Our Adoption Journey: March 2015

Oh look at that, it's been 5 months since our last post. The new year has come and gone, Bailey's THREE, and spring is right around the corner.

A few days after Bailey's birthday, I broke my ankle playing rec-league soccer...the same day I decided to brag to Jenny that we had made it through January without meeting our health insurance deductible. The break required surgery and I've been on one leg for the last month. I'm now second-guessing why I decided to take up a new sport at 33, one as grueling as soccer. But I loved it! Up until my legs got swept out from under me, flipping me into the air, landing on my foot bent the wrong way. And so my soccer career ends as quickly as it began...

This is my first major foot or leg injury and honestly, it's made me feel old. I've gone from running around with reckless abandon to counting down the days until I can just walk again. The damage could take the better part of the year to heal, so I don't know when I'll be able to resume playing sports.

This injury has had its way with me. After the surgery, pain meds were my new companion. Those thinks are blessing and a curse. Numb my pain, sure. Screw with my psyche, you bet. I'm so thankful to have Jenny pushing me to recovery, to take care of me, but to also not feel sorry for myself. When you go from being really active to not being able to walk, it's easy to wallow in self-pity or slip into some level of depression. I'm lucky to have the family and friends around me to support and encourage me. I'm praying for patience as I take baby steps toward recovery.

One of the most difficult aspects to my current reality is how it has changed how I can (or can't) interact with Bailey. I can't pick her up, I can't dance with her, even sitting on the ground takes work. I can't run to her when she gets hurt. I hate telling her I can't do something and that is now my answer more often then it ever should be. I can't wait until this reality is behind us.

What's been precious has been Bailey's concern for me and her desire to help make me all better. She helps my put my walking boot on and take it off. One day with my foot elevated, she came up and gently kissed it. It was so precious.

Last weekend, I had Bailey to myself for the weekend while Jenny was away at an adoptive mom's retreat. I wasn't sure how well it would go, me being one-legged and all. Bailey was so good for me and we were able to have a lot of fun together! That kind of prolonged time together, while exhausting, was a nice change of pace from the brief time I usually get after work each day. We had so much fun laughing, playing, singing, reading, cooking, cleaning, eating, and so on. Not to brag too much, but our little girl is so smart, so funny, and generally so well-behaved. I love her little personality and her little spirit.