close to death....

OK, so maybe that is a slight exaggeration but, I definitely felt like I was. After, what can only be described as, THE WORST football Saturday ever, I finally went to bed and tried to go to sleep for a few hours before work. Then I woke up to, the only worst thing to wake up to besides an annoying alarm clock......the IMMEDIATE need to find a trashcan, tolit, anything! Oh my goodness, I still can't believe how sick I was! I was burning up with fever and couldn't keep ANYthing down! I actually ended up sleeping on the bathroom floor on Sat night. Of course with my luck, Leigh was out of town on this weekend, so I was home alone. I called Louise and told her I was sick and she said to call her if I needed her. When I finally was able to get up on Sunday morning, I realized that I was definitely going to need some help. I was already so weak that I could barely make it to my own kitchen, only to realize that I didn't have ANYthing to drink. I tried to call Louise, I remembered that she had gone to early service and was probably back asleep by now. I tried to sip on some water and take some tylenol and that didn't go well, at all. I tried to call again, again getting no answer. Since I am no stranger to stomach problems and the dehydration that can follow, I knew that I was there and needed some Gatorade pretty quick. Finally, I called a freind of mine that works on first shift who sent a very nice police officer over with a huge thing of Gatorade. Louise, of course, called as soon as she woke up for service that night and came right after service and fixed me some soup. By later Sunday night, I seriously thought I might be dying. The only two things that I did from Sat afternoon to Mon afternoon were be sick and sleep. Finally Monday got here and my doctor worked me in. Of course I had a nasty stomach virus (is it crazy to anyone else that we can actually send people to walk around on the moon but can't figure out how to stop a simple stomach virus?!?) and was dehydrated (i could have saved myself that co-pay). She made sure that I was well stocked with Phenegran (sp?) and gave me an i.v. of fluidds. That was as much fun as it sounds like too. For any of you who have never had the pleasure, a nurse trying to find a vein to stick the needle in to give you the fluids is about as much fun as.....well, someone trying to dig a needle around in your arm!!!! Anyways, all this to say, I did live, and maybe only because of my friend Kesia, Officer Caldwell, and Louise! Thanks to all of them! Hopefully this week will be a better football week and I'll regain all of my strength. I'll need it, since, yesterday we signed a lease on the new house. We got lots of pictures, I'll put them up as soon as figure out how. We're real excited and open for anyone who wants to come join in our moving party!!!!

no way it's been nine years

Today me, Leigh, KaKa, Uncle Ervin, and Samantha all moved Kristen (my cousin) into the dorm for her freshman year at Faulkner. As we pulled onto campus I was flooded with emotions. What a very harsh realization that it was NINE years ago that my family pulled onto that very same campus to drop me off.
Nine years ago........nine years ago, when Momma had never had a stroke, Grandaddy was alive, all of my family still lived together, Adam was still alive, none of us had ever heard of ancephely, nor had been affected by down syndrome, and terrorism was one of the farthest things from any of our minds.
Nine years ago I was SO excited to meet new people, live on my own, start a new life.
Nine years ago I was SO scared to meet new people, live on my own, and start a new life.
Isn't life funny?
I told Leigh, "I need a do-over"
The more I thought about it, maybe I didn't. Maybe I don't.
Nine years ago........nine years ago, I had no idea how strong my family was, I didn't appreciate my grandparent the way I should have, I didn't know how wonderful living on my own could be and how much I appreciated the faith in myself, that my family gave me, I had never known a true American hero, I had no idea how strong my friend Melissa was, nor had I ever know the joy I know when I'm around Jessica (my cousin with down syndrome), and I had never seen the strength of the people of this great country.
Nine years ago if you had asked me what I would be doing in nine years, the only thing that I know for sure that I would have said is NOTHING that I am doing now. Again, isn't life funny?