnie's and Andrew's little room

Letting the kids roam the front yard while I worked on dinner

The ZOO!  I miss that place soooooo much!  

The big slides downtown

The gardens in the winter

Sharon!  We miss Sharon's friendly face and small conversation.  She always gave us little homemade gifts and lots of stickers and paper.

Lucy!  Our home was sandwiched right in between Sharon and Lucy, it was the best.  I miss Lucy's sweet sweet face and deep conversations.   She was a smart lady and had a lot of opinions.  I just liked to listen to her.

Those are just a few of the things:)  Andrew asks if we are going to go back to Omaha to visit.  I would love to go back and visit someday!

First Days

First day of kindergarten.  She was ready, and excited!  A little nervous on the first day

So excited to try the monkey bars on the first day.  She was so frustrated that she could only hold on for 2 bars.  The first couple of weeks after I picked her up she was so excited to tell me about the monkey bars.  "Mom today I did 3 bars...mom today I did 4 bars...mom, I made it across today!"  It was really important to her that she learned to do the monkey bars.  I loved her updates and determination.

Andrew's first day of preschool.  I was nervous for him even though he was pretty cool about it.  I just thought for sure he would be so sad when I left him.  I kind of forget how old he is sometimes.

He fit right in and didn't even watch me out the door.