1. I am chauffeured by my kids. Bonding time.
2. I found out I am not the only one who can clean the house, or do the laundry, or collect, load or unload the dishes. Who knew these kids have been watching all these years?
3. I am getting better at driving the slow little carts at stores in crowded spaces. You know those things have horns?
4. It is easier for my kids to find me in a store by listening for my reverse beeper or my horn or a crash of a display or the fussing of a customer.
5. I cannot Christmas shop by myself. Bonding time.
6. There is a use for all the socks without mates now that I am one footed.
7. I have better luck collecting money from businesses for our Christmas party as a handicap teacher asking for children in poverty.
8. I found out that motion sensor lights in bathrooms are a gift from God for handicapped people.
9. I know how to use the bars on the walls in the handicap stalls now.
10. I cannot decorate by myself. Bonding time.
11. I learned my students are very, very concerned about me as they ask me EVERYDAY what is wrong with my leg.
12. I found that I am not good at being still for very long, but I AM good at resting while in motion.
13. I have the best friends in the world who would do anything for me…including carry all my stuff in below freezing weather, take care of my dogs, take down my fall decorations off the mailbox, bring me food, and a whole host of other chores.
14. I found that I can take any old person with my cart at Walmart. I am Dale Ernhart reincarnated. (For all my Baptist friends…that is only a joke…)
15. I learned that Christmas is a wonderful season when you take out all the extra unnecessary stuff.
16. I still love to read and it’s a good thing.
17. I am learning that the cure for old lady flappy arms might just be wheelchairs and crutches.
18. Driving with a boot is NOT a good idea.
19. I found that carrying a purse the weight of mine while using crutches is dangerous.
20. I learned that holding your ears and saying “lalalala…I’m not listening” to God does not work at night. (More to come on this later.)