A Tom-Filled Weekend! (And An Honest Story.)

Last weekend I didn't get to see very much of Tom, which is why I am super excited for this weekend with him!


(My good-lookin' boy!)

Tonight we're going on a "we really don't like fighting the crowds and prices on Valentine's Day, so we're going to dinner two weeks later" date. We're going to Meson Sabika, hands down my favorite tapas restaurant, and a former venue choice for our wedding. I absolutely LOVE the food at this place, and Tom enjoys it, too, even though the portions are small. This is the place where I first discovered bacon-wrapped dates, which was probably one of the greatest days of my life! ;) I just cannot stress enough how delicious all of their food (and their sangria!) is. If you're in the Naperville, IL area, check it out!!

On Saturday, Tom is competing in the conference meet for indoor track. I believe he's ranked #1 in the weight throw and #2 in the shot...or maybe #1 in both? I lose track, sorry!

So, I'll be making the drive northward to Kenosha to cheer him on! This meet is definitely a long time in coming, and it should be amazing.

For those of you who don't know his background, 2 years ago, Tom dislocated his ankle at track practice. It was no regular dislocation, and I'll spare you all the gory details. I received a phone call at 8 am saying that he was in an ambulance on his way to the hospital, and that emergency surgery was imminent. It took me exactly 14 minutes to pack my stuff, load my car, and pick up a very brave friend before I could set out on the 3 hour drive to him. I arrived at the hospital just as he was coming out of recovery. His injury was so severe that for several days after, we still had no idea whether or not he would ever be able to play sports again. Tom was told to keep his weight off his ankle for two months. He was on bed rest for a week, which was a lifetime for him. He was diligent in doing therapy and exercises, and two months later, Tom was not only walking on his ankle, but running and throwing shot put again.

Watching Tom go from being a record-setting athlete to a hospital patient who couldn't stand up on his own was one of the hardest periods of our relationship. I wanted to help him, but didn't know how. He wanted help, but didn't know how much. It was a turning point in our relationship, too, though. The night of his surgery, I stayed with him at the hospital. It was that night that we decided that we both wanted more out of our relationship --- that we needed to be together, especially through the rough times.

You obviously all know how that part of our story turned out. And as for Tom, he continues physical therapy and a variety of other treatments on his ankle to this day. And after two years of recovery, Tom has begun reclaiming all the records he set that season, and has become a force to be reckoned with. He took the time to strengthen the parts of his body where he was weak, he optimized his technique, and learned to channel his emotions and control his mind. His future is bright; he has one more season in track, and the possibility of training professionally once he graduates.

Tomorrow marks a full circle for him---a day he has been training for for years. And I couldn't be prouder to sit and cheer him on!

Good luck Thomas!