A Great Day!

  Kim woke up this morning feeling rested and refreshed.  Her legs continue to return to normal.  I was able to put a chair in our shower stall for her and she was able to shower by herself for the first time in a month or so.  She wept in the shower with gratitude - she takes absolutely nothing for granted anymore!
  After a nice breakfast sandwich from Subway and a big bowl of grits that I made for Kim, she was ready to get out of the house!  We made our way down to Target to try to pick up a few things for the bambini's Christmas and then went to Subway for lunch - our first lunch together since we can remember.
  This afternoon, I went to pick up Cody from school.  When we returned, Kim was not in her Lazy Boy...we found her in the kitchen baking soft pretzels for the bambini's!!  She was looking for some coarse salt to put on them, seeing the box on an upper shelf, she used a spatula to get it down thinking 'oh gosh, Dave and Cody will come home to find me unconscious on the kitchen floor amidst a salt spill', but she neatly caught the box and finished cooking.  She said she needed to feel human again.
  Our friend Vonda, who's son, Mano is in Tonio's class, took Tonio and Autumn over to her house after school to play with Mano and her daughter Maya.  She also helped them with their homework before bringing them home.  They had a fun time.
  Then, it was an emotional evening, as our friend Melissa, who is volunteer coordinator at Cottonwood, the position Kim is at Rincon Vista, engineered a community fund raiser, at Chuy's.  We would like to thank the Vail community for the incredible support that they showed our family tonight!  There were teachers from Rincon Vista, Desert Sky, Senita Valley, Cottonwood, principals from all three schools, support staff, Cody's football coaches from Desert Sky, parents, children (bambini's!), nurses from St. Joseph's Hospital (thanks Annie!! and thank you Will!!), people who worked with me at Kohl's, plus, support from the Knights of Columbus at St. Pius church.  It was overwhelming, yet energizing - we cannot thank you all enough for all that you are doing for us!!  The night was incredible.  I took photos and showed them to Kim at home, who was beyond belief and very teary with gratitude.  You are her strength!
   Our neighbor, Amy, came over to sit with Kim while the kids and I were at Chuy's and made dinner for Kim (chicken adobo - it is great!).  Mrs. and Mr. Schrantz came by afterwards with a walker for Kim, we plan to put that to use tomorrow...after her surprise hair appoinment here at the house - our friend, Janene, is going to come in the morning before she goes to work at her salon, Unique Identity, and take care of Kim's hair, for although I have done my best Zohan, I cannot match Janene's expertise! 
   So, it was a great day for Kim today - perhaps her best in the last month.  She was grateful and enjoyed every minute of it...she is so beautiful, full of life, hope and belief...
  Thank you all again...for everything,
        Love,
                  Dave