After

After so many busy days...one after another after another...I find myself already getting slightly burned out by summer.  But only slightly.  To many activities, packed into to few days, stuffed between rotating day shifts and night shifts at the hospital.  Already, I am running out of fun summer food to eat.  Granted, Aaron and I could eat a fresh lettuce salad with caramelized, slivered almonds and strawberries that came from a stroll in the backyard every meal... but that does not substantiate full tummies for my two growing boys.  But, at least the Long Boy Cheeseburgers that I made for supper were a winner.

Cousin Seth with us at the pool.  He had a blast!

It is sad that the summer, in reality, is already half over. Noah is well into swimming lessons, Vacation Bible School is sneaking up on us, and back to school sale ads have graced our mail box.  Abram will soon be starting a summer kindergarten program which will hopefully acclimate him to school so he does not spend the first months crying.

Our canning season also snuck up on us.  Aaron and I have stayed up late at night canning strawberry jam and freezing lugs of peaches. 

16 jars of strawberry jam and counting!  Next up, freezing strawberries (and this is our first year with this strawberry patch---how exciting!)

Although, this year was different.  Standing side-by-side in front of the sink in our kitchen skinning, slicing, and pureeing fruit for hours upon hours put more grimaces than smiles on Aaron's face.  Standing on hard tile, hunched over the sink was not as much fun as it has been in years past.  Every so often, Aaron would move in stiffness and pain---silently grimacing to himself.  But, he did not give up.  Even after me telling him countless times, "You can go lay down.  I can do this..."  He insisted on helping (which I will be eternally grateful for.)

Sometimes I still forget that Aaron broke his back.  I know it sounds silly...but it is true.  It has been months since his surgery and even though it takes about two years for his spine to fully fuse and heal...I think that right now we are at the "best as we can get" part of recovery.  It is hard to accept that he is going to be painful for the rest of his life----especially since he is not even thirty years old yet.  But we (and I do mean we) deal with it and keep on moving. 

Aaron has been back to work, working long hours like a mad man for months now.  He is in the best physical shape that he has ever been in.  Lifting weights everyday and walking on the elliptical and riding bike has kept his body and mind healthy.  He has lost twenty pounds since January and has managed to keep the weight off in a healthy way (which is more than I can say for myself.) 

Today, Aaron called for my attention.

"Amanda."  He said.

"What?"  I said, busying myself with dishes.

"Turn around and look," he commanded.   I could not believe my eyes.

He was holding Abram.  The first time since last January.  Amazing.  I did not think he would ever be able to carry him again. Honestly my first reaction was panic.  I said something like, "You should not be lifting Abram!"  Although he weighs all of thirty five pounds soaking wet.  I think that the look on both of their faces was worth it.