More than a year ago.......

Yikes!!! I haven't written on this blog since May of last year!!!!!!

So here has what's been going on in that time frame.

Saints won the Superbowl!!!!! (Most of you already know that, I just have to point it out again, even if they are not doing as well this season)

Sydney is in the 5th grade now. Can you believe that? She will be 11 years old in December. She is just growing into a wonderful young lady. She is so smart and driven with her school/Awana/Bible studies. She is truly growning into a wonderful Godly young woman. I am excited to see how God works in her life over the next few years as she tranisitions into middle school. Syd is in her last year of Truth and Training in Awana........ WOW!!!! I am so impressed with her hard work and dedication to learning scripture. She has just breezed through 4 sections of her handbook already!!!

So the majority of you all that I talk to on a regular basis know the struggles I am having with this injured shoulder. It started out diagnosed as just a strain by the occupational health doctor 2 months ago and has progressed as a SLAP (superior labrum anterior to posterior) which is basically a tear in the cartilage that cushions the shoulder socket and the humerosus bone. It has been very painful and very emotional draining on me. I did six weeks of physical therapy with absolutely no relief. I agree with the orthopedic surgeon that it aggrevated the injury more. Now I am having an MRI Arthrogram on Monday to confirm the treatment: surgery. So basically with this arthrogram they inject the contrast dye right into my shoulder with a HUGE needle then I undergo the MRI. The surgery is pretty easy if they only have to use one or two anchors. However, I will be out of work for another 4-6 months being in sling for a good month and a half of that time. That would leave my grand total of months off work being 6-8 months including the 2 I have alread been off. Sheesh.............

With all of the stress of this injury my faith has really strengthened. I have had the vast time for opportunity to meditate in His Word. It has been Awesome to say the least!! I was listening to KLOVE this morning and Matthew West was talking about one of the stories that he used for inspiration on his new CD. It was about a mother whose 19 year old daughter was in a horrible car accident and shattered her leg. She was in the hospital for months and underwent 11 surgeries!!!! The mother was talking to her daughter one day and told her "you know Haley, God never gives us more than we can handle. The hard times make us stronger" to which her daughter replied "Well He must think I am pretty freakin' strong!!" That story really hit me this morning. Although I have felt very useless and lonely through this time I feel very strong in His prescence.

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" ~ Phillipians 4:13