Journey: Stepping out of your comfort zone

What an idea! For those that know me, they'd agree that this isn't me. I thrive on comfort! The more comfortable I am with something, the more confident I'll be in doing it. Lately though, the winds have hanged slightly and instead of sprinting away from something new & scary, I'm holding my breath & jumping into it. Lets see if I can explain. I've always been the type of person that wanted to drag someone with me to something new, I always had to print out a map & if possible do a drive by if I was going somewhere new. I don't deal well with change, the unknown or uncertainty. After my tumor, hospitalization & recovery this became even more true. Not only did I worry about getting somewhere or doing something, but now I was worried to no end on how I'd be perceived. I felt like I always had to apologize for my deficits & explain what had happened. Most everyone I came in contact with we're gracious & accepting. Thank you Lord!!!! But as the years tick further away from that horrific time, I'm left with the question of what now? Sure, our expectation of what I'd be like has changed (for the better) over the years, but at some point, I need to move on. No longer can I play the victim of this. I need to buck up & push forward. And so I have. Within the last few weeks, I've done things that I didn't think would ever be possible without someone there to help me (just in case)! I've done things that seem fairly common to the average Joe, but to me it's so much more. To me, its extraordinary!!!! They are signs I'm still healing & changing. Praise God! I'll share a few of the things I've done recently and I hope you'll join me in celebrating! Thanks again for the love, support, encouragement & prayers. They have all so richly blessed my recovery and my life.

A few weeks ago, we traveled to Phoenix as Darren had a work conference. I'm not a pool person really, unless you count sunbathing on the chairs that encircle the pool. Zach is learning to swim and we brought the boys swim vests/jackets with us on vacation cause we were planning on lots of pool time. Ever since Zach was young, Darren has always been in the pool with him. Now was my chance... I took a leap of faith & waded into the pool water. My boys squealed with excitement and my husband had to pick his mouth off the floor from disbelief, I drug my boys around the pool, even with my healing broken hand. I was in with them almost every day we were gone. I even packed them up one morning & took them to the pool myself while Darren was in class. Victory!!!! Even had a bathroom emergency for one of the boys while we were there & handled that too.

In the pool with the boys ... yes, I left the stairs ;0)

at the pool, flying solo while Darren was in class

Then we returned to Alaska for Zach's last week of preschool and the start of summer vacation. Already I've taken the boys to the store by myself multiple times, had a play date at a park, and taken treats to Darren's work several times. Most of those occurrences was my first time doing it by myself with both boys. It has been liberating & has allowed me to be more confident in myself & my boys. So blessed!!!!!