Updates On My Life + America's Birthday.

There is so much that has happened this summer. Of course, most of it has come from the accident. However, all of them are very good things!

I'll start with my healing process - today marks exactly 6 weeks since the accident. Has that much time really passed?! I guess that's a good thing, considering if time went by slowly, I would be in agony. I AM getting pretty restless, though. I just wanna walk again. I also want to go swimming, go fishing, any outdoor things that require both legs. But most of all, I simply want to be able to walk normally again. I started physical therapy for the first time yesterday, and it went pretty well. I have 4 exercises that I have to do multiple times a day. Which I am totally willing to do, because I just want to walk that badly!! I can already tell a difference in how much movement my foot can do. I'm hoping that it progresses quickly, and I can get "ahead of schedule"! I can now take the boot off when I'm just sitting at home, but I still have to have it on when I go out of the house, just to protect it for right now. I know it's all a process, and I should be progressing a little bit at a time, but I'm so impatient! Hehe! Tomorrow I go back to the orthopedist, and depending on how everything looks from the x-ray, he may let me start putting 25% of my weight on my left foot. Wouldn't that be amazing?! I'm crossing my fingers and praying that it will happen. I wonder how I will progress by the time Robbie and Ariel's wedding rolls around . . . I know I will have had at least 4 out of at least 6 weeks of physical therapy, so maybe I'll be walking almost normally by then . . . Just some ponderings. 

I have been getting out of the house a LOT more since having the boot on, half of the reason being because I can bend my knee. The other half of it is because it's so dang tough! I'm surprised I haven't done anymore damage to myself, but it comforts me a lot that even though I've had some close calls with my foot/leg in it, nothing has happened to it. *sigh of relief* I always try my best to be as careful as possible, but if you know me . . . I'm a bit of a klutz. :) I haven't been driving myself around, mainly it's been my mom, Lindsey, or Matt. Mom mainly takes me to doctor's appointments and church, and Lindsey takes me other places if she and her friend Allissa are doing anything. (They're really awesome about letting me tag along with them sometimes, even if I lag behind . . . Allissa has affectionately started calling me "Crip" ;) Hehe) But I've mainly spent most of my free time with Matt. 

That's a whole other thing to talk about - I won't go into a whole lot of detail, but we've hung out a lot throughout this whole healing process. I've known him and have been really good friends with him for about two years now, but spending so much time with him this summer, I've gotten to know him so much more. He has been a true friend to me for so long, more of a friend than a lot of others have been to me, and I've come to figure this out as time as progressed. Long story short, he took me out on a few dates once I was able to get out of the house, and eventually, he asked me to be his girlfriend. I said yes. :) So I'm taken! I am so incredibly happy . . . I never would have thought this would happen. I look back and see so many pieces of evidence of this eventually happening, but I am not the sharpest crayon in the box. ;) We give ALL the glory to God for this relationship, because there was probably no way this could've happened without Him. Actually, I know for a fact that it wouldn't have happened without His hand in it. I don't even know if I would be in a relationship with him had it not been for the accident - I would still be working at McAlister's part time and taking 7 hours of college credit at NWACC with almost no time to spend with any friends, including him . . . All I can do is shake my head. God is so funny, yet He is SO good! It's really awesome to see His providence and His guidance throughout the whole thing. 

VBS for Fellowship Bible Church in Springdale is next week! I am helping out with it this year, mainly through teaching the songs to all the kids. I am getting really excited about it! It's miner themed, with songs such as "Rock of Ages," "The Bible Is A Gold Mine," and "Ridin' Our Ponies." Funny theme, but it fits and it's going to be a load of fun!

I'm still taking my one online class for NWACC (World/Western Civ II); it's going great! I love it, and it's keeping my mind engaged in learning even throughout the summer. 

And today is Independence Day! Really exciting stuff. I've seen two fireworks shows in the past few days . . . If I had to pick a favorite holiday, it is Christmas, hands down. BUT, the 4th of July is definitely a close second favorite. Fireworks, food, family, and freedom . . . the four F's for the fourth. (Isn't that clever? haha) Even though our government is not perfect and neither are its leaders, I still take pride in the fact that I am a FREE American citizen, and I should thank God for it every day, not just today. 

To end this post, I only have one thing to say: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, 'MERCUH!