Chaz's First Majority Legs Day!!!

It's not a news flash that my hubby likes to keep me on my toes. Just when I've got the drill down he likes to throw in a curve ball. I am not saying this in a tone of contempt, actually it's just the opposite. I love that he throws in these curve balls. They are usually freaking awesome ones that remind me again how he defines Rock Star in my mind!

Earlier in the week we decided we would venture out to Butler's Orchard in Germantown, MD and let the girls run amok. Yesterday we were heading towards the Orchard when we realized Chaz forgot his legs. (I love the funny little things we get to say now. Like "Oops, you forgot your legs!") So I had to make a small u-turn and go grab them. Thank goodness I did, because the Orchard was not wheelchair friendly. Chaz said, "Well duh, it's an Orchard, it's for leg walkers. I guess I'm walking today." We parked and he put his legs on and got to stepping.

Last night I realized yesterday was the first day that Chaz was out of his wheelchair for the majority of the day. Normally he only gets out of it for little spurts at a time. He jumped into the passenger seat of the van at 10 something and little did I know he wouldn't be back in his wheelchair for hours. We parked at the Orchard just before 11am and he did not get back into his chair until we were back in our apartment around 7:30ish. Can you say woot-woot?! Or perhaps Hooah is more appropriate here!

He did not walk around that whole time. At the Orchard, he would walk to a bench and sit down and watch the kids. (But so would I.) Yesterday was about letting the girls go have a ton of fun running around and playing with other kids. So we would walk them to the next area and sit and let them go. Except at the Corn Maze, Chaz went through the Corn Maze with us. I was a nervous wreck. There were so many little rocks and holes and I was scared he'd find one, but nope not at all. He walked around like it was nothing. He needed both canes because of the terrain. But he did it! You can see in the picture he was making fun of my worrying by taking a pic of him on one leg.

We left the Orchard to go pick up the girls' friend from her hockey game and bring her to our place for a sleepover. I offered to get his chair. Chaz says, "Nope I'm walking in." I said ok. I will never ever hold Chaz back. I will run ahead and make sure the fewest amount of obstacles are in his way. But I have never and will never put limits on him. If anything I push him forward. So he walked in to the arena and went to sit in the stands and watch the game and then he walked out to the car afterwards. Then when we got to our apartment he informed me that he was walking to our apartment and that I could use his wheelchair to wheel up my purchases from the Orchard's market. So he took off and I followed. Then around 7:30ish he sat down in his chair and took his legs off. He said he even surprised himself. He said, "Well that wasn't so bad."

The coolest part of yesterday was all the people who came up and offered to help us and/or thank Chaz for his service. We had several people come up to us. The sweetest thing was the veterans who pulled me to the side and said, "Really is there something I could do for you guys." I told them all just pray for us and watch us heal and I gave them all the Team Allen website. I love that we have so many amazing Americans out there. They all wanted to make sure we had everything we needed and that we were being taken care of. Someone from the FBI even offered Chaz a job. Super cool!!

Then Deryn brings us her Barbie because its leg popped off. We couldn't get it back on. She then says, "Cool I have an amputee barbie." She grabbed it and took off to play. I think you can say she's comfortable with amputees now. Kids are so resilient. Also they were both proud of their Daddy for walking everywhere. Deryn said to me, "I know Daddy will always need a wheelchair, but I like it when he walks. It's so cool!" Do think they are a little proud of their Daddy?!

I love how these awesome days just keep coming! We have been working on Chaz's leg/chair ratio for a long time. Yesterday he kicked its ass! The new normal just keeps getting better and better. Now he just has to grow 3-4 more inches! No even 9 months in and my awesome hubby bikes the Army Ten Miler and in less then a week spends the majority of his days out of his wheelchairs. Eat that, you idiot who planted that IED!!!