One Year Ago

I had to make a post today to celebrate my one year anniversary of my surgery. This surgery was a miracle in my life and I think even more life changing than the car accident that caused the damage in the first place. Not only did it give me back everything I'd lost for the 3 years between the accident and the surgery, but it gave me an unbelievable appreciation for the gift of my body and what it can do. I would go through the 3 months of recovery many times over for the benefits I got from the surgery. Within 6 weeks of the surgery I was off all pain meds and hurting less than I had before the surgery. It has only gotten better from there. I mean, I'm a gym junkie now!
But one year ago today I think was just now waking up in recovery and begging to be allowed to roll off of my back. After a 6-8 hour long surgery where they sliced through my muscles, removed a vertebra and replaced it with a titanium cage.

Here is video footage of my car following the car accident:

Here are my before and after pictures: (read the original Before and After post for more):

before 12/10

after 7/11

Beach Baby

We spent another week at the beach last month. It was wonderful! Not only were we at the beach, but Megan and Julie's families joined us! The only sad part was that we didn't have Nick with us. I realized this is the first time Daniel and I had been to a US beach without him.

We went to Oak Island, NC which I think will become our usual place.

Julie's sons Jackson and Joey were so great playing with Keely at the beach. Some how we didn't end up with a picture of Joey playing with Keely. He was very patient digging with her and even helped her swim quite a bit, letting her lay on the boogie board and swimming her around.


Keely still has Aunt Megan wrapped around her finger. I slept in one morning and as I was coming out of the room I heard Megan reading to Keely and telling her to be patient waiting for me. I hid and listened to the sweetness then came around the corner to see this:

And Keely convinced Megan to play some "shake shake" (Just Dance) with her again!

Overall Keely LOVED the beach. Her swim lessons have given her a lot of confidence in the water, but not to the point where she was running into the water and scaring us to death. A pretty perfect medium. Just a few pictures to show you a picture of her joy.

Pensive Keely

Megan is right next to her, promise!

Dancing on the beach.

On Thursday of the week Megan, Tim, Daniel, Keely and I all went to Medieval Times. Tim and I had been there before, but no one else had. Keely was so good and patient! I tried very hard to convince her she needed something girly from the gift shops like a crown, but she had her heart set on a sword...