Wherein the girl from Utah travels to California to fall in the snow

People find it hard to believe we come from a place in California that has snow. Especially when we tell them we lived about 45 from Bakersfield. But really the weather in Tehachapi is a lot like Utah's weather. One day it can be sunny and the next we can get snow, which we did on Friday.

We were watching the quails, my most favorite bird, from Grandma and Grandpa's kitchen and I snapped a couple of pictures through the window:

On Saturday I got up and got ready to start packing. Gratefully I had at least showered and put on my clothes because I wandered out the back slider to eyeball the snow shovel. I took a few steps, realized I was wearing flip flops, and turned back to go into the house and change my shoes when I slid on the ice that had built up underneath the snow. I distinctly heard a snapping sound in there and knew this was not good.

Sarah got this picture right after it happened and you can see where the pain was right in that ankle bone area as it started swelling immediately:

For the first 45 minutes I was really in pain. I was pretty sure I was going to die when we put the frozen green beans on it. Peter started getting ready to run me down to Tehachapi Hospital, which is very small, and not where I wanted to go. Not to mention the unknown cost. So Peter called a nurse friend in our ward who said ice it, keep it elevated, and take Tylenol every four hours. There may not even be anything they can do for it anyway.

Blessings of blessings the pain started to subside and Paul and Megan came over with Natalie so I got to hold her one more time before we left.

Peter and his dad gave me a blessing and then he and Paul carried me out to the car. I kept saying, "This is so stupid." As if that was going to change anything.

I rode back to Utah in the back of our van with my foot propped up in the middle by a suitcase. I felt like an idiot going into bathrooms along the way being half carried by my husband and children. When you're six months pregnant there just isn't much choice.

The ride went mostly fine but not being able to walk around when we stopped really made me restless. We hit some snow and rain after St George and were significantly slowed down by this. I thought I'd die of claustrophibia those last two hours in the back of that van. We made it home right around 1am. I was in a delirium of happiness to ease myself into my bed.

Peter almost didn't come on this trip. Can you imagine? I feel bad he had to drive the whole way home but SO glad he was there!

My Visiting Teacher took me to the doctor on Monday morning. My foot was then swollen way up. He wanted to x-ray it but we opted not to due to potential risk to baby. He said in this case the difference between a break and a sprain was a soft brace verses a hard boot. We opted to treat it as a sprain. I'll probably never know if I actually broke anything in there.

This morning:

Swelling down some today but now bruising starting to show up.

Funny thing is Rebecca told one girl at church and suddenly we had people calling saying they had heard I had not only broken my leg, but that there was a bone sticking out. What?? No broken legs! No bones sticking out!

Sarah asked me if I've ever seen a pregnant person on crutches. I can't say I have, though I'm sure it has happened to many an unbalanced expectant mom.

I hobble around pretty good but my kitchen mostly looks like this.

Eww.

Oh well.

Nathaniel is driving for me right now-- taking kids to school, picking up from track, and going to the store. Of course it was my right foot. I feel really stupid for walking into the snow in my flip flops but I guess we all make bad decisions once in a while. Ironically the only thing that fits on my foot is now a flip flop.

Now since I'm trapped in my house I think I'll do the only logical thing-- limp up the stairs and take a nap.