Freedom!

It's been a lot of fun watching Hunter in therapy lately!  A lot of the exercises he's been doing for months now are starting to get a lot easier.  Today he practiced balancing without holding onto anything.  It's been a long time since I've seen him stand just on his own two feet.  He has a lot of strength and endurance left to regain, but he has come so far already!  His quads are getting better at holding his body weight coming up and down a step, and his core/back are slowly getting used to being in the upright position bearing weight.  As Clayton prays every night, "Please let Daddy get out of that wheelchair soon!"

We've been practicing walking around our house with him holding onto my shoulders (usually because I'm too lazy to get his walker from his truck)!  Yes, I did say HIS TRUCK!  Hunter's upper body has progressed to where he can use hand controls to drive.  He can get himself in and out, and just needs help with his chair.  I love that he can drive himself to therapy, out to work, and run through a drive through independently.  It has been huge for both us!  Hunter doesn't have to try and find rides everywhere, and I've had a lot more time to be mommy now that I'm not in charge of getting Hunter where he needs to go.  Freedom for both of us has been great!  

I think he's fighting the urge to grab the bars;)

I've always tried to highlight the positive of what our life looks like.  It's a choice to be thankful instead of whine, to be grateful for your blessings instead of focus on the trials.  I'm more likely to just not blog at all (see the lack of posting in April and May) than to write a "poor me" post.  Hunter is the same way.  There is always someone who has it worse then us.  As Hunter progresses, there are new challenges to overcome.  Yesterday he walked 105 feet then 185 feet straight on the rollator, which is a step below a regular walker because it's out in front of him more.  Go Hunter!  His legs are getting so much stronger.  He could turn and sit down with no problem.  Then he tried to navigate a stair.  And he was about 5 seconds from throwing the walker as far as he could, even if he went down with it.  So many things that we take for granted Hunter has to work sooo sooo hard to master.  I'm proud of how far you've come Hunter! 

chin up sets of 10

push for brake, pull down for gas-he was a pro in no time thanks to all his video game experience in his younger years

His wheelchair crash last week resulted in a rib out of place and a dry needling session to adjust.  Ouch!

The boys and I headed down to Galveston last weekend to surprise my Grandma for her 80th birthday.  Hunter stayed with his parents as a house on stilts and the sand don't mix too well with a wheelchair.   I got this video from Jana....the easiest way to get Hunter in the pool was to thrown him on in!  He said it felt so good to be able to kick and walk in the water.

This is my parents' burb, filled with six smiling faces for the 6 hour trip.  Meanwhile, Michelle and I had a fabulous drive visiting with just the two of us!  Thanks Honey and Poppa!  You're the best!! 

 Somehow, we managed to pull off the surprise for my grandma.  All four of her kids, most of her grandkids, and all 11 of her great-grands made it for the weekend together.  The house my grandpa rented had a pool in the backyard, with the ocean nearby.  We ate, played games, and celebrated the gift of Girl GG!  It was so much fun to catch up with wonderful family we don't see near enough.

Surprise!

Love these two!

Cousin pic--Clayton was not interested!

But he was very serious about his shrimp and corn

Bring on the beach!  The golf cart were lifesavers to carry all our gear and kids:)

Lots of wave jumping, boogie boarding, and sand digging from these three

We were missing daddy:(  Especially me trying to keep up with these three!

There was a park right behind the house set up for a 4th of July party.  The boys loved this firetruck flagpole.

big cousin love-9 kids between us

It's been a long time since there's a pic of the three of us!!  

This is what most of our weekend looked like!

Benton swam so hard he feel asleep drying off in Honey's lap.

 All good things must come to an end.  Sadly, we packed up and left the beach Monday.  Tuesday we got a record rainfall in Abilene.  This is the road we take to get to town.  The creek was just a little flooded!  We needed the rain, and by the next day it was back to normal.  

Thankfully, we went to the grocery store before we were stranded

Benton's birthday gift from Nana was a monthly science box.  We made geometric shaped bubble wands and bubble solution for the first one.  He was loving sticking his finger inside the bubbles without popping them.

Rainy day fun!

July in Texas is hot!  We've been beating the heat the best way we know how--swimming!  The water is so so good for Hunter as he can practice walking and we even let him "take off his floaties and swim" in the shallow.  He did surprisingly well!  His poor toes were beat up from dragging them on the bottom and he didn't even know it.  Poor granny might have to get some cool watershoes;)  Clayton was very proud to join him without floaties.  

No fear here....they all just jump right in off the rocks.  

Spinning in circles, ninja kicks, and bellyflops all for our entertainment

These three are looking much too grown up these days!

As always, I'd ask that you keep our family in your prayers.  Hunter is still regaining the feeling in his feet, and it's really painful.  They're doing quite a bit of swelling too.  He's been going close to full days at work and therapy, and slowly his body is getting used to being out of bed.  Some days he can muster up the energy to eat dinner with us at the table, and some nights he just has to lay down in bed.  Regardless of the shape he's in, the boys are happy to have him home.  They have lots of plans to do together as he gets walking.  The doctors and therapists working with Hunter all feel his recovery is moving along quickly.  It's hard to see it that way as I wish we could snap our fingers and all would be back to normal.  I would covet your prayers for patience, as well as continued healing of Hunter's nerves and protection from infection.  We are so very thankful for all you who have been incredibly supportive during this journey, and for a God who walks hand in hand with us through it all!