MAY 2004
May 31, 2004:
Happy Memorial Day! May we all take time to remember those who have fought to hold onto our freedom. And may be also remember the One who did the ultimate sacrifice to save us from our sin and give us freedom to live in Him. Thank you Jesus!
Well, I'm 12 years old now. I'm not that thrilled about it but I love having birthdays. My mom and I went to the mall grand opening and I had face painting done on my arm, did crafts (we painted flower pots), had my picture taken with a stilt man, had animal balloons made, met Spiderman and also some of the Nebraska Husker football players, and oh, how can I forget? My mom and I both won Harry Potter tickets with a spin game. The spinner was something a radio station was doing and there were prizes for everyone. There were all kinds of things that could be won. When I went up on the stage I had to spin three times because I kept getting the free spin and then I landed on Harry Potter premiere tickets. Then, my mom came up on stage and SHE landed on Harry Potter tickets. The announcer said that had never happened before...two in a row. So, now my mom and I are going to a premiere of the Harry Potter movie and I'm so excited! We took lots of pictures so I'll share them soon. The mall grand opening was like a street fair. It was alot of fun! Then, my mom and I went to see Shrek II. I loved it! I think it is better than the first one. My mom also took me to get my hair done (a little bit of a highlight) and we went to Limited Too and I picked out some fun things to wear. We had $50.00 in credit from the store from past purchases and we also found some great sales and so we really came out good. It really was a good birthday. I missed not seeing my brothers and friends but I had a good time with my mom. My grandma also had a little party for me at my great grandma's place. We had cake and ice cream and they gave me some money. I'm thinking what to get with it and I'm really thinking about sending it to my brother for his comedy class, but I'm not sure yet. I'll just hang onto it and save it and decide later. A friend of mine sent me a new pair of skating boots and blades and I'm so thankful. This was a definite answer to prayer. I love them. I only wish I could wear them and skate in them. I know it won't be long, though. Another friend of mine sent me a beautiful emerald bracelet. It's gorgeous. I will have to call it my lucky bracelet. I'm so thankful for all the special people in my life.
Need to go to bed now. I'm getting up early. Even though everyone else is out of school, I will be continuing on throughout the summer. I've finished some of the subjects but I will be on math and english all summer.
God bless-
Sarah Elizabeth Kidd
May 26, 2004:
I went to Dr. Espisito yesterday. He is my pediatric orthopedist. I have what is called a right distal fibular salter fracture. It is basically a fracture of the ankle and we think it happened when I fell on that double axel in off ice jumps class. Actually, I came down wrong on my foot. I remember the loud pop but when I went to the doctor it was just said that I had a mild sprain. I kept working on it as best as I could and it eventually felt better, but it never really felt 100%. Then, about two weeks ago, it started to hurt quite a bit. I can't really point to any one thing that made it hurt. My mom took me to a new doctor who took an x-ray and said it was not right. I was sent to Dr. Espisito and now I know what is wrong. He almost put a cast on my foot....but, I told him I needed to get back on the ice as soon as possible. He said if I behaved I could wear a walking boot and do physical therapy and hopefully get back on the ice in four weeks. That made me cry. But, it's better than being in a cast for 6 weeks. So, I will do my best to do everything I'm suppose to do. On June 11th I'm having a CAT scan to see how the healing is progressing and also to check on the ligaments to make sure something else is not going on, too. Then, I go back to see him on June 16th. Wow! I can't believe this is happening but I know that God is in control and that "ALL things work for the good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose." So, I will trust God and believe all will work out.
Only two days until my birthday! My mom is going to take me to get my hair done. I think I'm going to have a little bit of a highlight done and a cut. I'm not getting my hair cut short, just having it trimmed and styled a little. Then, we are going to get my nails done and shopping. I think we are going to Limited Too because we have something like $50.00 off in coupons that we have gotten from past purchases. I think it will just be me and my mom because everyone is out of town. There is a grand opening of a mall close to our house with all kinds of entertainment and stuff like face painting, crafts, etc. There is a new movie theatre opening up there, too,and we are going to go see Shrek II. It should be fun.
Tomorrow I have my lesson with Avi again. He is our "ballet on ice" instructor but I'm having off-ice ballet with him. Because of my injury we are mostly working on arms and stretching. I also start my physical therapy tomorrow and then later in the evening I'm starting with a personal trainer at a place called "Going Vertical". I'm working with a guy named Heath who has had his share of ankle injuries in the past and knows all about them. We are starting out with simple things until I get my ankle boot off and then we will work on strengthening exercises and things like plyometrics. The website is www.goingvertical.net and I can hardly wait to get started. I can start swimming at the YMCA next week. I'm also working out at the YMCA with weights and cardio but nothing weight bearing. We are planning to go to Phoenix next week (hopefully) and so most of the summer training will start after I get back. I think I'm doing pilates, ballet, swimming, the personal trainer for strength and conditioning and then, of course, skating. It will be a busy summer. My mom said she wants me to start an instrument, too. I'm still narrowing my choices down because she won't let me play the "drums". 
It's time to get to bed. I'm tired and I get up early tomorrow for my off ice lesson.
God bless....
Sarah Elizabeth Kidd
May 22, 2004:
Tonight we have been going through some wild weather. We have tornado activity around us so we are keeping watch to see if we will have to run to the shelter or not. I remember last May was this way, too.
I'm kind of bored not being able to skate or workout. It really is killing me that I'm not at the rink. Today everyone left to go to Virginia Beach and I'm not with them. 
My new skates came in and I can't even try them out! 
Spunky has overcome her recent health things and now I hope and pray I get healthy soon. My mom has been pushing calcium foods down me. I'm lactose intolerant so I don't drink milk.
Last night my mom and I went to see the movie "Troy" and I loved it! Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt are awesome in it. The other actors are really good, too. It's not really a show that little kids should watch but it is definitely my type of movie. It is almost 3 hours long but it didn't seem like it. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is coming out June 4th and I can hardly wait. Return of the King is coming out on DVD on May 25th.
Tomorrow my mom and I are going to Lincoln to see my aunts and then go see my grandma and grandpa. They are staying in their RV for the summer again. I know Tony (their basset hound) has been looking for us so he will be happy to see us. Next Tuesday is my doctor appointment with the specialist and then we are going to try and get to Phoenix to see my brothers. I hope we get there. It seems like we keep getting sidelined.
Am going to go now and watch Harry Potter on DVD.
Love,
Sarah Elizabeth Kidd
May 19th, 2004:
I found out my fracture is more than a stress fracture! It is a fracture across the lower end of my leg bone. I will be seeing a specialist next Tuesday at 1 pm. My mom and I are taking my old skate boots and the new ones to discuss how skating is affecting my injury or if it is skating that is doing the damage. IT might be from that time I was doing double axels in jumps class and twisted my ankle and thought it was just sprained. We'll find out more next week.
We got the computer back but we are still not online. Tomorrow the Cox cable guy is coming out to redo our cable modem and get us online....yea! I can hardly wait because I have so much to put on the website. I have new pictures from the Champions on Ice show and they are awesome! There are some really fun pics that I want to share.
I'll write in tomorrow once the computer is up and running...yea!
May 17th, 2004:
It seems this entry is nothing but bad stuff but I have to put it all in. First of all, Spunky just had a stroke this morning. It really scared me. She was having a "fit" and I brought her in to mom. Mom stayed with her through it all. It was really scary. She can't move her back legs now and cannot stand up. She still wants to eat and drink but I'm scared because I don't know what is going to happen now. She is so old and I worry she is dying. I love her so much!
Also, I'm in an air cast. In February I had sprained my ankle doing double axels in off ice jumps class and it was just a week before the Heart of America competition in Kansas City. IT really bummed me out but by the competition it seemed to be better. The doctor never took an x-ray because she thought it was a minor sprain. But, it has never totally gotten better and this past week it started hurting alot. My coach wanted me to rest for two weeks before going to Virginia Beach and then thought it would get better with the sand training since the workout is meant to strengthen ankles, etc. But, it started hurting more than ever so my mom took me to a new doctor who took an x-ray right away. He said I have a stress fracture and also said it looked "funny". What does THAT mean? He is sending the x-ray to a pediatric orthopedic specialist and we are waiting to hear back. He told me they are calling a specialist in Ohio that deals with figure skating injuries. Anyway, in the mean time, I am wearing an air cast and am suppose to stay off my foot. I hate it! My mom said I can't go to Virginia Beach now and that really bums me out! My coach does not even know yet. This is awful. And our Arizona trip is also on hold until we know how Spunky is going to be and hear what to do about my ankle. UGH!
I'll write again as soon as I know more and hopefully it will be much better news!
Love,
Sarah Elizabeth Kidd
May 10th, 2004:
May is here and I can hardly believe it! It has been over a year since I left sunny Arizona for the midwest. This year has passed by so quickly and I am so thankful for the many blessings the Lord has showered upon me. When I came here I was a pre pre skater and now I am working to test my Juvenile moves and freestyle. Whew! I just recently came back from two competitions in Kansas City. In February I placed 2nd in FS at Heart of America and in April I placed 3rd in the initial round and 6th in finals at Skate Kansas City. I also placed 3rd in compulsories. The Premier FSC won the team trophy at both competitions. It was alot of fun with all my friends.
This summer is going to very full and exciting. The Virginia Beach training camp is this month, from May 22nd to June 5th. Valentin Nikolayev will be conducting it. (He is Oksana Baiul's coach). In July I will be competing in a very tough competition in Detroit called Skate Detroit. Then there will be two competitions in Chicago after that, followed by regionals. I have alot of work ahead of me.
I am also hoping to go to Arizona to see my brothers and help my mom get our stuff out of storage. Everything costs money, though. I am still praying for enough money to make it to camp, get to Arizona and get new skates. Yep, my toes are at the end of my skates and I need new ones desperately. Please pray for me that I can get new skates and don't have to be off the ice for 6 months like the last time. I don't want to lose everything that I've worked so hard to attain.
Yesterday I went to the Champions on Ice show. It was so much fun! There was a whole group of us there because we had a block of seats. I sat by Misha. Afterwards, Claire and I went to the back of the Mid-America center and waited for the skaters to come out. Chris, a friend in Colorado, sent me a picture of the first tour with some autographs on it. I love it! I took the picture with me to add more autographs. I met Michelle Kwan, Dorothy Hamil, Nancy Kerrigan, Rudy Galindo (who was probably the nicest), Timothy Goebel, Elvis Stoijko, the hula hoop skater, and the acrobat who did the handstands. It was awesome. My mom took some pictures of me and Claire with the skaters. I can't wait to see them. It was so much fun and Claire was so happy, too. That, in itself, made me so happy. She was so funny. When Michelle Kwan came out, Claire was saying things like, "Wow! I can't believe it is Michelle Kwan! My legs are shaking!" Michelle Kwan was laughing and saying something like, "That's so cute!" She is beautiful! It was the greatest day! After the show we went out to eat and had Chinese, my favorite. I couldn't stop talking about the show and meeting the skaters.
Guess I'll write more later....love ya all...
Sarah Elizabeth Kidd 
