Hi Friends! It’s Friday! And not a moment too soon!

Something about the weekend just gives such a positive vibe, doesn’t it? It is “our time” to simply enjoy life! Goodness gracious it never gets old!

First of all, before I forget, this is your Daylight Savings Reminder to set the clocks forward an hour this Sunday at 2am. Time stands still for no man, and this weekend it’s off like a jack rabbit!

A huge thank you to my husband this week for help with the pictures! Those are going to be a bit different for awhile, a new adventure! And I really appreciate his help!

And it’s the March 2019 Sizzlers Challenge! As the weather gets warmer, it’s time to get out there and get some fresh air and exercise! And if you want some motivation, come join us!

We are a Facebook Group of women who meet to encourage each other to have intentional exercise in our lives. It’s all positive encouragement all the time! Ladies hop on and share what exercise they did whether it was running or biking or walking or house cleaning or gardening… whatever you did to get moving is A OK in our book!

We sure would love to have you join us! If you would like to check it out, Click Here: Sizzlers Challenge

And below are the weekend sales if you want to get out and see what Spring Fashion has sprung!

American Eagle – 25%-50% off jeans, shorts and tees, through Monday

Ann Taylor – the “Friends of Ann Event” 40% off every single thing! Use code FRIENDS40;

Anthropologie – 20% off Springtime Table! Cute stuff!

Banana Republic – 40% off regular priced items, code BRFRIEND

Chicos – 40% off your purchase! Use code 58835

DSW – Free Backpack in one of 2 colors with a $49 purchase, for gray use online code GRAYPACK  for green use online code GREENPACK

Evereve – Everything is on sale!! Woohoo! March 6-10

Forever 21 – Buy more, save more! $5 off your purchase of $50 – use code GIMME5 $15 off your purchase of $75 – use code GIMME15 ; $25 off your purchase of $100+ use code GIMME25

Gap – Up to 50% off thousands of styles. Online add another 20% off use code HOORAY

Gap Factory – Up to 70% off everything!  Plus an extra 20% off, use code QUICKLY

JC Penney –  Extra 25% off $100 or more, or extra 20% off for orders less than $100.  Use code GETMORE9

JCrew – 30% off full price styles, use code SUNNY ; extra 30% off sale styles

JCrew Factory – Extra 20% off $100 or more, use code 20MORE

JJill –  30% off entire purchase, use code MARCH19

Kohls – extra 20% off, use code YOUGET20, plus $10 Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent 

Loft – 40% off your purchase, use code NEWNOW

Lord & Taylor – Up to 40% off Storewide! Use code MARCH 

Luckybrand – 40% off all sale! And I did a sneak peak at their graphic tees, some really cute ones!

Macy’s – Extra 20% off, use code SHOP, extra $10 off purchase of $25 or more, use code SHOP25

Nine West -Buy 3 get 40% off, Buy 2 get 30% off,  Buy 1 get 20% off

Old Navy – 30% off your order, no code needed!

Pier 1  – Easter Dining Event! 25% off Dining Furniture and tabletop!

REI – extra 25% off select clearance styles

Talbots – Biggest Pants Event of the Season! $20 off one pair, $50 off 2 pairs!

Target – Up to 25% off Home items. Get an extra 15% off furniture, rugs and lighting when you use code MARCH.

White House Black Market – 40% off sale styles

So this week I thought I would share a little of my new world with you! If you recall 2 weeks ago, I shared about my first big break! I slipped on the ice about 2 weeks ago, and goodness gracious it was a doozy! I was going out to the car to warm it up for work (I work at a wonderful church, NorthRidge Church with the kids ministry). Well when I went down, I knew it was a bad one. Fortunately, my son Jake was outside warming up his car at the same time. He rescued me. He hoisted me up under my arms and gently helped me to the car and took me to the urgent care. There they told me I needed to go to the main hospital. By then my husband joined me and our journey moved on. At the ER, they took x-rays and confirmed it was a pretty bad break to the ankle on 3 sides. And an additional break up higher. When they gave me some pain meds I was struggling with my blood pressure dropping so they had me spend the night (I was so glad I got to spend the night!) Almost everyone we encountered was so kind to us! And I just kept thanking them for every little kindness, it meant so much to me!

Below I had just gotten home from the hospital the day after I fell, and flowers arrived from the Forever Fierce Revolution, a Facebook group that provides a beautiful community for women in midlife. I kid you not, every day either the leader, Catherine Grace O’Connell or one of the other incredible women in this group with message me and ask, “how are you feeling today?”   Next to me is my doggy Kasey. She has been so faithful through this whole thing!

Next I needed to see the surgeon for his plan of action. A kind person loaned us a wheelchair (thank you so much!) and here you see me after the strategy meeting with the surgeon.

On a fashion note,  those are “scrubs” pants from a uniform store. My sister went out and bought me some because she knew that cast would not fit into my “skinny jeans”. (I don’t always fit in my skinny jeans even without the cast, hah!) Well we had the surgery scheduled for a few days later to allow a little more of the swelling to go down. The day of the surgery came, and I had eyes as big as saucers! This was my first surgery! And I’m 57. So I was trying so hard to do everything right, and yes a bit nervous.

But the preop team was so good and kind. They explained I was getting a general anesthesia, and they also would put a “nerve block” in to cover below the knee and that would last 18-24 hours. You won’t believe it, but just before they began, one of the ER doctors from the week before came by my bed to say hello and encourage me! I knew his face immediately! He was the guy who had to “reset” my leg in the ER! I can’t tell you what that meant to me!

And on the process went. They put a mark on the leg I was suppose to have the surgery on with something like a big sharpie. An IV was in, and something to help me relax came. A few brief moments with my husband, and I was already very sleepy. And I don’t remember even seeing the surgical suite or being wheeled away. None of it. I just remember opening my eyes though feeling so completely exhausted and there sat my husband Troy, my son Jake and my sister Stacey. Oh my word! I cannot tell you what that meant to me! It brings tears to my eyes now just remembering those three faces being the first thing I saw when my eyes opened!

So they kept waking me up (I kept wanting to fall back asleep) and they got me on my way (yes I went home the same day). And I was pretty out of it. The next day, my sister Stacey came and stayed the whole day with me. She is an RN and so sweet. She made sure I had my leg elevated, made sure I took pain meds and brought me food and took such good care of me!

The next step comes this week with another visit to the surgeon and his strategy going forward. Most likely it will mean roughly 8 weeks in the cast with no weight bearing. And then maybe a boot after that. But whatever it is, we will deal with it when we get to it.

My husband made a makeshift bedroom for me on the main floor. That meant I only had to get up and down one stair into the family room, rather than 10 or so upstairs to the bedrooms. Goodness that was so appreciated! Here below you see me reading a get well card someone sent me. I received some beautiful cards from people. Each one brought a smile to my face and “encouragement”.

A dear friend of ours, Dan Moore had a delicious basket of cookies sent, each cookie looked like a bare foot with a goofy silly face on it, and the message “Get back on your feet”. How could you not get a smile out of that?

My husband’s brother Tom and his wife Lisa sent some amazing chocolates! You see there are a few vacancies in the box. It was for medicinal purposes!

These come from a very special chocolate store in Texas, Maggie Louise Confections and my oh my they design the most intricate beautiful chocolates with just about any theme you could imagine!

I can testify they are delicious! Tom’s wife Lisa text me right away when she heard about my accident with a few pointers for me. She had just recently had some hip surgery and I really appreciated her insight. She suggested I get a “grabber”. It is a device that has a handle on one end you squeeze, and on the other end will “grab” whatever you reach for.

Imagine how handy this is if you are stuck in bed with your foot elevated all day. Now when I drop my purse or anything, I can use my grabber!

She also recommended I get a pouch device to put on the front of my walker… boy was that a smart purchase! I put my glasses and cell phone in there all the time. And sometimes a snack or book or whatever I need when I move from location to location.

I also ordered these purple foam hand grips which makes the handles so much more comfortable. This may have been the most important extra purchase of all! Because I have to hop and support all my weight through my hands on the walker. My palms were bruising before I had the spongy hand grips! I am one happy traveler now!

I received so many nice messages on the computer or texts or calls. I got lovely flowers from church (thank you so much, Tracy, my boss who made me feel that her first concern was my recuperation.)  Beautiful flowers from my sister in law Michelle. Neighbors and friends sent meals, (thank you Crystal and Lynn) oh what a nice thing to receive! My brother Kevin came by a few times now to check up on me, my cousin Beth was simply passing through the state on her way home and she dropped in to simply give me a hug and encourage me. And Aunt Linda and Uncle Al sent me beautiful cards that my Aunt made herself, how precious is that!

My online exercise group, the Sizzlers, have been priceless! They make me feel like my little efforts with the Physical Therapist are on a par with a triathlon!

And my hairdresser came by and did my hair in the kitchen sink for me! Twice now! Oh my stars! That just boosted my spirits so much! Kathie has been my hairdresser and friend for so many years. Thank you, Kathie and the team from Tacari in Downtown Plymouth who have just shown me such kindness!

And this really surprised me. This bouquet of flowers was sent to me by Stitch Fix. Stitch Fix is an online styling service that sends you fashion items you can try and you only pay for what you keep. I’ve been a monthly subscriber for years. I sent them a note and asked them to hold the next few months because of my accident. And they acknowledged me right away to assure me no problem. And then the next thing I know, they sent these beautiful flowers just to cheer me up! That is a retail company reaching across to encourage me… just one of among thousands of their customers!

Now you have seen me smiling in all these pictures, but there have been some tough moments too. Sometimes life catches us by surprise, doesn’t it?  I know that every single person out there has had something catch them that way. Maybe yours is a diagnosis for yourself or someone you love. It could be a financial or job related thing. Maybe a door closed, maybe it’s a relationship. Or a move. Or a hurt so bad you don’t know how you will get through the next 5 minutes. Sometimes it can just take your breath away. My husband has been so kind, he just never lets me feel like a burden. And he keeps telling me that we are going to beat this thing. Whatever tomorrow brings. We are going to beat it.

Do you know what happens when you hear that? You believe it!

My faith is very important to me and it gets me through some tough times. And I know that I never go through any of it alone. And the one who formed me loves me even more than my mind can fathom! And He loves you too! We have nothing to fear when we remember that His love is real and we can trust Him completely.

All of these dear people who just give a smile or a helping hand or a call or a text- they are like angels with skin on. They are here to be louder than any doubts or fears in your head. Like lights on the path. We are not alone. We are loved beyond all human comprehension. And we are going to beat this thing whatever it brings! So I stand up, admittedly a little wobbly and hang on to my walker and as I take a step forward, I smile and think, “Ok, We Are going to beat this thing!”

I hope you have a weekend that is simply wonderful! And thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a source of encouragement to me. And be careful, don’t slip on anything!

Love Always,

Amy

We are overcomers. We are more than conquerors. We are stronger than we know, and braver than we feel.   ~Holley Gerth