Hand Cycles...It's Funny How Things Work Out!

It's funny how things work out...back in February Mike and I had been talking real seriously about getting into biking...we were going to do the whole thing...the baby bike trailors...bikes...and even some of those cool bike trips you can go on...like to Lake Powell and Moab...and wherever! It was pretty exciting! A few weeks later Mike had his accident and that dream turned quickly...but not so badly. Mike was life flighted to the ER...and it was there I got to see him. We had a few minutes to speak alone...we talked about our lives...and how they would be different...and what we were going to do...ironically the biking thing was brought up...and quickly solidified...hand cycling! And weirdly enough...it was something exciting for us to look forward to...even in that very crazy hour! So now...8 months later...for the first time...Mike took a shot at a hand cycle! Thanks to the TRAILS program at the U of U hospital we're able to rent them for only $5 a day! Today Mike checked out a few to see which best fit him! It was just in the parking lot...but it was enough to get us both pretty excited about biking! He's applying for a adaptive sports equipment grant...which would essentially pay for the entire bike ($3,500)! We were told that %95 of all applicants are accepted! So needless to say we are pretty excited...so like I said...it's funny how things work out. Thanks for letting us share...wish us luck!

We love you Daddy....

An Evening at the Park...

The other day we decided to take Brodyand Jocelyn to the Lindon Park...we had a great time...

The sun was really bright...but Jocelyn loved playing on the grass!
I keep trying to get a good picture of her feet...but I've yet to do so...this is the closest so far!

Goofing around!
Brody took this one...this is in the new Lindon tunnel that travels under state street...it was awesome...and cool lighting too!
Who said you can't take your own family picture... We had a great time...I keep forgetting...how sometimes it's the simplest things that turn out to be the funnest...

Can't Wait for Halloween...

So last Friday night Mike and I were supposed to go out on a date...I was so excited and felt like it was much needed! But...due to schedules and things we had to post pone...which totally made sense...but I was incredibly bummed! Before I knew it Mike was off at the store and back in a jiffy in his lap...a 16 lb pumpkin! Seriously...do you get any cooler than that? I don't think so...the rest of the evening was spent as a family cleaning...carving and lighting the pumpkin...Brody was so excited! We even cooked the seeds (thank you Richard)! This was all a first for our family...we had a blast...he even took me out on a date the next morning (thank you Mom and Dad for watching the kids)...what did I do to deserve this? Love you Mike!

Overcome with elation!!!

I drew the face...Mike carved...and Brody dropped (literally) the candle in the bottom! He also washed his hands a lot...every time they became slimy from the pumpkin's innards...he sure didn't like that feeling!

We were trying to make scary faces...Jocelyn's face looks scared...or bewildered.

And at the end of the night...the pumpkin was named Brody...by Brody...Happy Halloween!

Home...

This late summer and early fall I've been playing softball (thank you Stacy, as a birthday present she let me on the team)! Mike has made it such a fun family activity each Monday night... he, Brody, and Jocelyn all cheer me on...and I think we all have a pretty good time! One night after the game had gone on longer then normal...the fields had cleared and everything was shutting down. We were about to head to the car when Brody ran out to the fields and started making his way around the bases. He had done this several times in the past. He began on third and headed towards second. After a skip and a trip he took a face plant..."oh" is all I heard and he was back up and running towards first (we know...wrong direction)...suddenly the finale light shut down...and the darkness was overwhelming. I felt a sudden lurch in my heart for Brody...being all alone on that dark field. Mike flipped on his flashlight and I raced out to find him in the darkness...We had been cheering him on from the bleachers....which is a fair distance for a three year old. He hadn't made a sound...I was nervous...I had expected to wrap my arms around him as to comfort our frightened little boy....as I neared...I could see his little body still running...only he wasn't running towards me...he was on his way home...rounding out the third and final base....he was just yards from touching the plate...he made one last face plant into the damp red dirt. I reached down to pick him up...before his feet could even touch the ground, he was off again! Ten steps later...Brody...our brave little man...triumphantly made it home! Hands raised in the air...he jumped up and down...Mike and I cheered so proudly!



What a lesson our tiny warrior taught me...don't stop...even when it seems as though I'm heading in the wrong direction and the light is gone...keep heading home...Brody knew we were still there and so he had nothing to fear...Heavenly Father is still there...shining his "flashlight" and cheering us on...and eventually...even after several "face plants"...we will make it "home!"

Couldn't Wait to Share the News!!!

OK...so Mike came home from physical therapy today...and I asked how it went...he said that it went well...and that was it! So the day went on...we ate dinner...we drove to my softball game....he cheered me on...and we drove home...on the way home he said his back was sore...I said...what did you do in therapy? Thinking maybe his back pain was due to a certain exercise...he said..."I crawled....by myself!" WHAT!!! I was shocked...all I could say was "oh my gosh!!!" The trainers told him that they'd be crawling today...so he got down on the floor and instead of waiting for a trainer to help him crawl...he just started going...he crawled the entire length of the mat...around15 feet...rested then crawled back! I was so excited when he told me....we were all excited ...and well...I think even Jocelyn....even though he won the race of crawling first! I couldn't believe he forgot to tell me! But I do think we can mark today as another great miracle...I just couldn't wait to share the news! Thank you everyone for all your support and prayers...it means more then you know!

These are some pictures from last Friday when I finally was able to go see him work out after three weeks...it was incredible! She's bracing his knees with her knees and stabilizing his hips...but he's keeping his balance....see how straight up and down he is...that is a huge improvement...according to Mike he used to arch his back...this standing up on the walker has all been within the last three weeks...I had to fight the urge not to just wrap my arms around him in a bear hug...but I'm afraid I would have knocked him over...I didn't ever want him to sit down ...It's not very often I get to look up at him....this is what we call a glimmer of hope!

Mike I'm so proud of you...