I was feeling defeated because I had not found the time to blog about this weeks adventures. The adventures continued but I started to feel like if I couldn't find the time to write about it every day, then what's the point?! Then, yesterday, as I was getting a Warm Oil Scalp Massage {more on that later... day 5} it hit me. Not finding time to write about it every day IS the point. There will be some days that while living life in the fullest possible way I just don't have time to sit down and write, and that is okay {self permission granted}.
That being said, there will be times when I will blog about several days at a time, especially on days where the "firsts" were small in comparison. This is one of those times.
Day 3
Wednesday I went geocaching. It wasn't as easy as that though, you can't just GO. Prior to my excursion I had to do some research. I am really thankful for the friends that gave me input and encouragement, it was most helpful and made me more comfortable in the process. I ended up using the http://www.geocaching.com/ website and located a geocache close to home. My biggest dilemma was what "treasure" I would leave at the site. Oh, that's one of the best parts of geocaching... it's reciprocal treasure hunting!
I already had plans on Wednesday to spend a little time with Alexis (a precious girl that I have the honor of being able to speak into the life of). When I asked her if she would be up for the challenge, she was. I picked her up and we drove to the general area that I knew the geocache to be. I had the coordinates in my phone and we began driving down the road where the GPS led us. This particular geocache was tagged as EASY and also came with a clue, "mossy oak". Well, this road had a grove of "mossy oak," not just one. The weather was bad and the grass leading up to the trees was atleast 3 ft tall... I thought the possibility of snakes was pretty high. This thought did not thrill me. At. All. In fact, at this point, as we sat there for a good 15 minutes, with my map not working because of the weather (or possibly remote location), I considered giving up. I thought EASY meant NO WAY YOU'LL MISS IT. I was wrong. Alexis and I talked through the possibilities and drove up the road a little bit. I decided to "phone a friend".
Jenn and her family have been geocaching for a few years across several states, so I knew she could walk me through this. She had the experience to give me the advice I needed and tell me the truth about what I needed to hear. EASY did not mean that it would be a flashing neon sign, can't miss it, find. It just meant that I would not have to hike, climb, risk life and limb to get it. Okay, the truth helped, I stopped focusing on why I couldn't see it right in front of my face and started thinking about what I was actually looking at.
Alexis and I drove up and down the road one more time, this time however we really looked and tried to see beyond the obvious. As we drove back up the road there was a small tree standing alone. It was gnarly and covered in moss. Thankfully the grass was not nearly as tall in front of it and I decided to get out of the car. Upon closer inspection I could see that the base of the tree actually had a hole in it... I mustered up the bravery to crawl under the low hanging branches that I knew just had to have spiders in them.
There it was!!! I found it! It was a small, green, Rubbermaid box. I grabbed it and quickly moved to the hood of the car to open it up and see what treasure we had found.
When we opened the lid, we both screamed and jumped back as tiny spiders crawled out and ran away. YUCK! I quickly regained my composure and began digging through the treasure. I flipped through the log and thought it was pretty cool to see the signatures of all those that had come before me and I wondered if this had been their "first" geocache as well. The treasures in the tiny box varied from "huh?" to "awww".
I chose my treasure, a tiny wooden cross, and left my own. Can you guess from the picture, what I left? I signed the log and then I closed it all back up and put it back it in its hiding place for the next treasure hunter to find.
The whole process reminded me of how I sometimes feel when I am seeking God's will in my life about something specific. I want the answer to jump right out at me and just be EASY. I just want the answer/end result and not the process. I forget sometimes that seeking God's will in my life is moment by moment. It's daily. It takes more than just wanting it. Just like geocaching.
Geocaching Seeking God's Will
Read the instructions & get the coordinates Go to His word, read His instruction
Ask for help from those with experience Talk to people who are wise
Think! Look beyond the obvious. Pray & look and listen for His leading
Take a friend with you Be part of a community, encouragement
Leave something behind Share what He has done/is doing for you
I had so much fun! I can't wait to do it again! If you've never geocached, I encourage you to give it a try. If you do, check out http://www.geocaching.com/ and say you know me, BIRCHFIELDFAM. Happy hunting!
Day 4
Thursday was one of those days where life was pretty full on its own. Toby had a doctors appointment with his orthopedist. I say "his" because this was not our first time visiting with Dr. Shenkman.
Toby has been wrestling since we moved to Lakeland in January. He began practicing, lifting, training at the beginning of the year. He had never wrestled before this, but seems to have a natural ability and the coach seems to have taken him under his wing.
I will admit I am not a huge fan of wrestling. It kind of disgusts me. Like... makes me throw up in my mouth a little, disgust. It's just not a "pretty" sport to watch. I think it should have stopped when football was invented, but that's just my opinion. I am however amazed at his aptitude for the sport!
A couple of months ago Toby was competing in a tournament and wrestled in the next weight class up, I point this out because I think it has something to do with why he was hurt. He was flipped and came down on his right shoulder and the pressure of the opponent crushed his shoulder and popped his ac joint out of the socket. Painful.
At that time, we visited the ER and then the orthopedist. He was given the instructions -- six weeks no wrestling. As soon as the ban was lifted he was right back in there and eased his way back into matches. Two weeks ago during a match he was thrown in the exact same manner and "snap".
The acromioclavicular joint, or AC joint, is a joint at the top of the shoulder. It is the junction between the acromion (part of the scapula that forms the highest point of the shoulder) and the clavicle. -Wikipedia (By the way... first time quoting Wikipedia word for word!)
OUCH!
This visit required x-rays and some serious talk about what it is going to take to help this heal. 4 weeks in a sling with limited mobility and then we will revisit Dr. Shenkman.
This is the first time I have ever seen an x-ray of any of my boys. THREE boys and we've never had a broken bone. How crazy is that? Especially considering that Toby is the child that starting at age two would climb to the highest point in any room and FLING himself off of it!
He took the news in stride. When they went to get the sling, he asked for one with dinosaurs. No such luck! But the nice gentleman did find stickers to place on it.
Nice stickers, Toby!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I hope we have good luck in the bones area with Cooper like you and Steve have had with the boys. He's quite the climber and risk taker, so we'll see.