Maybe I’m biased, but the Jensen’s do sure make cute boys!!
Above you have 4 pics of 4 Jensen boys at approximately the same ages. I have a gold star for anyone who can match the Jensen to the correct picture above.
Do you think you know? Even Julie had some questions!
Running Log
Purpose: Training
Location: PG Rec Center
Goal: Julie and the kids want to run in a “mini marathon” at the elementary school in a week and a half. The distance is 2.62 miles (instead of 26.2 – thus mini marathon). I’ve never asked them to do more than 2 miles before. They needed to experience that distance at least a few times before the race.
Task: Run 17 laps (2.61 miles)
As expected this was harder on some than on others. Josh was done in about 22 minutes and Julie in about 32. Caitlin, Kristie, Charlee, Nikki all also complete the task somewhere in between those times. Caitlin did it despite a blister and a lot of side ache.
Julie had never run that distance before, but slowed her pace enough to do it non-stop. Josh and Caitlin had run that far before at school. The other three girls had never done more than 2 miles. Kristie finished and walked a lap, then ran 2 more with Julie to help encourage her, and THEN ran another lap to complete 3 miles of running today. She obviously felt she could do more than what we’ve been doing.
I was just as impressed by them today as I ever am. Great attitudes despite the new more difficult task. Very good encouragement toward others. Great effort given!
Pain sucks. Chronic pain sucks too. I’m so sick of the constant pain.
This morning was one of those days were I woke up and just moaned in agony at the thought of getting up. Eventually had to though, but could only crawl into the bathroom. After crawling back to my room I was able to get into my shorts and T-shirt (easiest things to put on for me, which is why I am always wearing them).
I desperately needed some pain medication, but it was down stairs. Couldn’t walk down them though. Sat down and slowly slid down one stair at a time. Got to the bottom with a headache that was just pounding. I managed to make it outside onto the deck before the vomit came up, an all too common symptom of the pain for me.
It is indescribably hard to function like this. My back hurts, my head is pounding, my stomach is nauseated because of it, my mood is terrible, and I feel more helpless than my baby. Normal function isn’t going to happen today I’m afraid.
I’m only typing this up because I need to feel like I can do something today. I’m typing about this topic because the pain is the only thing I can focus on. I can only type about one sentence at a time and then I have my head in my hands trying to control the pounding inside. It’s miserable!
I’m just so sick of needed help to dress. I’m tired of needing Julie to help me shower because I can’t bend or twist to clean myself. Using my cane to walk makes me feel about 20 years older than I am (still not even 40!). I desperately want to be able to play with my kids like I used to do. I dropped something the other day while standing and just stared at it for a few seconds deciding if it was worth the effort or risk to try to pick it up. One flight of stairs shouldn’t leave me out of breath and my heart racing. I’m tired of it all!
It is the constant pain that creates the deepest depression for me. The thought that I’ll live the rest of my life like this is terrifying. During these period of extreme suffering the most comforting thought I have is that perhaps it won’t be a long life. It’s terrible to say, but that is the thought I have.
Thankfully these really painful periods do pass. I do have times were the pain is minimal. I can’t remember the last day when I had NO discomfort though. It’s always there, lurking in the background. It is strong enough to catch my attention and distract from activities. It always has me on the edge of terror, worried that at any moment I could be hit with this severe, intense pain.
Honestly, would you want to live a long life like this?
As I said, it isn’t all bad all the time. There are good days. Even on mediocre days I am sometimes able to do small things and moderate activities. And if the pain isn’t too severe than there are some things I can do. It always hurts to do them, sure, but I can’t do nothing all the time. I need to at least try to live life.
I know my back would hurt less if I lost weight. I don’t know how to do that though. The weight makes me hurt, the hurting makes me depressed, I eat when depressed and to distract from the pain, and I gain more weight because I eat too much. Brutal cycle!
I recognize the stupidity in what I’m eating and getting into that cycle. I’ve adamantly resolved to stop it so many times that even though I feel adamant about it now I have no confidence that I can/will follow through. Having failed so many times I expect that to be the outcome of any weight loss attempts. So why try again when failure seems inevitable?
I simultaneously have two visions of my future. In one of them I’ve followed through with determination to lose weight and reduce the pain; I’m fit, able to function, and happy. In the other I’ve given up entirely, continued to balloon, am a total invalid and unable to care for myself, and die far too young for someone who was as athletic and healthy as I was just a short few years ago.
Carry on!
My heart has been breaking as I watch the news reports about the flooding in Southern MO. I’ve seen so many pictures of devastation that I’ve been in constant prayer for the people there.
Thankfully the loss of life has been very minimal. Damage to things is repairable. Restoring life is still beyond modern medicine though. I’m so grateful that nobody I know is permanently gone.
Thomasville is in the north end of our county. I talked to a friend on the phone last night who lives near Thomasville, MO. He said that town is just simply gone. He said all but two homes have been washed away or been made uninhabitable. The waters either moved them off of foundations or washed them away completely. The town just simply vanished in many respects.
My friend turned out luckier than most. He only had about 9 of his cows washed away, along with some trailers. He hasn’t been home in a few days because he can’t get there! As tragic as that might sound to some, he was extremely grateful that it wasn’t worse. This same friend has been watching my cows for me while I’m in Utah. I feel terrible that he lost so many of his but that all of mine apparently survived.
The city of Pocahontas in Northern Arkansas is still under water. I drove through this town at least once a week for over a year. It was beautiful and friendly. It is still underwater days later because of levee breaches on the Black River. This water has no place to drain to because it isn’t in the flow of the river. The flooding is going to do extensive damage because the water can’t move down stream. Heartbreaking.
This was the closest “large” town near Julie and I. This is where our church house was located, and were the cultural events were held (sporting events, etc). The photos of this town underwater were amazing (in the negative way).
The most shocking of them to me was seeing the highway lined with lumber from one of the nearby lumber yards that had simply floated away. I’m not talking about a few boards, but entire bundles of lumber that you would need a forklift to move.
Countless photos have been shared showing flooding over roads, flooded parking lots, and damaged infrastructure. I can’t recall any water source near the high school… but the track was washed out. Entire shopping complexes underwater. Bridges gone, roads gone, homes gone. The flooding was indiscriminate in its destruction.
Where our home stood we were well above any flood waters. If we were there I’d have access to my tractor, chainsaw, chains, and such and could be helping the people of my community (all the same people who helped us) clean up the mess. But here I sit in Utah unable to do much.
I know that Alton Bank has an account opened to help the people of Thomasville. If any of you reading this are inclined, you could contact them and make a donation. I’m sure there are others for people in West Plains and Pocahontas that I don’t know about.
I know I’m broken and can’t do much. But I wish I were there to help do what I could. The people in this area of the world are among the best I have ever met. I’m heartbroken seeing their loss. I would have said seeing their suffering, but they are a good people full of faith and a strong sense of community… if there is suffering, I’m sure that it won’t last long. They know how to overcome that. And I am sure that they will.
I may not be totally helpless though. I do have an entire cow and an entire pig that have been slaughtered and stored by friends for us. If any of you know of anyone hurt by the flooding, someone in need of food, let me know. If your group/church/club is having a fundraiser and would like meat donated, let me know. Soup kitchen, food bank, etc. I have an entire beef and pork that I can donate.
But because I’m not there I don’t know where to donate them… so if you know of needs, please, please let me know. I want to help if I can. I’ve made the same offer to my church leaders in West Plains, so first come first serve I guess. If you know of some good use this meat can be used for, please pass on the info and I’ll do what I can from across the country to make it happen.
God bless you all, and especially those affected by these floods. I miss you all and have had you in my prayers!
