Thursday, August 5, 2010

Around here...



M

y new, slower reality around here.

I've never been very good at sitting. Knowing that God's plans are always best though, I'm doing my best to embrace my situation right now. (At times I do a much better job "embracing" than others.) One week down, perhaps only two to three weeks to go on crutches. (that would be 14-21 days, but who's counting?)

Like the forearm crutches? Here in the US, the taller crutches that have padded areas for under your armpit (no idea what they are "officially" called) are much more common. Usually the forearm crutches are reserved for people with more permanent disabilities. (I understand that the forearm crutches are much more common in Europe, even for "temporary" disabilities, like I have) Anyway, my parents (who had a hip and a knee replacement last year) lent these to me. They are much easier to use, I think. (Like my exorbitant use of parenthesis? Thought so!)


I can't run, bike or otherwise challenge my cardiovascular system right now, but I *can* swim. I know, swimming can be a cardio workout... but not the way I swim! I'm very slow! OK, perhaps not very slow, but now, after a summer of practice, pretty slow! Of the three events in a triathlon, swimming is most certainly my weak point. So, now's my chance to work on that! I can't use my right leg yet, but I can work on my stroke. I've ordered a pull buoy that should definitely help me "be good" and not use my right leg/hip.

There is a pool in my parent's subdivision that we can use whenever we like, so Tom or I take the children almost every day. Frequently we are the only ones there, so it is sorta' like having our own private pool!

You didn't actually think I'd let you off without some photos of adorable children enjoying the water, did you?

Aaaah, summer......


If you are interested in improving your swimming, I've found two resources that you might enjoy:
  • Swim Smooth, a UK based web site with huge amounts of info/videos~ highly recommended! Be sure to get their free desktop app of "Mr. Smooth" demonstrating a very good swim stroke.
  • Total Immersion swimming. Very good technique info here too. Perhaps a little more "technical" and not as many articles/videos available to read on the website, but still great info. Being streamlined and having good form is very key to a good swim that doesn't waste lots of energy.
Also on my docket here...
  • homeschool planning for the new school year. I'll try to post this coming week with some specifics that we are going to be utilizing this year.
  • sewing: I hope to complete an adorable floral backpack that I started before my trip to Europe, plus I want to make this fabulous apron. If you don't already read Linda's blog, do yourself a favor and add her to your reader. Not only do I love her patterns, but she passionately loves the Lord too.
  • working on getting up-to-date on my "Project Life" album. You can see some of my Project Life posts here. I'm not too far behind, but I've found it to be much more challenging to carry my camera around with me while I've been on crutches, so I haven't been quite as diligent about documenting life here. Plus I need to get the journaling written down. Here it is, August already, and I haven't yet figured out the exact way that I want to include my journaling! I do have most of it on computer, but I need to actually get those thoughts in my album.
  • I also hope to get the journaling typed up and included in my "Week in the Life" album that I did last spring. Do you see a pattern here? I'm not very good at using type/text in Photoshop Elements, so I tend to put it off. Definitely not good.
  • While I'm at it, I need to decide how I am going to document our trip to Europe that Hannah and I went on with my parents in May. I'm initially thinking an album with page protectors that have lots of different sized openings in them... some full 12x12 pages, some 8 1/2" x 11" and some with multiple sized openings. Then there's the journaling... LOL! Any ideas?
So my summer hasn't been quite what I thought, no gardening, running or biking, but still full and joy-filled.


6 comments:

  1. So lovely to "catch up" with you Susan! It is wonderful to see that the LORD is giving you the grace to sloooowww down and see life from a different perspective! We were just praying for you as a family the other night.

    How WONDERFUL that you have access to a pool! Such fun for the kids and such a blessing that you CAN do THAT for excercise! :)

    I *love* your quilt hanging on the wall and your sweet lamp...both SOOO pretty!!

    May the LORD continue to help you in this trying time...and heal you well!

    With Love,
    Camille

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  2. Joy-filled is key, isn't it? Especially since it seems that most often I don't get very far on my list...love the quilt!
    XOXO
    Kathy

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  3. Oh goodness..I'm not sure I've ever left a comment here yet..but I"ve been following via the email updates for awhile now!!! I think I found you via LInda over at Prairie Flower Farm..but I can't be certain because everything is melding into one giant blog at the moment. I hoe you recover quickly!!! That first photo...I love the quilt hanging from that wooden rod. It looks really comfy. Have a lovely week...and praying for a quick recovery!!! Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather :)

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  4. ~Camille, thanks *so* much for praying for us! So thoughtful of you and your family to think of us. I appreciate you, friend!

    ~Kathy, please don't be deceived... I'll *never* accomplish all of the projects that I aspire to! Never! It is fun to dream though! : )

    ~Hi Heather! I think you have left a comment here~ good to "see" you here again... thanks so much for your kind comments and for reading along~ I appreciate you taking the time to leave your thoughts here!

    ~susan

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  5. I LOVE that hexagon quilt on the wall! Did you make it? Oh dear.. I will have to add it to my "to do" list..!
    I don't know how I stumbled on your blog, but I am glad I did. I've just spent quite some time here :) Thanks for sharing your life,
    lv,
    Joy
    PS Hope you are up and about again soon.

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  6. Hi Joy! So nice of you to take time to comment here! Welcome! The quilt that is hanging in my front room is one that my grandmother was going to *throw away*! I'm *so* glad that she gave it to me instead. The pattern is called "Grandmother's Flower Garden," and it is not too hard to make. You could probably find the pattern online. I'd like to make one sometime as well, using different colors than she did~ I do *love* it the way it is though.

    Hope you have a fabulous day, Joy! Thanks for stopping by!

    ~susan

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