I WALKED 2DAY!
I WAS DOING A USUAL SWIM THERAPY W/5 LB. WEIGHTS ON MY ANKLES 2 KEEP MY FEET DOWN, & WALKING ACROSS THE POOL (WHICH USUALLY CONSISTS OF ME STEPPING W/MY RT. FT., THEN MARK-WHO’S BEHIND ME, HOLDING ME-KICKING MY LT. LEG FORWARD, AFTER I BEND IT.) & WAS THINKING OF SOMETHING ELSE (I HAVE A HARDER TIME SPEAKING WHEN I TRY-I ‘THINK 2 MUCH’) & TOOK AN AMAZING STEP W/MY LT. FT.
IT WAS SO ALARMING, MARK ASKED IF I JUST STEPPED W/MY LT. FT. I KNEW I HAD, BUT WAS UNSURE HOW. 2 MY RELIEF I DID IT MANY TIMES (BUT STILL WONDER IF I CAN DO IT AT THE NEXT SWIM THERAPY) BUT I HAD 2 RELY ON THE KNOWLEDGE IT WAS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I’D DONE IT ONCE B4. NO SUBSEQUENT STEP WAS AS NICE-SOMEHOW THAT 1st STEP (I USED A DIFFERENT HIP MUSCLE & TOOK A ‘REAL’ STEP- SUBSEQUENT STEPS I HAD 2 TIPPY-TOE 2 BEND), BUT I MADE BOTH FEET MOVE! NOW IF ONLY MY TRUNK SUPPORT WAS THERE!
ABOUT MY ENSIGN ARTICLE, I FILLED OUT STUFF & IT DOESN’T GAURANTEE MY ARTICLE WILL BE PRINTED, BUT A HEFTY FEE IS PAID SO THEY CAN USE IT WHENEVER THEY CHOOSE. HOWEVER, I’M TERRIBLE AT KEEPING SECRETS, SO IT’S A GOOD THING I WASN’T TOLD WHEN I’D BE PUBLISHED! I JUST KNOW THEY CAN EDIT IT 2 FIT. ANY1 WHO KNOWS ME WELL, OR MY TESTIMONY, WILL KNOW IT WHEN THEY C THE TITLE-WHICH CHANGED 4 TIMES! UF U R NOT LDS/MORMON, WHEN/IF IT COMES OUT, I’LL POST A LINK-I ALWAYS USE THEIR AUDIO FILES.
MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT PEOPLE WILL THINK I WRITE ELOQUENTLY IF I TRY. I DON’T! REMEMBER I SAID THIS SAME ARTICLE WAS DENIED? THE MEAT WAS THERE ON BARE BONES. MY PARENTS SAW POTENTIAL & PICKED ME UP. MY MOM & MY BROTHER MIKE (CURRENTLY SERVING A MISSION 4 R CHURCH IN FINLAND) PUT FLESH ON THOSE BONES (1 PG. BECAME 2 & I ENSURED IT WAS STILL ‘MY WORDS’). LISA (MY OLDEST FRIEND-A PEN-PAL AT 12 YRS.) & MARK EDITED. IT WAS ACTUALLY MARK WHO INSPIRED THE FINAL TITLE, WHICH GAVE ME THE MOST GRIEF. SO, I DON’T STAND ALONE!
JENNY LYNN'S NEWS 
Jenny, what terrific news! All of it! Wow, I am so impressed. The step you took was fabulous, there’s no holding you back now! And the article, well, that is so wonderful. Now the world will know what all of your friends know. That you are someone to be respected and admired. You are a fighter who never gives up. That you have so many people who love and admire you and rejoice with you in your triumphs and feel your pain with your setbacks. We love you, Jenny!
Lynne Hurley
Jenny, we are so happy that the time has come for both of these things. We’ve just been waiting, because it was obvious that all you’ve been through – both you and Mark – has been heroic and has set a wonderful example for us. It is a natural that your story be shared with others. The courage both of you have displayed has been something for others to hold on to while they navigate their own trials, me included. “If Jenny and Mark can hang on and keep getting up each day to push forward, then certainly I can,” has been a mantra of mine from the beginning of your experince.
Your scrapbook pages are great! I’m still working on the computer trying to get going. We old people are a LOT slower than you young ones at understanding and doing this computer stuff. Thanks for your guidance and help. Love, Aunt Lois Ann and Uncle Dee
Hello Jenny:
I work with your father in the temple. Last night, at the end of our shift, he told me about you and this website. I’m impressed.
The progress you have made as evidenced by your photo gallery is inspiring.
I hope that you like Texas and your view of Lake Austin.
I’ll visit this site often and get progress reports from your dad on Thursday nights.
Many years ago a returned missionary traveled with me to speak in Eagle Pass, Texas. As we were driving south I asked, “David, what was the most important thing that you learned on your mission?” He didn’t hesitate and said, “The most important thing I learned is summarized in the following poem by an unknown author,” then, he said the following:
“It matters not to try and fail and try and fail again.
It matters much to try and fail and fail to try again.”
It is obvious that you and your family, working together, keep trying. You are a remarkable example for all of us.
I hope to meet you, Mark and your children someday.
Gary
Wow, Jenny–congratulations. I’m thrilled to hear about your progress, and I really look forward to seeing your article! Please do post a link–I’d love it if you could e-mail one to me–so I don’t miss it.
~Red Molly
I am so excited for you. I knew that you would make wonderful stides…sounds like you are doing GREAT!!!!! I am so thankful that you are writing on teh web again. I missed you!!!!! Now that I have a daughter of my own, I find I cry a lot. This one made me cry. I love that you are making such wonder memories there with your family. I know how luck it is to have mom near by. I am excited for Mike’s mission in Finland. How are MIssy, Brian and Rob??? Give the kids a kiss for me and tell Mark I say hello…I miss you all dearly
Janet