CAN'T is no longer a dirty word.

Here we are.  March 1st. 
My doctor has not yet released me to work. 
So I will be spending this month home, just like the last few.  I have fully enjoyed spending this time home with Calvin and sometimes Mike (when he's not working days).  However, we don't do a lot of activities, because I can't. 

When I was a swim coach (way back in the day!) I used to make my swimmers do 25 push ups if they used the dreaded word...CAN'T.  And look at me now.  It's amazing how many things we do in our daily lives that we take for granted.  I have discovered many of those things recently. 

Things that I can't do right now:

• Laundry.  I can start it, but can't take from the washer and put into the dryer.  I can't bend to take the clothes out of the dryer, nor fold them.  wow.  Did you know how much you use your neck/shoulder muscles just to fold clothes?  I didn't either.
• Dishes. I can wash some of them.  Cannot take them from the sink and put them in the dishwasher though.  The kids have become really good at the dishes, thankfully.  But we are now in need of a new set of dishes due to the many breaks that have happened lately!  Oh well.
• Vacuuming.  I learned that one the hard way too, and it wasn't pretty.
• Picking up.  Have you realized how many things you pick up off the floor in a day?  A lot.  I often forget and when I see something to pick up, I do.  And then it hurts.
• Yard work.  Forget any of those activities.
• Making the bed.  The sheet and comforter just get tossed up like it's made.  That's it.
• Getting pans out to make dinner.
• Close the trunk on the van.
• Open/close the slide doors on the van
• Cleaning or scrubbing anything.

The list could continue, but then I'd be boring you, and getting myself in a slump.  Daily I have to choose to see the positives.  I get to spend Cal's last year before school with him.  We play cards, I watch him play the Wii or take pictures of him on the trampoline. We don't do all the things I dreamed I'd do as a stay at home mom, but I do get time with him. 
Time.
Something that we can't get back once it's gone. 

I will be back to normal one of these days.  I do feel a peace in my heart that God is doing a work in our family.  He is turning a crummy situation into good family times.  Meaningful family times at that.  As much as I prefer to be out and about "doing things" as a family, this laid back time is good for us.

I miss my Kindergartners.  As difficult as the year started out to be, I do miss those little guys.  But each time I get up off the couch and feel pain all down my back, and each time I walk the girls to school and all I feel is pain in my low back, I'm reminded that teaching is just not an option yet.  God has comforted me many times in my heart letting me know that this is just temporary.  It's not forever.  And being the patient person that I am, my version of temporary is longer than it once was!