No running for me... I can hardly walk. i have an appt with my surgeon in 2 weeks. oh well. God has different plans. I will post another time.

He Makes All Things New

I'm back! It is nearly been 1 1/2 years since my last post. I am so excited about many things! With every day comes a new understanding of who I am in Christ. I am going to journal more frequently! I have discovered that it has taken me years to accept this disability, called Chiari. I have been waiting for that moment when everything feels normal. It hasnt come. You know what? That's okay. I am learing to do things differently and adjust my daily activities accordingly. I pray alot and I thank God for the small things. Some days I get out of bed and cannot walk straight for a few hours. Some days I cannot hold my head up. Some days I cannot focus. Some days my body hurts so badly. I just get back in bed and wait until it passes. Ususally it does. I am just ready to move on! I, in some ways, have used this sickness as a crutch. I am willing to push past these hinderances and be all that God has called me to be. Afterall this life is temporary. I am learing to focus on eternal things. I am beginning this week to train for another marathon. My first one was two years ago and I believe it has taken me that long to get over it! LOL! I will train for twenty weeks and hopefully run in March. It's ON!!! I am really excited! Wish me luck!- or better yet, favor:)



“Look, I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:5

HI!!!
I just want to let everyone know that I am doing great! I had my MRI and spinal cord evalution and everythings good. I have to do a little physical therapy but other than that, I am blessed!! Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts. I am so blessed with such wonderful friends. You all have a Wonderful Easter as you remember the sacrifice and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

back again

Well this feels strange... I havent written on this in awhile. Its been four months and Christmas has come and gone, we have celebrated a new year and now Spring is approaching. My gracious, its almost been a year since my surgery!

Today I went to my Neurosurgeon. I have new symptoms and will be having an MRI in a couple of weeks. Nausea is back. I have been having severe neck and back pain. My face, arms, and hands having been going numb. There is alot of pressure in the back of my head and neck/back. So, here we are again. I was told today by the "Great Dr." that sooner or later I would need another profession. He has said that before. I said, "Amazing.... I can run in a marathon but can't cut a head of hair, without getting sick!" He agreed saying the two involved two totally different muscle groups." My neck is the problem as you probably guessed. Anyhow I feel like I am back at square one;( But........ I still have alot to be thankful for:)

So I will keep you posted. This is my outlet to vent. I will do what I must.
goodnight

Well I finished my first marathon today. Yes. I ran 26.2 miles and lived!!!!!! My time was 6:02. Oh man do I have so many stories. I will post them this week. I am putting pictures up for you all to see! I am so blessed!!! On Wednesday the 12th, it will have been 8 months since my Chiari surgery..... what an accomplishment!

Where does the time go? It has been over a month since the last post. Alot has happened so lets start with..........

Lydia is loving preschool. She has lots of fun and is learning quickly. She loves going to her weekly dance class. Let me also mention that she also loves being at home on her two off days from preschool. She gets lotssssssssss of attention, kisses, and snacks:) My little baby is not a baby any longer.

David was born for school. He networks. Yes, I think he may run for office one day. Everyone knows him. He talks to alllllll the teacher/staff, anyone really:) Honestly, he lives for PE class, literacy center, and chasing the girls on the playground. What a life! He is a precious one.

Shendi is doing awesome. Her scoliosis is healing with the brace. She is being thrown up in the air at cheerleading, taking a fall or two, and tumbling endlessly. School is wonderful. The eighth grade seems to agree with her. We are enjoying her dearly.

The marathon is soon, less than a month. My last long run was a 20 mile run. I am hoping to do 24 this week, (to keep up with my sister-in-law, Kathy). She did 24 this past weekend. I am so proud of her! So I am resting up preparing for that:) I will keep you posted this month regularly.... I have missed keeping this blog up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

love you all
Kim

man, its been weeks since i have posted.

everyone's on a schedule now. its hectic, but fun! my little man is at the elementary school, my little baby is in preschool, and my big baby is on her last year of middle school. bottom line is I AM GETTING OLD! yes, i know, enjoy it, you say. i am. every minute. i thank God for all these precious blessings.

i am feeling normal again. that's good. i have a bad day every now and then. that is to be expected. but when i feel good its AWESOME! i am still planning to run in the Outer Banks Marathon in November. So far, my longest run has been 13 miles. Unreal, just unreal. If you had told me years ago I would be able to run 13 miles I wouldn't believe it. So its crazy to think in 2 months i will be running double that. i am ready. i am so excited to do this after having brain surgery just 6 months ago.

life is good. God has opened so many doors for us. sometimes i get a glimpse of the "big picture", but until i see Him 'face to face', i won't understand how all this works out. i just know i love Him with ALL my heart. and even when i think i know Him so well, he seems to find a different way to show me how much He cares. It is true He gives you the desires of your heart, if you seek Him first. Jesus knows our deepest thoughts and that is what draws me closer to Him every day.

in Christ,
Kim

it has been awhile since i have written...
alot to tell about.

shendi made cheerleading again. lydia started dance class. davids going to kindergarten. lydias going to preschool 3 days a week. runnings going great. i am ready to get adjusted to this new fall schedule!

its late now, so i will post when i can be more detailed.
love you all:)

its been awhile.....
my training is going well. i am just taking one day at a time and trying to be sensitive to what my body (neck) can handle! i think anyone running this much would have a pain or two, so i am keeping that in mind as well.

this past week my long run was 10 miles. altogether, for the week, i totaled 21 miles!

until something new happens....................
see you around

*Oh I almost forgot we have a new Puppy!!! His name is Saber and he's a 7 week old, German Sheperd! I will post a picture...

My God is a Giant Slayer!

What's the Giant in your life???????

i love sunday school. its been years, like pretty much 15 or something since i have attended sunday school. been to church just about every sunday of my life, just not sunday school. and you know what? i like it. we are so blessed to have found this church family. the youth did the service tonight and yeah.... it was AMAZING! these kids are so bold and have such a heart for God! i cant wait to see what the Lord has planned for their future.

nate and i had a wonderful time at the beach with no kids. we acted like teenagers and were very lazy. we had tasty food and just slept on the beach for hours! we are home now... we missed our kids tremendously! the kids had a great time at grandmas, of course.... they went to kings dominion! they spent some good quality time with the grandparents.

so we're all refreshed and ready to prepare for the new school year. lots of school supplies, doctor appts, and of course we can not leave out Cheerleading Tryouts for Shendi... lots, lots to do!!!!

i am still running my heart out, or better yet, my legs off. tonight i ran 10miles, and so the total for the week is 20miles. next week it gets tougher, but i am up for it. i am doing well. one thing i have discovered you need not do if you have had brain surgery 4months ago is Bowling! Yes, i can run 10 miles but cannot bowl! oh after about the 15th time i rolled that 10lb ball i couldn't feel the left side of my face or neck.. so we won't be bowling i guess. whos got time to bowl anyway!!!!!!

just a note of praise!!!! i worship you Father for you are so Good!!! I love you with everything that I am and everything you have made me to be. Thank you:)

talk to you all another day, until then........................................

So who is this girl that has come back from church camp? I hardly recognize her. But she is an answer to prayer. It is so amazing to see your kids grow in the Lord. He has touched her heart so tenderly this week. She discovered a few of her spiritual gifts and is feeling them out. I am so grateful for her youth group and leaders. God has placed Shendi right where He wants her. I am so excited to see what He has planned next.

This week Nate and I are getting away together. Our kids are spending the week with Nate's parents. They have a fun time planned for them. Summer is going by so quickly. Its hard to believe my little David will be in Kindergarten in just a few weeks. Lela is fighting an ear infection. She's almost over it.

Today was my long run day. I ran 10 miles. Its the furthest I have ever run at one time. I may not be able to get out of bed in the morning:) Let's hope so, I don't want to miss church!

Until next time.........................

this morning i ran 8 miles. today is my long run day. it was long:) it felt great.................... could've gone on more.

hello

Yesterday I ran three miles, today I ran three miles, and tomorrow I will run three miles. I am off on Friday. Saturday I will cross train, and Sunday is the long run.... I will run 7 miles. I am so enjoying this. I feel so strong! I just want to take a minute and Praise the Lord for getting me to this point. Man, as I sit here and read the blogs I have posted, I am amazed at the journey! Jesus, carried me in His arms.. and he is so Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am nothing without Him. I am so blessed. I want to glorify Him for everything that I am able to do. With every mile from now until forever I am so grateful to Him. He truly gives us the desires of out heart. If you're out there reading this and you have Chiari, please listen to me. It is not the end. There are so many websites and blogs and testimonials.... and so on, that tell you your life is practically over and you could be disabled tomorrow.... Don't Listen To It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is sooooooooo easy to listen to it. Just get up every morning and put both feet on the floor... do the best that you can, and I MEAN the BEST!!! Life is so short. Any of us can't predict tomorrow so live for Today!! and MOST importantly LIVE FOR JESUS!!!!! Without Him is nothing, With HIM is everything.

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

marathon

here's the latest! i am going to run in a Marathon. yes. i have been training and i am very excited, nervous, and everything else:) today i ran 6 miles! i thought i would die towards the end, but i made it and i am on top of the world tonight......... every week i have one long run day. i will post each week what that total is. i can't wait to share with you all the progress. the date is in november. so, lots of running to do!

we can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens us!!!

more good news I am going to see New Kids on the Block in October!

also, we joined our church on Sunday! Very exciting and settling!

i will post at least once a week.. i have neglected this for awhile.
kisses to you all:)

hello. i am doing well. no news is good news, so that's why there's been no news. we are enjoying our summer. it will go by fast. david is jumping off the diving board (with his float attachment). lydia is putting her face in the water and also doggy paddles. shendi is tan as ever. we are definetly enjoying the pool.

shendi is in the mountains. she went with her youth group to do campground ministries in Cherokee. they have a busy schedule. she was very excited as she's never been to the mountains. they will be back on tuesday. i can't wait to hear all the wonderful things God has planted in her heart:) i am so proud of her and thank God for her every day. if you know our story then you know how precious she is to us. she has come a long way. she will continue to grow and i am blessed to be a part of her life.

for now, everythings good.
and by the way.. i havent' mailed out the first thank you note. they are written with no addresses on them. so after 3 months you'd think i'd have them done. well, i don't. maybe soon:0)

I read what I last posted and ugh,,,, so dreary..... Today I feel blessed to be who I am and where I am despite circumstances. This is truly a journey. We all have one.
love kim

heart

From the heart;

Well.
I seem to be running into walls. One minute I think I am going to handle this. The minutes to follow, it seems to hard. I am reading a book to help me cope with this feeling of abandonment. I seemed to have developed a false sense of how God works. I have faith in God. I do. I love Him with everything ounce of my being. I realize He is in control. I understand that He has an Ultimate and Perfect Plan. I guess I have lived my life inside some sort of bubble. Now I have found my spirit beginning to wither. An unreal sense of abandonment. My frustrations have led me to this dead end. I believe it is an incorrect view of Scripture to say that we will always comprehend what God is doing and how our suffering and disappointment fit into His plan. Sooner or later, most of us will come to a point where it appears that God has lost control- or interest- in the affairs of His people. Just an illusion, it has dangerous implications for my spiritual and mental healt. The pain and suffering I am sure I could handle. The confusion is what tears me, my faith, apart.
Expectations. If I said it once, then I've said it twice. I expect, and always have, WAY TOO MUCH! They just set us up for dissapointment. I have found there is no greater distress than to build one's entire way of life on a certain theological understanding, and then have it collapse at a time of unusual stress and pain. It rattles the foundation. Is it true then, that I have expected too much of God? Or is it true that there are things we are seldom willing to admit within the Christian communtiy? Like, Everything is not ALWAYS okay. And Bad things do happen to godly people. The God whom I love, worship, and serve sometimes appears to be silent, distant, and uncaring in the moments of greatest need. Do such times come even to the faithful? Yes, they do. How about Job? Then God permitted Satan to afflict Job physically. He was stricken "with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head" (Job 2:7). The Scripture says, "In all this, Job did not sin in what he said" (2:10). With confidence he proclaimed, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him" (3:15). And of course David with great passion, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? (Psalm 13:1)
I am sure these and other biblical examples were there to help us understand this spiritual phenomenon. Apparently, most believers are permitted to go through emotional and spiritual valleys that are designed to test their faith. Why? Because Faith ranks right up there on God's system of priorities. Without it, He says, it is impossible to please him. And what is faith, : the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen".
A theological answer doesnt take all the pain and frustration away. And chances are most of us won't handle it like Job or David. I will still call on Him. I know He hears me. During this spiritual confusion I have to remain a branch on the Vine. My favorite passage John 15. And after that I will be still and ...... "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).

I am feeling better. When I get some time this week I will post a more lengthy post.
I love you all and thank you for all your prayers. I am certainly feeling them.
Kim

ugh:(

today has been hard. i am not feeling well. i was assured i would have these days, and that has proven to be true.

the symptoms today are fatigue, muscle aches, headache, ringing/swishing in my ears and head. there are a few more things but we'll stick to the ones i listed.

this is nothing i can't handle. my kids can tell. they gave me looks today. those looks. i can handle the symptoms..... what i can't handle is those looks. it simply breaks my heart:(

i called to order Chinese food and couldn't tell the lady my phone number. all that would come out was '9'. i was wanting to say the number i knew but could only say '9'. the number i gave her was 9999999.

i was off work sunday monday and today. hopefully i will have a better day tomorrow. i will go to work and get on with it.