Jeepers!!!

Tomorrow marks one week of wearing this crazy neck brace! It has been a painful, tiring week!  But the best part is the way the kids unabashedly STARE at me!!! My first "outting" around New Hope was last Tuesday. I was on my way to Ladies' Bible Study and I left the house 15 minutes early so I could spend time talking with people who might wonder about the brace.  NO ONE asked me ANYTHING! Children, old and young and adults all just stared and were speechless. I was really tired as my muscles were pulling in all different directions all day and I had no interest whatsoever in offering any information if people weren't brave enough to ask.  So, I got to Bible study early and enjoyed talking to Aunt Marian for awhile.  

Now that I am a week into this 8 week ordeal, some of my muscles are stronger and do not bother me so much. Others are still screaming. I find myself very tired by about 1 p.m. and throughout the afternoon I take intermittent rests.  By about 8:30 I am toast. But, another part of this 2 month regimen is nightly traction for 20 minutes. Geoff has to set me up with 7 kg of water weight to oppose me and I "hang" as I sit. Not the most comfortable position, but it is slowly helping to improve the pain.

I have to share my favorite story of the kids who have stared at me. I was walking with a friend yesterday and talking with her, so I waved a quick hello to one of our New Hope kids who had stopped on his bicycle along the path. I could tell that he was fixed on me and wondering what was going on with the weird contraption around my neck! I kept walking and at the next junction we found him waiting for us!  He had sped up on his bike and taken a short cut so that he could look again. Finally he said, "AUNT! WHAT HAPPENED?" I was happy to answer him as he had the boldness to pursue me! Satisfied with knowing what was going on, he rode off with a smile.

My other story gives me the title of the blog. One of our fellow missionaries sent their son to borrow a movie from us a few days ago. The kid had not yet seen me and when I greeted him at the door he asked, "WHAT HAPPENED?????" After I explained he laughed and exclaimed, "Jeepers!" which then made me laugh. His response was very cute!

Thanks for all of you praying for me and for us! I have some other fun blogs to do in the next few days, but they may not get posted as soon as I would like.  The rest of life doesn't stop just because I move a bit more slowly through it!  Blessings!