"See you around!", he said with a wink

As this blog loses it's purpose, I am happy.
Because the only way this blog loses it's purpose is for Kathy to heal her way out of it.

I'm glad she isn't afraid of hard work.
Kathy still has a lot ahead of her, but it's good.
I see the "take no prisoners" instinct coming back... with a smile!
(I was never worried).
I don't know who said it first, but it is so true;
The reason why worry kills more people than hard work,
is that more people worry than work hard.

I'm also not worried about the future.
Just the opposite, I'm excited about the future.
When things are great, it's easy to be content and happy,
but when things are rough, that's when you have a chance to shine.
When not everyone around you is shining.
If you can shine when it seems you have no reason.
If people are puzzled at your smile through all of this...

I don't know how much longer I'll write.
When Kathy comments that she thinks these posts have been good for me.
The purpose has become muddled.
When writing about Kathy from my point of view, becomes writing to write, for whatever reason.
The focus of this was always Kathy.
Without her accident, I would've continued to write her more cards and texts.

For those who check in occasionally to see how Kathy is doing, it's okay.
If you don't see us out and about, at the local club, dancing, snowboarding, climbing mountains,
over the top of the fence as we jump on the trampoline into the pool,
just know that somewhere out there, beyond these words that stopped,
there is one thing you can count on, without even seeing it;
Kathy is flying still!

nearing the end

I can tell by the sound of her voice as soon as we begin to talk.
I can tell when she is in pain.
It's as it should be.
The knowing I mean, not the pain.

It's starting to feel like I'm dragging this out.
It's unintentional, I assure you.
It is a reflection of the real life we live.
Sugar-coating it will give a false impression.
So will refusing to acknowledge improvement.

We had a great night out on St. Patrick's day.
Kathy wore shoes on both of her feet for the first time.
Danced for the first time since the accident...
And paid the price.

As impressive as it was to everyone who saw Kathy out,
(and it was impressive)
by the time we drove home, Kathy could barely make it into the house.

Still, It is almost like I could write an instruction for you to reference previous posts and save time for us all.

Kathy is getting better.
Long way to go still.

For the next few months, rewind and reread those two sentences daily.

the past drip, drip, drips into our future

The past has a way of intruding.

Whether it is bad decisions that come back to haunt, poor preparation (read the story of the grasshopper and the ant), youthful indiscretions, regrets that roost out of reach and forever crow the story to all who listen, or simply an accident, the results of which never,  N  E  V  E  R   go away completely.

Kathy and I both lay claim to our pasts. It's one of the many things I like about her. Good or bad, she owns it without pretence. I freely admit to having some regrets, but they are most likely not the moments in my past you are thinking of.

I like who I am.
I like who Kathy is, a lot.

Do I think Kathy would choose the right decisions in my life, that I would change if I could?
Probably a couple, the ones I have shared.
Could I choose hers?

How much different would we be if we always made the right decisions?
Would we even recognize ourselves?

What put this thought in my mind, is seeing how Kathy is rebounding so well.
Truly inspiring.
I already adored her, then she went and earned my admiration as well.
I admire her strength and resolve and... she's a girl!   A GIRL!?!
(I'm just being honest here).

A moment in time on a motorcycle, becomes the catalyst that perculates into the rest of our lives. Changing the course as sure as a train switch changes the direction of the tracks.

I know people who would let this be;
THE defining moment that excuses so much living left to do.

That's where I gained my admiration for Kathy.
She didn't, and doesn't, see her shattered legs as the new direction of her life.
I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the motorcycle crash is not Kathy's biggest regret in life.
(although I can't tell you of any bad decisions with a bigger impact)
Mostly because, in the long run, it isn't going to change her life all that much.

Kathy's injuries will fade, but not go completely away.
I hope eventually, they are barely more than a nuisance, like the sink that leaks in the other room even after the washers are changed. An occasional drip that becomes easier to ignore as more important things in life grab her attention.

You'll have to find out where we're having fun at, cuz no one is staying home feeling sorry for themselves around here! (easy for me to say, huh?)

Seriously, there is too much to do to be worried about a drip.

time for thought

It's storming outside.
I should be doing work proposals.
It's 2:23 A.M.
Everyone in the house is sleeping.
I should be sleeping.

Kathy printed off all the posts in this blog sight and put the pages in a folder.
It makes me feel like she thinks I may be almost done with this.
That makes me want to write more.
Not like the way you kiss someone more when they are leaving,
no, because honestly, as Kathy gets better, I am not as driven to tell what is happening.

Right now, I hear rain outside.
There was a time recently, when the rain was inside this house.
It seemed like the sun may never shine again.
It's nice to know the comfort killing cold darkness is again beyond these walls.
It is warm and quiet here.

I am still aware of the need to be careful.
Still, now I pick Kathy up and carry her without worrying that I will hurt her.
I do it even when she is trying to walk on her own.
I think I'll miss carrying her everywhere.

No one ever talks about how good things are.
It's much more interesting to complain.
Being in the storm demands action.
When the storm is gone, all you can do is relax and enjoy it.
Now that I think of it, THAT'S a great idea!

one today is worth two tomorrows

I'm not sure if anyone reads this anymore.

Due partly to the lack of regular updates, and partly due to a natural need to move on once you are over the intense initial shock of an unexpected horrible occurance.
I see, what? Like 45 or so followers?
I think it's just people who signed up when Kathy was in the Land-of-not-knowing
(if she was going to "make it" or not).
Well, if you haven't been reading the few posts I've managed lately, or seen with your own eyes in person, Kathy "made it"!
Her big coming out event was at the silent auction for Madrone Trail Charter School.
It was kind of unintentional, as we left the house without her crutches
(that's right, if you haven't read this in awhile, she's been crutching it!)
Kathy has also been stepping more and more on that left leg of hers
(I grit my teeth everytime she does, for her, imagining how it must feel).
Like she has cankles, she says, but looking down at her calf & ankle, it looks as normal as can be expected.
Like her foot & lower leg is asleep, with a bunch of layers on, making it so you can tell something is going on down there, just not what exactly.
Like the constant dull ache of a toothache in your foot, knee & leg, with unexpected sharp pains to remind you to say your prayers.
Still, things are getting better.
Way better than I could've hoped for this soon.
Cutting the tendons below her toes on her left foot has helped a lot!
It's a bit strange to think that, while my toes are for sprinting up hills, Kathy's toes are only for looking cute.
No more getting stuck in the deep rut.
The lows are more like dips on our way to better times.
(why do I feel the need to knock on wood right now?)
Seriously, I wouldn't trade these days away.
Being with her, as Kathy's smile becomes a regular part of our lives again...

This is getting long.
I thought, if anyone still reads this they may be wondering how Kathy is doing...

Kathy is doing great!
If she herself ever starts to wonder, I tell her the same thing.
As always, Kathy is exceptional by any measure!

I am not a runner anymore

Not like that.
Not like I was.
None of us are, not really.

I know this post is about Kathy, but it feels odd to write about someone else,
so I usually put a "from Ted perspective" on it.

Two years ago I stopped coaching wrestling. Not because I didn't love to coach (I did, and still do), but because I started my own business, got married, moved into a new home, and melted my family into one. I didn't have the time.
I also stopped running.
Even when I was busy before, in addition to all the running we would do in practices (yes, I run when the kids run - what kind of a coach do you think I am?), I would run late at night.
Believe it or not, I liked it enough to enter local races (Crater Lake, Pear Blossom, etc).
If you run, or have run regularly, you know how great you feel during and after a good run.
Soon after starting it, I found that having a business takes up ALL your daylight hours and a lot of your nighttime ones as well. The conditioning I worked so hard to keep, but also took for granted because I always had it, is gone.

Fast forward to now.

We are coming up on four months since the accident.
Obviously, Kathy has not run since then.
For the first time since her accident, I went for a run by myself.
I've been on a few little ones with my son to help him lose weight for his wrestling weigh ins the next day. This one wasn't much longer than those, but felt different.
It's not the rubbery legs or difficulty getting into a rhythm, so I could catch my second wind, that was so shocking, it was how guilt crept in during the run.
I had no one to talk to, so I thought my thoughts.

I have never felt guilty for working out in my life!
I left Kathy sleeping and went for a run. No big deal, right?
As I ran, I'm thinking of ways she can go with me.
If Kathy's legs allow for her to ride a bike (she wouldn't laugh if I wrote "with training wheels" here).
She is way too competitive to let herself get sloppy.
She is way too proud to let me push her in a chair like she is incapable.
We have a pool. Swimming is a great way to work out!
There are lots of ways to get and stay in shape!

Kathy says she will never climb Mt. McLaughlin again (a semi- annual event for me and my boys).
I think she will.

The most recent setback is; the tendons below her toes have no counter force tendons on top to prevent Kathy's toes from curling under into claws. She will have to have the tendons cut to relieve her toe strain before permanent damage to the joints occurs (if it hasn't already). This will also make it so she can never push down with her toes again.
Running is definitely out of the question.

Still, she has made amazing recovery so far.
I can't imagine Kathy being left out of anything fun that we do.
As long as we can keep her on board to live life big (like she has always done!), she can still do it all with us.
I wouldn't count her out for anything she sets her mind to.

I know Kathy may never run again,
but every time I look at her she can still run away with my heart.

and all over the children dance!!!

Ever have one of those moments where you pinch yourself to make sure that what you are seeing is real?

I haven't actually yet seen children dancing everywhere, but I did see Kathy walk a few steps!

I don't know if you heard me right.

I said, "I did see Kathy walk a few steps!"

She isn't supposed to be putting more than 70 pounds weight on her left leg yet, so my next reaction (after excitement) was to chastise her for pushing too hard too fast.
The result of rushing the healing process is more sleepless nights, but while her leg screams in protest, once again I am impressed with Kathy's determination.
The big toe on her left foot is trying to pull into a claw.
That makes it hard to go through the motions of walking because the tip of her toe presses into the floor and hurts.
The next step to help her next step is to surgically cut the tendon that is pulling down on her toe.
This is necessary because the tendon that countered the contraction was removed with the muscle loss in the front of Kathy's calf.
Still, with the cut relaxing her toe, Kathy should be able to walk fairly normally.

It's just a few steps now.

Kathy will push it into more than she should.

When a few steps become many, the dancing will begin!

Like a wilted plant watered

Sometimes I get caught up writing what I think, instead of writing how Kathy is doing.

She is doing great!

If you ask her on a bad day, in a bad moment, she may say otherwise, but truly, Kathy is way ahead of where I thought she'd be by now!
I don't know who said it, but I like the saying, "The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide".
Looking back on it, the lowest point will seem to be not as bad as it was.
Looking back, we already have to look down to see that point.
If you haven't seen Kathy in a while you will be surprised at how well she is doing.

We went out Saturday night.
Crashed a church service and grabbed a bite at Porters.
Stopped in and said Hi to our west coast swing friends and called it a night before watching some local bands (didn't want to press our luck, besides Kathy was feeling a little puny. See last blog.).

Kathy's leg is getting stronger. She uses crutches alot more than the wheel chair. I have a feeling that just down the road you will see Kathy out again, exercising her foot/leg, showing everybody that, despite the pain and frustration, she is as amazing as ever!

the day after Saturday night

I had the day we all think we want.
I stayed home and did nothing... with Kathy.
She's been ick lately with that sick that's been going around.
The only times I got up were to fix food for us or make room for more.
It wasn't eventful or productive or noteworthy in any way.
I had things that needed done, still have things that need doing, and did none of them.
My conscience didn't bother me.
I played video games, rubbed Kathy's head, watched movies, listened to Kathy sleep, ignored my phone...
I thought about watering the plants, pondered the complexities of so many channel choices, considered vacuuming, looked out the window at what was turning into a really nice day...
Somewhere around five-thirty I realized the day had gone and night was approaching.

It was the laziest day of my entire life.

I wasn't depressed.
I just felt like hanging with Kathy.
I did it like the Quaker Oats Man always said to; "Do it, because it's the right thing to do.".
It was right, and I did it.
By the end of the day, long after any chance of saving it remained, it sank in.

I chose this day, to be with Kathy, but Kathy, for months now, hasn't had a choice.
When I am ready to get something done I just get up and do it.
On the other hand, instead of giving in to frustration, Kathy is relearning the ways to get things done and doing it!
When something first happens we are inspired, at first we work too much, then later on we don't work enough.
In the days before and for the days following that wonderfully lazy day, Kathy is working hard to get it back!
I know that day was only because she was sick, and I'd rather have her feeling better, even if it meant doing a long list of things, but if I had to have a laziest day ever, that was a good one to have!

Because we've got it!

Wowsa!
(that's like wow, only better!)
I don't think I've ever said "Wowsa!" before.
I'm sure there are other times where I THOUGHT it.
Like the first time I saw Kathy!
That time though, it sounded in my head more like, "WowsabrakecheckOMGwouldsucouldsuStopthepressesWhoooo!".
Similar, but not quite the same.
If I tried to say it, it definitely would've came out sounding very unintelligible.
Which is why I can't remember exactly what I said that night.
I was speechless.
I think I was more worried about saying something stupid than trying to look cool.
Kathy had other guys chasing her at the time (no surprise there), so there was NO WAY I was going to kill my first impression by saying something like "Wowsa!".

Today though, is different.
I have married my dream, the other guys chasing her then have since gone on to settle for less (sorry guys, somebody has to win), and we have a solid love that keeps getting stronger.

Which is why I feel comfortable saying "Wowsa!".
Valentines Day was completely unexpected!
No, I did not forget, I mean, Kathy had an evening planned that totally changed MY evening plans for us.
It had everything you can imagine! Intimate dinner, romantic cards and gifts, flowers, candlelight bubble bath, sweet words and so much more.
We even had some hilarious texts that had us cracking up!
It was totally over the top!
You know that feeling you get when you love somebody and everything is perfect?
You either have it or you don't. You can't fake it.
We've got it!
THAT is why I say "Wowsa!"

Thanks for asking!

I have had more people mention my lack of blogging lately than I can count.

I exaggerate. In the last two weeks it's only been six... or seven.

Kathy is getting spunky again.
Has an adorable sense of humor again.
Is looking forward to going out again.
Is absolutely gorgeous as always.
If you haven't checked in lately you are missing out on an incredible comeback!

The best part is...
As Kathy's healing progresses, things will only keep getting better!

If I'm not being clear, aside from Kathy knowing all the songs to all the commercials on TV, I couldn't anticipate things being this good this soon after such a horrible injury.

I'll be better about blogging.
Talk at you again soon!

the hiatus is over!

Oh stop! You knew she would be back!

I'm just here to tell you about it.

Kathy has been putting the work in and it shows.

A letdown, shortly after the incredible benefit, was to be expected I suppose, but the bottom was short lived and not nearly as deep as it could have been.
In fact, it feels a little unnecessary to even mention it, except that (other than a large handful of Kathy's close friends) most who read this don't know what has been going on or why no updates have been posted in awhile.
If things are really good or really bad I tend to not write as much.

We went from a really great night at Rosco's, to a really bad time of Kathy not being able to see past the moment in front of her, to a really great rebound that I'm about to tell you about.

The pain has always been pretty predictable.
The helplessness and frustration of waiting for Kathy's left leg to heal enough to start working with it was the part that breaks down willpower.

Guess what?
It's over!
Well, not completely, but tomorrow is getting closer to being today.

Kathy has been given the okay to put 50 pounds of weight on her left leg.
That means she can use a walker to go through the motions!
I can't even imagine how great it must feel to "walk" for the first time in almost four months!
The leg still hurts, but what a relief for the hips and body.
It's pretty cute to see her jamming around the house all smiles!
What a difference for all of us!
Still a long way to go,
but it is So Beautiful to watch her get her glow back!

just because you can't see the finish line...

...it doesn't mean it's not there.

Kathy has been getting better at using crutches.
Her right ankle still needs ligament repair, so she wears a brace to keep from twisting it and undoing what has mended.
She is spending more time in the office at home, in her wheel chair, on the computer.
Kathy needs butt rubs, from sitting so much (I'm smiling right now).
Kathy's mobility allows her to see all the little stuff that nobody else notices until it's left undone for a long time.
She sees it before people come over and see it.
It's okay though.
It's more "normal" (I am also looking forward to more "normal" work hours).
Having the time again and having the ability again to do things together again and we can be a more "normal" family again.
I know my eternal optimism drives Kathy crazy, but I can envision what the finish line looks like, even though we can't see it.
I would've quit, back when I used to run races, if I couldn't imagine crossing that line and being done!
It felt so good and was so worth it (even if it was only worth it because it meant pushing myself so hard was over,.. for now).
Not to belittle what Kathy is going through, because it is far worse than anything I've experienced.
More often than not, the anticipation of the IDEA of the journey is more difficult than the journey itself.
It can paralyze action.
I am proud of Kathy for not letting that happen.
There is a lot to admire about the way Kathy is tackling her recovery.
It really helps knowing that there IS a finish line.

passion is the giant magnet

The same passion that attracts me to Kathy, also can turn against her.
Bottomless lows versus ultimate highs.
The extremes pull me toward her.
The highs won't ignored.
They demand to be shared.
The lows have demands also.
They demand to be replaced by the highs.

Kathy's life couldn't be made into a movie.
No one would believe it.
No one has this good of luck, or this bad.

If we lived lives without mirrors I could revel in the peaks and canyons with her.
It's when I catch a glimpse of myself, a glimpse of Kathy, living in the uncertiantude, that I wonder how she'll get back from jumping around like a monkey.

Just seeing if you're paying attention.

Kathy hasn't been jumping around like a monkey for awhile now.

My mom always told me that you can't experience the highest highs without experiencing the lowest lows.
I repeated that saying to my boys growing up, but never really grasped it in a real sense, as more than a warning.

Until now.

I crawl down through the muck until I am at Kathy's side and pull her upwards to a place where I am more comfortable seeing her.
A place where the sun shines bright and dries tears.

Icarus flew too high and fell to the earth, but what if he had someone to catch him, so he could try again and again?

My passion is catch Kathy's passion and to feed it until she is able to fly again.

When she flies, I fly.

Distracted for an instant

That's all it took for everything to change.

The last distraction that had this big of an impact was the night of June 12th two years ago.
I was going through life as most any other dude was,
hanging with my bro's (no, I don't really talk like that), coaching sports, working out, working, raising my boys and generally taking life one day at a time.

It wasn't like I was distracted by something in my peripheral vision,
this was in my face, impossible to ignore.
A girl.
Not just any girl.
The cutest cow girl I ever saw!
Little did I know at the time that Kathy was only masquerading as a cow girl
(doing a better job at it than the formerly cutest cow girl could ever hope to).
Since that first meeting I have seen her beautiful incarnations as a hippy love child,
sporty adventurer, hot rock & roll chick, intelligent professional, fearless exhibitionist, fragile Angel, intense competitor, sophisticated classy lady and so much more.
I see Kathy's ability to meet new friends and create a comfort zone for total strangers in minutes.

I'd like to say I saw this possibilty in the instant I was distracted by her, but I didn't.
I just saw bright blue eyes, a fantastic smile and I won't lie, a super sexy Candy Apple Butt
(same as every other dude that saw her).

Distracted for an instant.
It was enough for me!
Still is!
All the other stuff I mentioned above is just a bonus.
Instant distractions usually end up becoming commonplace.
This is an instant of distraction that has never ended.

when you are a super hero

When you are like I am,
used to solving any problems that come your way,
what do you do to keep your edge when things get too easy?
You can add tasks until your ability is stretched thin.
Things like starting a business or getting married.
Being Dad, teaching my boys how to be super hero's too.
You can fall in love with a girl whose expectations are impossible to meet.
You can try not sleeping, then challenge yourself with fixing it all.

Or you can do what I do -
PRETEND to be able to do all these things.
With my super powers, (which I can't tell you about because it would be too easy to deduce my secret identity if you knew what they were) I can bypass normal limitations!
Situations that would defeat the will of most, bounce off of me as minor speed bumps.
How do I do it?!?
I learned to control my power at a young age and now I have truly mastered it.
I can't be brought down by mere stress or worry.
I'm unflappable!
Unrealistically optimistic!
I can't be bothered by things I can't touch.
Can't be controlled by money, guilt or intimidation.
Can't be overburdened because I can do it all!
If I can't do it today, I'll do it tomorrow!
If not THEN, well,..
EVENTUALLY it will get done!

Uh-oh, I just exposed one of my biggest weaknesses:
Overcommitment.
Underestimating time.
Overestimating my ability.
This brings me back to the part about falling in love with a girl whose expectations are impossible to meet.
A girl who ALSO DOES IT ALL (albeit with a slightly higher stress level and seriousness).
Add a catastrophic injury that prevents her from doing these things herself and WHAMMO!
That's all it takes to set the wheels in motion.
Twice the obligations, as I not only do the things I am duty bound to, but add the things she needs ME to do that SHE used to.

Bad guys the world over are preparing to celebrate the fall!
HA! Don't hold your breath waiting cuz  it ain't happenin!

WE'RE STRONGER THAN EVER!!!

Instead of being a hindrance, she makes me stronger!
Who needs super powers when I have a girl like Kathy?
That's right now you know...

KATHY IS MY SUPER POWER SOURCE!!!

Suckerfish.

Today is Kathy's birthday!

I have left her sleeping and have snuck off to the office to write this.
I'm not going to work today (even though I'm buried).
My plan is to give her no time to think about anything except happy things!
The way I have this figured out, you can only be as happy as the person you are in love with, so, since I like to be happy, it's a no brainer!
Kathy must be happy!
No, I don't mean she already is, I mean, Kathy MUST be happy!
As in, it's my goal.
Hopefully my staying home helps (and doesn't have the opposite effect).
I know MY days are better when she is with ME.
Kathy is getting stronger (as everyone at Kristi's wedding saw), but she usually pays for pushing it later.
The news will be consistently better as time allows healing.
You have no idea how badly I want Kathy to be able to look a few months down the road instead of at the immediate path she has to take!
For now, I want to trade the unquiet complications and stress inside Kathy for a beautiful content inner life full of patience and richness.
Though I think that will have to wait for the ability to walk to return, and the uncompromising pain to leave.
It hasn't yet, but Today is still Kathy's birthday!
I'm introducing her to L. Frank Baum in an unusual way! Don't worry, I'm doing something normal too.
I'll find time to write more soon, but right now I'm going to sneak back in before she knows I'm gone.

the secret to our success

Get a demented cat.
Kathy has one.
It's the most fun and frustration you can mix in one cat!

Don't expect anything from anybody. You will never be disappointed that way.
If you ask for a favor and the answer is yes, appreciate it! If the answer is no, don't get mad, it wasn't expected, it was a favor!

Seriously, don't be so serious!
I'm kidding about this!

Well, not the demented cat part, or the part about expectations...

Actually, the secret is to learn something new about each other every day.

If you can't find out something new, then dig deep about yourself and keep the day from being wasted!

Today I told Kathy about sword fighting by Bear Creek with bamboo switches. When I was a young boy I lived in Phoenix (Oregon). It would leave welts and bloody your hands sometimes, but if you won, you could skinny dip with the older girls! We had epic battles!

You know, on second thought, maybe there is something about being mysterious after all.

Okay, new tactic, Discover something new TOGETHER every day!

Time to go.
Right now I have something new to discover with Kathy!

beyond being prepared

Was it Underdog or Mighty Mouse who said,
 "HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY!!!" ?
I'm not sure if it was either one of them actually.

Never been one to wait to be rescued by someone else anyways.

I like to think that if rescuing needs doing, I will be the one doing the rescuing.
Then again, I also like to think that I'll never step in chewing gum again.

What we will do in a situation is a mystery until we are in it.
We all THINK we know what we'll do.

I bring this up because the moment of Kathy's crash was as sickening a moment as I can imagine.
The slow motion of the actions following were even worse.

To revisit, now that Kathy is on her way to recovering the ability to use her right foot (and hopefully eventually her left leg as well), I think of what I could've done differently.

Raising my boys, I could fix anything, holding Kathy on the side of that road, I could fix nothing.

Even now, looking back, I don't know what else could've been done, short of deciding to skip that ride completely.

I  have concluded that there are times when things happen too fast or are too severe for rescue without consequences.

Hope you never have to find out the limits of your ability to fix things.
After the fact, some situations are just not possible to put back in order.

Even for Underdog or Mighty Mouse.

It's the end of the world as we know it

2012
In this new year I hope to find the days to be less short.
It seems the days are always too short for all the thoughts I want to think.
Too short for the one walk I really want to make (with Kathy).
Too short for all the "thank yous" to all the people that help make this world an exciting and beautiful place for Kathy and I.

It's not really a resolution (NOBODY likes those).
Clear intentions.
To get more out of each day.

Kathy has had a super fantastic time these last couple weeks,
with Aunt Tracy decorating our Christmas tree and making dinner,
Jessica making dinner, Guille making dinner, Kristi's wedding dinner...
Wait a minute, I sense a theme here.
I'm pretty sure there is more going on than just dinner!

The pain is still bad at times, but the time between bad is getting longer.
The girls (and Jerome, can't forget to acknowledge all the retirement time he has given to Kathy's days when we are all still working) have been truly timely, sensing when they are needed most.

Hey! Before you go thinking I was going to just breeze over Kristi's big day - What a fun night!
If you were there you know what I'm talking about!
What a way to bring in the new year!
It was crowded on the dance floor, but the partyers gave up space so I could carry Kathy to the floor.
It might've looked a bit awkward, with Kathy's legs dangling (I call it the "Pendulum Dance" or "Bell Ringers Delight").
With her boot on she can put a little weight on her right foot.
It helps that she is so little.
Not to take anything away from Sam & Kristi's night, it was so GREAT to be a part of it!
If they have what Kathy & I have, together, there is nothing that will be able to keep them down!

I would just like to say, in the year the world is predicted to end,
the future is looking brighter than the past!
Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?