This is...my year?
So...two weeks into 2008 and I finally post something. I have my excuses, of course. I must say, though, they're actually good this time. I'll start by saying how I spent my New Year's Eve to make a point. How did I -almost- spend the last 10 seconds of 2007? On the toilet. Not with my head in it, either.
To back up, I left to go to Pigeon Forge with my mother for a few days Xmas night. We had a really good time, just the two of us. We did some shopping for new clothes (new smaller clothes :D), went to Dollywood, went to Cades Cove, and we also went to the timeshare office and Mom came out of there a bigger property owner. The broker of the deal was a super nice guy. He even called to talk to us this past Saturday, in fact. His daughter married a Venezuelan so he and I hit it off right away.
I left PF to go to Jamie's for our Xmas get-together. It was a fun time, but not without some somber moments. Her grandmother passed away before we got there, so her house became the meeting center for the family. I hadn't gotten to meet Jamie's parents and oldest sister and her nieces and nephews before. They were all really hospitable and kind. I just wish I had been able to meet them under better circumstances. In any case, it was GREAT hanging out with my Ix-uhs. Just knowing that we make the effort to stay in touch and get together when we can affirms something I said (eep) 8 years ago now: "...When I go to college, I'll meet my friends for life."
So...on the way home...actually, from the night I got there...I started feeling bad. My back was hurting a lot and I was having stomach cramps. I thought my back was hurting because of the almost non-stop traveling Foxy and I did to get to Jamie's. I thought the cramps were from the stomach virus that went through about a quarter of my cousins. I started getting progressively worse each night. I tried to act like nothing was wrong, because there was already too much going on. But...Saturday night and Sunday it started getting unbearable. I was cramping like crazy on the way home, until about 2pm. I was able to make it home to GC safely, thank God. I got home about 7:15, I ate dinner, then went to bed at 8. I woke up at 10:30 and literally, it was hell from then on. I have never been in so much pain in all my life. I seriously thought I wanted to die or detach my stomach from my body so I could feel better. On new year's eve day I managed to get to the clinic. I met with the Dr., he thought I was pregnant (so wrong), but after tests he concluded I had a UTI and a stomach virus. NOT fun. So that's why my part of my countdown was on the toilet. I was taking meds and trying to get better...but still having pain. Thank God again, that the medicine did work and I did get better. Incidentally, my mom had a UTI as well...she had different symptoms than me and had to have an ambulance come get her new year's day because she wasn't able to stand up straight and walk. Crazy!
I went to my workday in the snowy weather and was thrilled that our first day with the kiddies turned into a snow day. It refreshed and charged me mentally, I think. I spent that day hanging out with Jessica, one of my high school friends. We caught up our lives and the lives of anyone we went to school with we know about. We also talked about how it's funny how things can turn out...and then she made what turned out to be somewhat of a prophetic statement. ...
Once I was coherent enough to realize that 2007 had gone and 2008 had arrived, I started having really good vibes about it. I have a lot to look forward to, I think. Lot of positive things happening around me. I may get to go back to the Olympics. That would be a tremendous opportunity. My sister has offically moved into my Momaw's house. There have been too many blessings of that to count. The best by far though, was that yesterday, for the first time in 10 months, my whole family was together at church. My Momaw eagerly and energetically got up, picked out her best Sunday outfit, and took her regular seat like she never left. I am currently about 22 pounds from my lifetime goal and my Mom is about 15. That is amazing!
Basically, I think this is my year, whatever that implies. A lot of positives and negatives happened over the past two years, and I've learned a lot and grown a lot. I have a lot more to do...but I'm looking forward to what God has in store. It's exciting to think that He's got awesome plans and I'm thankful that He's in charge, because I've proven I screw things up.
For now, I'm enjoying the new semester, adjusting to all Spanish I and the abundance of 8th graders, and loving the Australian Open.
Cuidense!
To back up, I left to go to Pigeon Forge with my mother for a few days Xmas night. We had a really good time, just the two of us. We did some shopping for new clothes (new smaller clothes :D), went to Dollywood, went to Cades Cove, and we also went to the timeshare office and Mom came out of there a bigger property owner. The broker of the deal was a super nice guy. He even called to talk to us this past Saturday, in fact. His daughter married a Venezuelan so he and I hit it off right away.
I left PF to go to Jamie's for our Xmas get-together. It was a fun time, but not without some somber moments. Her grandmother passed away before we got there, so her house became the meeting center for the family. I hadn't gotten to meet Jamie's parents and oldest sister and her nieces and nephews before. They were all really hospitable and kind. I just wish I had been able to meet them under better circumstances. In any case, it was GREAT hanging out with my Ix-uhs. Just knowing that we make the effort to stay in touch and get together when we can affirms something I said (eep) 8 years ago now: "...When I go to college, I'll meet my friends for life."
So...on the way home...actually, from the night I got there...I started feeling bad. My back was hurting a lot and I was having stomach cramps. I thought my back was hurting because of the almost non-stop traveling Foxy and I did to get to Jamie's. I thought the cramps were from the stomach virus that went through about a quarter of my cousins. I started getting progressively worse each night. I tried to act like nothing was wrong, because there was already too much going on. But...Saturday night and Sunday it started getting unbearable. I was cramping like crazy on the way home, until about 2pm. I was able to make it home to GC safely, thank God. I got home about 7:15, I ate dinner, then went to bed at 8. I woke up at 10:30 and literally, it was hell from then on. I have never been in so much pain in all my life. I seriously thought I wanted to die or detach my stomach from my body so I could feel better. On new year's eve day I managed to get to the clinic. I met with the Dr., he thought I was pregnant (so wrong), but after tests he concluded I had a UTI and a stomach virus. NOT fun. So that's why my part of my countdown was on the toilet. I was taking meds and trying to get better...but still having pain. Thank God again, that the medicine did work and I did get better. Incidentally, my mom had a UTI as well...she had different symptoms than me and had to have an ambulance come get her new year's day because she wasn't able to stand up straight and walk. Crazy!
I went to my workday in the snowy weather and was thrilled that our first day with the kiddies turned into a snow day. It refreshed and charged me mentally, I think. I spent that day hanging out with Jessica, one of my high school friends. We caught up our lives and the lives of anyone we went to school with we know about. We also talked about how it's funny how things can turn out...and then she made what turned out to be somewhat of a prophetic statement. ...
Once I was coherent enough to realize that 2007 had gone and 2008 had arrived, I started having really good vibes about it. I have a lot to look forward to, I think. Lot of positive things happening around me. I may get to go back to the Olympics. That would be a tremendous opportunity. My sister has offically moved into my Momaw's house. There have been too many blessings of that to count. The best by far though, was that yesterday, for the first time in 10 months, my whole family was together at church. My Momaw eagerly and energetically got up, picked out her best Sunday outfit, and took her regular seat like she never left. I am currently about 22 pounds from my lifetime goal and my Mom is about 15. That is amazing!
Basically, I think this is my year, whatever that implies. A lot of positives and negatives happened over the past two years, and I've learned a lot and grown a lot. I have a lot more to do...but I'm looking forward to what God has in store. It's exciting to think that He's got awesome plans and I'm thankful that He's in charge, because I've proven I screw things up.
For now, I'm enjoying the new semester, adjusting to all Spanish I and the abundance of 8th graders, and loving the Australian Open.
Cuidense!