People are born every day, but you choose to mark the days that are connected with people you care about. One of the people I care about is my friend Hanna. Her birthday is January 18th, and last year, she wanted to go rock climbing in the morning and to dinner in Freiburg in the evening. I messed up her plans a little bit by falling from the top of the rock wall and hijacking the rest of the day.[...]

I'll try to keep this short and sweet as next week I'll be sure to give a long reflective update (check your calendars for the reason why). Owl City recently released a cover of a great Rich Mullins song, and I've been listening to it on repeat the last two or three days. The chorus is as follows: [...]

What makes a miracle Christmasy? My mom asked that question a few days ago. It's a great question. The whole point if Christmas is to bring attention to Christ, so I'm all about claiming my personal miracles as Christmas miracles. For example, what happened to me on New Year's Day. Let me back up to almost midnight to tell you the whole story. Buckle up, it's a long one (but so freaking worth it).[...]

Every teacher dreams of snow days, and I've always been delighted by the delicate flakes wafting down. My old roommate and I got into some heated discussions over the cold precipitation years ago, but I'm starting to see her perspective. Cat used to call - well, still calls - snow "frozen evil falling from the sky." I couldn't understand how someone could question the innocence and joy inducing quality of snow, but now, wheelchair bound, I totally get it.[...]

Long before my friend Juliann was a Texan, she encouraged me to write creatively. I got to skype with her yesterday, and was updating her on my Wednesday evening adventure. She told me to share it with the world, and I promised to do my best to make it as enjoyable to read as possible. It was a potentially horrific moment that I choose to see as comical. Know in advance, I'm alive and well and laughing about it.[...]

Last Christmas break, I spent a couple days where I actually did nothing other than read and eat. In REHAB, I realized I'd never get another day like that. I have to put a lot of effort to maintain my level of recovery or my muscles will atrophy again. Even a single day off can make a difference, though sometimes I need a day with less.[...]

I've been home for about an hour pondering what to write here. I know you're all waiting for an update on my urologist appointment, and I want to oblige. However, there's a lot of unprocessed emotions that come along with this appointment, and I'm not sure what to tell you. Big picture in my recovery, on the surface, things look pretty great (all things considered), but underneath, inside, things are still a mess. My nerves are still confused on how to send messaged and complete certain functions. I thought they were getting a little better, but the doctor told me today that's not the case.[...]

I'm just past ten months in to this new life of nerve damage and muscle spasms. I still have lots of moments through the day when I forget I'm paralyzed, and part of me hopes I'll never get used to it as I continue to recover. I'm still way too early in this process to settle in to a routine. And yet, part of life demands it. I have to take my medication at each of my six alarms; I have to get out of bed each morning; I have to teach my class every day. Well, I get to. I have the privilege of each of those routines. I also have the privilege of a few less regular activities. I get to have conversations with students about the Holy Spirit; I get to read my friend's grad school application; I get to make Indian food in my kitchen with a British guy and a Swiss woman who drove across an international border to see me (full disclosure: it was like a half hour drive but sounds more impressive when I mention they went to a different country). Jo and Lydia came to visit last week, and their company reminded me that I'm so blessed in this recovery. I have an incredible support system that has lasted ten months with no signs of weakness. There is still a lot of recovery left, and I'm grateful for all of you still encouraging me - sending me emails and leaving comments - almost a year after this life changing event. Another routine I have is medical check ups. I have a routine appointment with my urologist next week, and I'm hopeful for some signs of improvement to come in that department. I'd be really grateful if you'd join with me in the prayers for this particular routine that is the most complicated and difficult to adjust to.

My last update was a bit of a downer, and I try to be honest about my emotions on this blog. Honestly, I'm so blessed in my life. I really do feel overwhelmed with insurance and physically uncomfortable due to muscle spasms and stiffness, but that's not my whole life. I don't want you to think my life is all roses and chocolate chips (particularly because this country does not have chocolate chips), but I want you to know that those difficulties I face are not the end game. [...]

There is a lot of personal information about me on the internet, and I don't really feel like I have a lot to hide, but I still try to have some sense of decency and decorum when posting updates here. I've hit a huge snag in the insurance part of my recovery process though, and I hope you'll have the grace to let me keep quiet all the dirty (or in this case sterile and disinfected) details and be satisfied just to hear that my insurance is wanting me to pay for necessary medical equipment that totals hundreds of dollars a month. These are far from luxury items, and it's not a matter of choosing not to use them. They are absolutely necessary. Every day. Multiple times a day.[...]