The weekend has come and nearly gone again and I’ve finally found some time to sit and gather my thoughts. It seems every night when I think I should sit down and write a little update…time slips away from me, or the words don’t seem to come. Sometimes I straddle the line between writing to write and writing to inform and I lose my interest in merely keeping everyone up to date on our not-so-exciting goings on. I think this blog has taken on lots of different tones and themes over the years and sometimes I wonder how long I might keep it up…if anybody is really reading this anymore besides my mother…if there is really much more to say. I don’t know…
This week our new bike was delivered and set up in the basement. It is just great! Thursday night I got home late after attending a fitness class and stopping by the store for a few things, but Matt was still up for heading downstairs to try it out before supper. Matt walked down the stairs sideways on his own, and I just stood by. We put the extra wheelchair at the bottom of the stairs and he lowered himself into it and wheeled himself around the corner and over to the bike. He was able to get on the bike, work out on the bike, get back off the bike and into the wheelchair, and come upstairs again all 100% on his own!
It was amazing!! In fact, once he got settled and was working out, I actually came upstairs and did some things I needed to do on my own. It was a strange feeling, me being upstairs alone…but it felt good…SO good knowing that he was down there getting some quality exercise and was so safe and secure on the new bike. He didn’t NEED me to be there…it was GREAT!!! Blake and Amy stopped over Saturday afternoon and he installed the other railing so now Matt can go down the stairs easier on his own and work out whenever he wants. This is a new level of independence for Matt and he’s really excited to have the ability to go down there and do his own thing (even if it is just to dig through boxes and explore the basement) whenever he wants.
Friday night we met up with Tim and Mary for pizza at our favorite pizza place – which we haven’t had in quite some time. It was great to see them and catch up on how things are going…and enjoy some yummy pizza, naturally. I will always, always have a special place in my heart for Mary. I had just recently gone back and re-read some of my posts from our time in China and I can’t tell you how much she personally did for Matt and I. She touched me deeply with her kind heart and thoughtfulness. Coming back to our room that day to find soap was just a God-send. Mary brushes it all off as no big deal…but let me say that I think she is an amazing woman and I’m so very thankful for how much she looked after Matt while he was there.
Saturday night we headed over to Blake and Amy’s for a movie night. We hadn’t hung out there for a while either, and it was fun to kick back and watch a couple funny movies together with old friends. I had spent several hours on Saturday working on a photo project; putting all our old photos in nicer photo albums and tossing the bad pictures of people and places we don’t remember. There were many, many pictures of us and Blake and Amy. They were the first of our friends to get married and move away (to Davenport), and we always used to go out and visit them on weekends. We’d play cards, watch movies, make supper (at least Blake and I would…Matt and Amy always sat by watching us)….we had so many fun times together, so many memories in those old pictures and it is special to me that after all these years we can still get together and laugh and have fun. Old friends like that…priceless.
Tonight we went to a small group Bible study at the house of a couple from church. It was a big deal for us to sort of step out of our comfort zones again and go someplace new…to socialize with folks we hadn’t really gotten to know all that well yet. It was well worth the tiny bit of anxiety we felt pulling up in the driveway, as we spent a couple hours fellowshipping with a great group of people that I’m excited to get to know better. I’m so glad we went…so glad for us both to have the opportunity to make some new friends. It was a good way to end the weekend…and as I prepare for the coming week, I feel grateful for the mix of friends, old and new.
This week our new bike was delivered and set up in the basement. It is just great! Thursday night I got home late after attending a fitness class and stopping by the store for a few things, but Matt was still up for heading downstairs to try it out before supper. Matt walked down the stairs sideways on his own, and I just stood by. We put the extra wheelchair at the bottom of the stairs and he lowered himself into it and wheeled himself around the corner and over to the bike. He was able to get on the bike, work out on the bike, get back off the bike and into the wheelchair, and come upstairs again all 100% on his own!
It was amazing!! In fact, once he got settled and was working out, I actually came upstairs and did some things I needed to do on my own. It was a strange feeling, me being upstairs alone…but it felt good…SO good knowing that he was down there getting some quality exercise and was so safe and secure on the new bike. He didn’t NEED me to be there…it was GREAT!!! Blake and Amy stopped over Saturday afternoon and he installed the other railing so now Matt can go down the stairs easier on his own and work out whenever he wants. This is a new level of independence for Matt and he’s really excited to have the ability to go down there and do his own thing (even if it is just to dig through boxes and explore the basement) whenever he wants. Friday night we met up with Tim and Mary for pizza at our favorite pizza place – which we haven’t had in quite some time. It was great to see them and catch up on how things are going…and enjoy some yummy pizza, naturally. I will always, always have a special place in my heart for Mary. I had just recently gone back and re-read some of my posts from our time in China and I can’t tell you how much she personally did for Matt and I. She touched me deeply with her kind heart and thoughtfulness. Coming back to our room that day to find soap was just a God-send. Mary brushes it all off as no big deal…but let me say that I think she is an amazing woman and I’m so very thankful for how much she looked after Matt while he was there.
Saturday night we headed over to Blake and Amy’s for a movie night. We hadn’t hung out there for a while either, and it was fun to kick back and watch a couple funny movies together with old friends. I had spent several hours on Saturday working on a photo project; putting all our old photos in nicer photo albums and tossing the bad pictures of people and places we don’t remember. There were many, many pictures of us and Blake and Amy. They were the first of our friends to get married and move away (to Davenport), and we always used to go out and visit them on weekends. We’d play cards, watch movies, make supper (at least Blake and I would…Matt and Amy always sat by watching us)….we had so many fun times together, so many memories in those old pictures and it is special to me that after all these years we can still get together and laugh and have fun. Old friends like that…priceless.
Tonight we went to a small group Bible study at the house of a couple from church. It was a big deal for us to sort of step out of our comfort zones again and go someplace new…to socialize with folks we hadn’t really gotten to know all that well yet. It was well worth the tiny bit of anxiety we felt pulling up in the driveway, as we spent a couple hours fellowshipping with a great group of people that I’m excited to get to know better. I’m so glad we went…so glad for us both to have the opportunity to make some new friends. It was a good way to end the weekend…and as I prepare for the coming week, I feel grateful for the mix of friends, old and new.
Comments
I read your blog at least once a week or as often as you update it ... I enjoy keeping up with your life, very encouraging to me to see the wonderful work of Jesus in you and Matt!
John Livingston
You can't quit this--i thoroughly enjoy keeping up with you and Matt since you aren't in Boone. Your writing skills amaze me and so enjoyable to read. Maybe you should write a book! lol
Take care and enjoy this nice weather finally.
Carol