Scratch n' Sniff

Anyone remember good ol' "scratch n' sniff" stickers? I was reminded during the week of VBS about scratch n' sniff from one of the other characters of the week.

I went to the doc today for a follow up and this was the first time that I saw my foot without bandages since the surgery. Doesn't it look awesome! I wish I would have thought about a before picture as that would have really helped for explanation but here we go. The entire inside of my foot starting at the top of my toe is very straight! Compared to how it was the bunion made a huge bump just below my big tow it, now its small but completely swollen. All my toes look like actual gurkens...nice and fat!

As an update, I will be on crutches for about 10 more days. Today the doc came in and pushed my big toe up to a 90 degree angle...definitely not ready for that! I was sweating within seconds! He said that I would need to be doing that a lot and if it was still stiff by next Tuesday or I'd have to go to Physical Therapy. That is the last place I want to go! I can put wait on my heel and will be moving my big toe around as much as possible.

Coming and Going

Over the last 7-8 years of my life I have awkwardly found myself in the same situation time and time again. From saying goodbye to my family that had been so loving to me and letting go of me in July of 01 to my first goodbye to my new found friend from boot camp in October of that same year. After three years of the Navy with 2 different schools and being in Japan for almost 2 years there were times when it felt as though there was a departure every week. How close can you get to someone when you know ultimately that they are going to be gone within a matter of days?

I should be out of that area by now. Settling down with my family and beginning lifelong relationships that you only see in a cute chick flick. Wrong. We are in a place where people come and go like the New York subway system. Yet, this isn't bad at all. In fact it's a beautiful thing.

From the picture above our friends Flo and Katrine are soon to be departing back to Switzerland! Surprising to know that we have only known them for 6 months. They finished their internship here at The Coastlands and are going to take a vacation for the next 2 weeks and head back home.

I actually went on a mission trip a year ago last March to Switzerland and I stayed at their home for about a full week. During that time I was able to talk with them about the internship program, as much as I knew about it, and answer questions that they had about it. Wouldn't you know it, a year after that they were here! It has been so wonderful getting to know them even more and to have them be a part of our family for 6 months. I am excited to remain in contact with them over the next few years as their lives will be so full with new and fun adventures!

The Lord has really taught me how to use the time that we have with the people around us. If it's a day, month or year it is insignificant....it's about relationships and building as much as you can with what you have.

New Prespective

As I sat on the couch all week I ended up watching SO many different things on TV. By the way, I had really good timing on getting our new flat screen which is a beauty (thanks wifey!) Obviously there is only so much of what I like on tv during the dreaded afternoon so I was forced into channel surfing and landing on things in which I thought had no chance of my liking, or so I thought.



First the college world series. Something I have never enjoyed on tv, in fact I think I'd rather go get a pedicure with my wife. But, I got caught up in the story of Fresno State and ended up watchin the last game of the series. Definitely have to give them props coming out of the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) and winning it all. There are reports that say its not that big of a deal but come on, their RPI was like 89th in the nation...ouch! Good story and was fun to watch.



Now, the second thing that I ended up completely loving was the EuroCup2008. For those who don't know what that is it is the championship of soccer in all of Europe. I think I started watching it in the semifinals where Germany played Turkey and Spain played Russia. We just finished watching Spain beat Germany in the final with our two friends from Switzerland who were both rootin' for Germany as one of them was half German. Wow...definitely entertaining and will be watching it again in 4 years and will be looking forward to the World Championship in 2 years. Soccer was something I never really played and never had any interest in since it wasn't fast paced like basketball or football. To me, it lacked personality. Totally wrong, intense and very fast, injuries left and right with the goalies scrambling at almost every turn...very fun.



All in all, I don't know if I'll be too interested in the CWS again unless there is a good story but you can count on me to see the EuroCup again!

Day 4

Day 4. Sick of sitting around. Happy to do some work through email. Looking forward to planning our small camp for 4th and 5th graders. I'm actually going to venture out of the apartment today into the office (as the office is just next door). I'm not quite sure if I'm ready to tackle the stairs. If Charissa is around it probably won't happen but if not then I might act like a 2 year old who is investigating the dynamic of 9 steps down to another level. I'll let you know when that happens.

(As you can see that the word "yes" is on my leg. No, that isn't another tatoo. I had to write that on my leg before surgery to make sure that was the one they were operating on and not the other. Good thing they got it right!)

All in all my foot doesn't feel like it was straight up slammed with a hammer any longer. It is pretty much just numb until I have to move it and the blood starts to flow to it thats when the hammer comes back to life.

Yesterday was lame. I sat around all day asking different people to help me out at different times and then my poor wife who is feeling totally sick with her pregnancy and then doing a job that is fit for 3 people and taking care of our 11 month old all at the same time. Then coming home to her super hero laying on the couch asking for another soda or something to eat. WOW! I definitely owe her some flowers or a nice day out on the town. I'll wait for when the time is right when I can actually drive or even carry bags from shopping so Charissa doesn't have to do all the work. Mind you she has done enough this week to last an entire year!

Props to my wonderful wifey!

Austin Bunionectomy

Last Tuesday I went and had an 'Austin Bunionectomy.' For those who don't know what that is search for 'Bunion Surgery Pictures'. Lets just say that the Doc broke my foot and pined it where it was supposed to be. Tuesday night and all day Wednesday I don't know if I have ever experienced so much pain. Double doses of Vicodin and still nothing.



Since then I got some new medication and all is well. I'll be on crutches for 2 weeks and then won't be able to do anything active for about 3 months. Walking is about all I'll be able to do. I have to admit sitting on the couch for 2 full days hasn't been the worst thing ever. I am excited to be able to get around a little bit sometime soon. I'll try and get out tomorrow for a few minutes here and there just to get rid of the cabin fever.

Happy Hands

We just completed our VBS (Vaction Bible School) and I was able to be 'Macho D' for the third consecutive year. Please let me explain. Macho D is a distant cousin to Napolean Dynamite. This picture reveals that I might actually be related to him in real life. Yes that is my real hair. I began growing it out since last February and was extrememly happy to chop it off as soon as clean up day was over on Saturday. I get to spend an entire week dressed up as this character and show off all my "sweet, incredible skills....yesssss!!!" Can you believe I don't even have to take vacation to do this either!