I am so blessed. As I take a quick second to reflect over the last couple of months, two thoughts come to mind. First – Wow! Time flies! And second, I am so blessed!
At the end of June my big sister surprised the family with some exciting news! I am going to be an aunt! She and her husband are expecting their first child at the end of January. They are going to wait and find out the gender of the baby after he/she arrives. I don’t know how they are able to wait! I am too excited! This is the first baby in the family and everyone is buzzing with anticipation and enthusiasm. You know I have already begun to spoil this little miracle. It blows my mind seeing the ultrasound pictures. Even at 12 weeks, you can see so much detail. I can’t wait to meet that little person, and love them, and watch them grow. For now though I get to see my sister grow and change as she becomes a mom! I am so happy for her and her husband. I know they will be great parents. It was funny when Chris finally put it together that them having a baby meant he would be an uncle. A whole new level of excitement washed over him. We will have a fun role to play in the child’s life. I know our family will never be the same and I know – I am so blessed!
At the beginning of July by Dad was rushed to the ER with an unexplained illness. His body was on fire and he was losing sense recognition and muscle control. It was so scary – the unknown! Only later did we realize how bad things really were, how close we were to not ever being able to bring Dad home. After a week in the hospital, the doctors decided he was suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome or GBS. Guillain-Barre syndrome is a serious disorder that occurs when the body's defense (immune) system mistakenly attacks part of the nervous system. This leads to nerve inflammation that causes weakness and pain. The family circled the wagons. It was so scary while it was all happening. But now I look back and see how strong my family is. We each have our gifts that we bring to the table and together we can face anything. Even my husband flew up from Texas one weekend to help out and be the support my family and I needed. I stayed in Indiana for 2 weeks to help out. My father was able to return home after his 21 day “vacation” at St. Vincent’s Hospital. He is well on the road to recovery now. And I say without hesitation – I am so blessed!
August brought my birthday. Chris came home and spent the weekend with me. We had a blast! He had to fly back to Texas on my actual birthday since it fell on a Monday this year but he really made the weekend special. He took me out to dinner and made me a wonderful breakfast (a family tradition). He also got me a really cool new camera that I had been wanting. The rest of my family didn’t let my birthday pass without celebration either. They all called and sent well wishes and I felt so loved. Even my work family took me to lunch and then had a cake waiting for me. Then, that night – my new extended family on Chris’s side took me to a celebration dinner and had another party with cake for me. Yes, I love cake J. I was totally exhausted by the end of it all but I felt so special. Cake, friends, family, and more cake! What more could anyone want!?! Even now, thinking of the great lengths my family went to celebrate with me I know – I am so blessed!
Now the fall semester is getting ready to start. This brings a flurry of work for me as an instructional designer, an instructor, and a student. Yes, I am still a student – I am working on my dissertation, making progress – slow and steady. I love my job and my course that I teach. The work is challenging but engaging and great. I love the ideas and angles my co-workers bring to the table. They push me to grow as a professional and individual every day. I haven’t met my students yet. But I hope they enjoy the class I have prepared as much as I do. I know it will be a great semester. Sitting here, looking around, I can’t help but feel happy. Not everyone can go to work every day and love what they do and who they get to work with. I know - I am so blessed!
In 14 days, I will fly down to Texas and meet up with Chris. From there, we will pack up his apartment and drive back home. I cannot wait! Every now and then I worry about how it will be to live in the same house (we only really lived together for 1 month before he was stationed in Texas). I worry about how we will do sharing the bathroom and adjusting to each other’s schedules. I worry that he will get tired of my being around – he is used to being a bachelor. But then he calls or comes home to visit and everything is perfect! I know there will be an adjustment period but I also know that together we can accomplish anything. Yes, we might get frustrated with each other, but that is all part of it. And I cannot wait to travel those ups and downs of married life with Chris living in the same house as me. I am married to a strong man who is a great partner and who would do anything for me. He is my better half and because he is in my life I know - I am so blessed!
Lord, I am so blessed! Thinking of everything that has happened in my life over this last summer only proves even more how blessed I am. We have laughed and we have cried. We have been scared and we have rejoiced. We have been alone and we have been with good company. I thank God for all that is happening in my life. And as we all stand at the precipice of the fall semester, this next chapter, I can only image all that He has in store for me and I smile because I know – I am so blessed!
