Vinny vs. Turkey

Time for the annual Thanksgiving blog post! (Get our your hand turkeys!)

Things I am thankful for:

• My Savior who is always near, even when I refuse to acknowledge Him like a selfish teenager.
• My family who grows increasingly more precious to me as time passes and I see them less often. 
• The FABULOUS house and housemates God has blessed me with this year. 
• Good friendships that grow and change, but stay with me. 
• Maddie. 
• Laughter.
• Children that bring me joy.
• Lisa Frank stickers (which one of my housemates used to cover the house with a few weeks ago.)

This Turkey Day has been interesting. Soon after waking, I assisted mom in preparing the huge meal while dressed in my pajamas (which previous messy experience has taught me is WISE). My mother also turned on her oldies CD and sang me a few lines of a song about how beautiful I was. Lovely. This meant, however, that when my oh-so-proper grandmother came through the door, I greeted her in my sleepwear while scootin' my booty to "Whenever I See Your Smilin' Face". But she managed to forgive this infraction and gave a bee-yoo-tiful ring as a late birthday gift. It may never leave my finger.

Of course, I changed, we consumed lots of food and coffee, told fun stories, and did all those things that funny families who love each other do. After my grandmother left, we settled in the playroom to spent the rest of the day watching movies, which is the usual Love family holiday ritual. 

Then it hit. Vinny. Mean, awful, nasty Vinny. First the heartburn...then the dizzyness...then the feeling that I couldn't breathe...then the shaking...and then I was on the floor. These are the moments when I'm grateful for a medical family. Dad found some steroids and mylanta, mom found a blood pressure cuff and googled my symptoms. Turns out, thanks to acid reflux and Vinny the vile stomach dragon, I was having esophagus spasms, which feel very similar to a heart attack. OHGREAT. This happened a couple other times the last couple months, but not nearly as badly. But it shows that I really really really need to put on my shining armor and battle this dragon--exercise, forced diet, and *GASP* giving up my daily coffee. I am currently lounging in my bed, lightheaded but ok, drinking water and chowing on Tums like candy. 

And, as I sat in my room trying to calm down, I began to think about what I would do if this happened again away from my medical parents.....maybe in a different country where I would already be culturally stressed and my poor stomach would not be ready for the food. Actually, a lot of things could happen if I went overseas....or if I stayed here......or if I continued to live as a mortal human being. Let's be honest, life is dangerous (YIKES). But as I laid on the floor freaking out, God's voice was so stinking clear---"You're my child, I love you, I know EXACTLY what is going on, we will get through this together." 

Then I stumbled across a website that advertised a teaching fellowship program in Asia. 11 months of teaching English with a team of people who love Jesus under mentor teachers who also love Jesus. Hm. Ever since I met my Chinese friends this summer, I've been interested in that country. So I sent in my information. No idea if that's going to be IT, the NEXT STEP, but the important thing is that IT--the hunt--HAS BEGUN. And I'm scared and desiring to trust my Father, but ever so THANKFUL that He's always there, even when scary-as-$#*%-things happen. 

Happy Thankgiving to all, and to all a gastroesophageal reflux disease-free night!

Family in The Hollow

The semester is almost over, and for the first time in my college career, I'm OK with that. Christmas cannot get here SOON ENOUGH. 

Yeah, it's a little sad that this is my last semester of classes. And it's a little sad that I'm almost a graduate. But I feel a bit like I've already graduated, not living on campus and all. And it's a lot sad how much homework I've had this semester. Vinny's come back with a vengeance due to stress and lack of sleep and I won't miss him when this is over.

Life in The Hollow, however, has flourished. What triggered this? We got a TABLE. (this picture was before we decorated the kitchen)

You know what a table means? Family dinner. And decorating together.

Then we started reading the Hunger Games out loud together. Which led to family bonding time.

It also led to no sleep.

And then there was that night I came back to find that they had raided my dress-up bag.

I almost peed my pants with laughter.

And you can't count out all the great times with Maddie: her acting up, ruining homework, dancing with us, slobbering on everything, covering the house with hair, and bringing us together. 

(she's spoiled rotten)

Unfortunately, this is the time when everyone begins to ask what I'm going to do with my life. My answer? Keep my hands wide open and pray for God to assure me that the "where" will come when it's supposed to. Besides, everyone know that's a dumb question to ask an almost-graduate. When do we EVER know what we're doing??