It is summer 2011. Aaron is now 5 and graduated preschool. He is so tender hearted. His teacher Mrs. Waker was always sharing with me how he would help the other kids in his class. One of his little friends is in a wheelchair and Aaron can't talk about him enough. When he is cheerleaded along the way his abilities are boundless. He is doing so well. He is a joy to be around and a true little spit fire. He loves walking the halls of church after the 3 hour block and saying hello to EVERYONE and asking how there day was or what they're doing that week. Bill laughs because he knows he doesn't get it from him. I'm convinced that through osmosis or something, he got Papa T.'s love & excitement for life and like Tiger, wants to share it with everyone.
Olivia. Wow. Where do I even start. She is now, finally, just a girl. Not the girl with cancer. Not the girl with limitations. Not the girl with the port. She is 7, she is smart, mature, good natured, a natural nurturer, and loving life! She finished 1st grade and is ready for... college! No, but truly, very bright. Thanks to a great teacher, Mrs. Smith her reading level soared this year from early 3rd grade to 6th grade along with comprehension. Her math skills leave a math lover mom proud as she is excelling there as well. Thanks to a new friend she met this year in her class she was pushed into her first sport experience. SOFTBALL! She loved it and so did 
Bill and I. We even got team shirts! After her first game she tried emailing Papa C. "Today was the best day of my life. I had my first softball game and I was 3 for 3!" (I cried when I read it. What a huge relief in my life, as a mother to know that your daughter finally can have all the life experiences "normal" kids have.) This picture on the left is after her first game. Pure joy! She even tried sliding into home. Softball is a big thing here and the fields are gorgeous. She had a fabulous coach and picked up the basics very nicely. She's excited to catch up with all that she's missed out on (her port was taken out the last week of January, which gave her the go ahead to PLAY!). She wants to continue softball in the spring but will take this fall to give soccer a try. She claims that she loves to run. A few times we have found her running laps in front of our house down the street. Her form leaves much to be desired but the desire in her heart is what matters. In early February she ran the 1mi fun run for Make a Wish. She had a blast and made her want to run even more.
Bill and I. We even got team shirts! After her first game she tried emailing Papa C. "Today was the best day of my life. I had my first softball game and I was 3 for 3!" (I cried when I read it. What a huge relief in my life, as a mother to know that your daughter finally can have all the life experiences "normal" kids have.) This picture on the left is after her first game. Pure joy! She even tried sliding into home. Softball is a big thing here and the fields are gorgeous. She had a fabulous coach and picked up the basics very nicely. She's excited to catch up with all that she's missed out on (her port was taken out the last week of January, which gave her the go ahead to PLAY!). She wants to continue softball in the spring but will take this fall to give soccer a try. She claims that she loves to run. A few times we have found her running laps in front of our house down the street. Her form leaves much to be desired but the desire in her heart is what matters. In early February she ran the 1mi fun run for Make a Wish. She had a blast and made her want to run even more.
I have been trying some new things of my own. In January I was given the opportunity to go with a girlfriend for a girls' weekend trip to St. George Utah. They were old friends who get together yearly and this year my friend graciously invited me to come along. I had a great time and even, at the last second, decided to run a 1/2 marathon. It was exhilarating to run past the 8mi marker. I have never run more that a 10k and the most I had run recently was 2 mi on Thanksgiving day! The rest of the mile markers were just as exciting as I kept telling myself, "I can't believe you're doing this!" I finished in 1:24, not fabulous but hey, I didn't even plan on running. My heart and lungs didn't have any problems, and besides my hips being sore the next day, I felt pretty proud. But in the pounding of the pavement, that I hadn't trained my body for, at some point I ended up tearing 2 tendons in my right foot. So a couple of months later after several relapses of pain I ended up in a walking boot for a few weeks and therapy for a month. BLAH! No fun.
I did finally certify to instruct group fitness classes at the YMCA. And due to some unfortunate circumstances of the bootcamp instructor I now have my own bootcamp class. It's a lot of fun but very challenging. I try to not repeat things which leads to long nights researching new/fun ideas. My class is growing in numbers and I'm starting to get the more fitness intense patrons which is a good boost for my confidence. I also have been subbing for spin classes and a body sculpt class. I really love the spin class but I'm finding my confidence in sculpt as well. Unfortunately I haven't been on my bike since last summer besides one 12 mi ride I did a few months ago. I still find it exhilarating to get on it and go, it's just another one of those things that I haven't made the time for.
I have also put my green thumb to the test. And while I am currently battling mushrooms, my garden is looking quite good. We planted, from seed: green beans, green onions, lettuce and carrots. All look like they're doing very well. We've harvested lettuce several times already and while the family doesn't care for the variety we planted, it is quite bitter, it still looks pretty. We even have beans! From starts we planted basil, cilantro, tomatoes and peppers. I killed 3 of 4 starts on the basil but was able to nurse the 4th back to health and it's doing well. The cilantro is a bit lack luster but we've been able to use it. The peppers and the tomatoes, well, there's always next year. We also got the back yard redone. Note to self: never again get a yard then a puppy. Always get the puppy first. It's looking good though. I was very proud of my "solo" successful plant of a honeysuckle to replace the semi-dead one. It is doing very well and starting to bloom.
Bill is doing great. He has been working out a ton and while he says he still doesn't like it I think secretly he does. I at least like seeing his confidence boosted. I'm not gonna lie, I also like his new physique! He had a long stint in Hawaii over Christmas. 2 weeks with Obama, and then 1 week in Rio de Janeiro in March, so needless to say, his tan is doing well. He's really enjoying his work and while he's not quite sure where he wants to go with it right now, he's doing well at keeping all options open. Hence, the working out several hours a day. He's made some great friends in the office and so for the past several months our date nights have been spent hanging out with work buddies and their wives. It's been a lot of fun getting to know such a great group of people.
