Had acl reconstruction on 1/8/2016 using a patellar tendon graft. my question is- is it normal to lift your leg with tendon when muscles don't work?

No: The answer is "No" because tendons don't contract... meaning they don't move on their own. The muscles contract. To move against gravity, such as lifting a leg, at least one muscle has to move. Otherwise, nothing happens. To move with gravity, such as letting a leg drop down, whatever muscles that were holding the leg up just have to relax or stop contracting... and the leg will drop.