Lunch Date

Aren was home from school today for Easter break and since the rest of the weekend consisted of cleaning up in the front and back yard, I decided to take the kids to McDonald's for cheap food and a date with daddy.  Somehow chicken nuggets always taste better when you're hanging out with dad and watching ants work super hard.

Cortisone**

Meet cortisone...my new best friend.  Heel spurs SUCK!  This has been the worst three weeks, well, not of my life, but it's pretty much been awful.  I've run a total of three miles in the past three weeks and each run brought on pain in my foot that refused to go away without one week non-physical activity and copious amounts of Aleve.  I went to my podiatrist today and she did an ultrasound of my heel to make sure that cortisone shots were necessary.  She measured my inflammation, not sure what the measuring tool was, but she said a 2 was pretty normal, and she only did shots if the inflammation was at least a 4.  What was mine?

8.2.  That's right, more than double what her normal standard is.  Yikes!  Out came the needle and in it went and I yelled, "Mother Effer!"  Really, mother effer.  Seriously.  I don't drop f-bombs.  It hurt like a mofo.  See?  No f word.  So far it's done exactly what the doctor said it would.  A little tingling and burning and getting worse before it's getting better.  Eight hours later and I'm already walking better than I have in weeks.  I can't wait to see what the morning brings and she said I can be running by Monday.  Glory be.  This chubby girl will be running again.  Life is good.

 

 **Sorry to those of you who follow my "Chubby Gurl" blog.  I've posted this exact same thing over there.  I figured this deserved two posts ;)

Klassy

This morning as Rick walked out the door to go to work he noticed a package on the carport with my name on it.  He brought it in and this lil' gem was inside.  I KNOW, RIGHT!  Who doesn't want a wiggly hula girl on the dashboard of their car.  Idiots, that's who.  My car looks amazing and I don't even know who to thank because there was no return address or card or anything.

To the unknown hula giver, I thank you.  My car thanks you.  Today is a great day.

Happy Birthday Lily!

Lily's birthday was yesterday and she would have been nine years old.  Sigh.  When she died we decided to have her buried in Utah seeing as we knew we would always have family there and we didn't know how long we would stay in AZ.  The crappy part of that is the fact on days like her birthday and the anniversary of her death, or any other day for that matter, we can't just pop by and be with her.

Luckily I have amazing family.  Lots of thanks to Emma and her family for remembering our Lily by placing some flowers and the perfect strawberry balloon on her grave.  Happy birthday sweet girl!

Priorities

Why is it that I can find a two hour block to get this done...

...but not this done...

If I made you feel better about yourself...you're welcome ;)

"I Was Running"

Remember Forrest Gump?  Remember that scene where Jenny tells him to, "Run, Forrest.  Run!" and he takes off and his leg braces fall off and he was super speedy!  Yeah, that was me this morning.  Ok, well, not really, but I did get new running shoes on Saturday and I used them for the first time this morning and I felt fast.  I'm running a half-marathon in June up in Utah and you can follow my progress, along with others running with me, HERE.

Run, MB!  Run!

Remembering

Mom and Dad - 1974

Today during Primary we had a member of the Stake Presidency come in and talk to the kids.  He stood up and immediately began talking about his daughter who was the Primary president and how much he loved her and you could tell.  His eyes lit up as he talked about his sweet Judy and how special she was to him.  Without realizing it the tears poured down my cheeks.  You see, this April will be 25 years since my dad died and normally it is what it is and I don't feel deprived not having had a father with me, but I found myself a little jealous of that relationship this morning.

I don't remember a lot about my father as I was only 11 when he died, but I do remember a few things.  I have very clear memories of sitting on his lap during church and playing with his tie and I remember coloring pictures of him and I always had an arrow pointing to the top of his head with the words "Bald" written so there wouldn't be any mistaken thoughts that he did not have a lot of hair up on top.  I remember walking into his room after he got home from delivering papers and crawling under the covers to just lay there while he read the newspaper, and I didn't dare move because he would kick me out - no wiggles.  I remember going downtown to work with him during the summer and sharpening pencils with his electric sharpener and I will always remember him driving us to the Smithsonian to sing with the children's choir I was in and giving me a few dollars to give to the homeless guy on the corner, followed by the words that I was no better than that man and whenever I saw someone who asked for money, it was my responsibility to give it to them, whether I thought they needed it or not. I remember how he loved my mom and each of us.  He had a talent and ability to make each of us feel like we were his favorite...I really was though ;)

I'm so thankful for the few years I had with this man and for the things he taught me.  I look forward to the day when I can see that twinkle in his eye once again, as he introduces me to someone as his daughter.  I miss him.  Love you, dad.