7 Weeks and Counting

Tomorrow is the 7-week anniversary of my broken ankle.  The time passed quickly because my dear friends showered me with visits, car rides, and invitations out to lunch.  I don't think I've missed a thing.  The ankle gets stronger every day because those bones are knitting themselves together while I sit and quilt, watch tv, or read.  Below are a few things I've learned during this recovery time.

I started making a list of things don't really matter - dusty furniture, unmade beds, yard full of leaves, staying in pajamas all day, shopping trips.  I got the idea from a book I read about a young mother diagnosed with breas cancer....  Truly there are hundreds of things that don't matter when you are fighting for your life.  

It took me just a few minutes to reconcile my bank account because I haven't used my debit or credit card since mid-September.  I must be saving a lot of money, just in gas alone.  

I can sit for an hour a day and really pray for people who come to my mind.  There's no reason to rush through the prayer time.  Every day I feel God's presence, especially when I'm tempted to have a little pity party.

I've been reading a book by Ann Voskamp titled, "One Thousand Gifts."  Her story helped me appreciate incredible moments during the past seven weeks including feeling the cool air coming in my bedroom window while I sleep, the fall colors, the antics of squirrels on power lines, bouquets of flowers, homemade soup, beautiful music, fleece blankets, FaceTime with Colin, phone calls and on and on.....

Everywhere I go someone tells me their story!  I've heard several broken ankle stories, lots of foot surgery recoveries, even a broken foot followed by a broken ankle.  I'm grateful because I see these people walking fine, getting around as if nothing had ever happened.

Today I prepared  my ankle for the visit to Dr. K on November 11th.  I felt like a pioneer hauling water for  a bath.  It took several containers of water and several trips to the basin to get enough water to soak my feet for my pedicure.  

The picture shows my ankle on October 8th

this is how it looks today, ready for the next XRay!

I finished quilting the 24 year project today!

The very last stitch!!!  

Just had to put it on my bed even though it still needs the binding sewn on it.  My sister, Marilyn, will take me to Joann Fabrics this weekend to purchase the fabric and next week I can make the bias and really finish the quilt.  My Mom will be proud if I finish it while recalling her untimely death on November 11th.  She never had projects go on that long.  I'm so not like her....

I'm celebrating the gift of my IPAD and Marilyn's IHOME keyboard that allows me to do a blog post.  Another one of my thousand gifts!!!!!