Happy New Year everyone! This has been one hell of a year. Exciting, tragic, fun, and sad.
In January, I started my first college classes. I took Intermediate Algebra and General Chemistry I, and did better than I thought I'd do. I got an A in math and a B in chemistry. It's good to know that I can still be a good student after all these years. And I never would've been able to do it if I didn't have such great friends! My friend Samantha babysat the kids for me for the last 2 months of the semester because they changed Nick's schedule and we didn't have anyone else to watch them during the time that we'd both be gone. Thank you so much Samantha!
My brother Tim passed away in April. He wasn't my biological brother, but he was a part of our family for a decade. I remember last New Year's Eve, he was all excited about the Harley Davidson pilsner glass that I had gotten him for Christmas. When you poured a soda into it, the fizz covered up the picture on the glass, and as the fizz went away, it looked like the picture on the glass sort of magically appeared out of nowhere. He only got it to happen once, and he kept trying to get me to see it, but he couldn't make it happen again. This New Year's Eve, I have his glass. I'm not sure if I'm ready to take it out of the package and drink from it yet, though.
In June, I turned 28 and officially became older than my older brother, Joe. That was a weird feeling, since Joe was 10 1/2 years older than me. Catching up to him in age was never supposed to be an option. As I say goodbye to 2011, it makes my heart ache that I can't celebrate the new year with either of my brothers. Not a day goes by that I don't think about what Joe would be like if he were still here, or what I'd be making fun of Tim for if he were still here. Love you both so much, and hopefully our souls will cross paths again someday. xoxo
This year wasn't only filled with sorrow though. I got a new tattoo of the notes to my first favorite song, Please Don't Go Girl. Then when I got to meet Joey McIntyre in June at the NKOTBSB concert that was my birthday present, he looked at it, followed the music and hummed it to me. My inner 6 year old died and went to heaven.
Nick and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary! I can't believe it's been that long already. I guess time really does fly when you're having fun. :) Love you Nick!
We made some new friends, Autumn and Tom! They moved in next door when Rick and Becky moved out. We've all shared a lot of laughs together..... hug coupons, stupid neighbors, rearranging houses, and ASS! :) LOL
I also got to take my mom to get her first tattoo for her birthday! I'm so glad I got to be there with her for that. Love you Mom!
I finished the summer by taking 2 more college classes, and getting an A in both English Composition I and World Religions.
And old friend and I have made amends, and it feels good to leave behind what was, and to let the wounds start to heal. With any luck, our acquaintanceship will turn back into the friendship that it used to be. As angry as I've been the last couple years, I still have missed the good times we had in Washington. If I didn't, then it wouldn't have bothered me so much when we stopped speaking. Here's to a better future, and a stronger friendship!
David had to start school with a bald spot because he literally pulled the hair out of his head. Weirdo. It's almost completely grown back in now, thank God. lol Abby started school with a couple less baby teeth, and David still has not even had 1 loose tooth.
I started my third semester of college the same day my kids went back to school. I took English Composition II, and College Algebra. I finished the semester with an A in English and a C in algebra. I could've done better in algebra, but I missed a lot of school due to some strange health issues I had going on. I missed about a week because I had the flu, and I missed another week or 2 just because of all the doctor's appointments that I had.
I found out that I have diverticulosis, which half of all people over the age of 60 have. Nice, right? I'm not even 30 yet! What the hell? So I had my first colonoscopy so they could check to see if I had anything else going on in there. Then my neck started to bother me. I went to the doctor, and he told me it was just an inflamed muscle. The neck pain never went away, but I had started school and it was enough of a distraction that I forgot about it until just a couple weeks ago. I went back to the doctor around the end of November, and they took some x-rays. Because they were x-raying the top of my spine, they got my skull in the film too and accidentally discovered that my sella turcica (the bone in your skull that holds your pituitary gland) is enlarged. So then I had an MRI and they found out that I have empty sella syndrome. Some cerebro-spinal fluid leaked in to that part of my brain, compressing my pituitary gland, and that is what caused that bone to be enlarged. Yikes! My neck is starting to feel much better though after some physical therapy and some good head & neck massages.
For Christmas this year, I got to see my sister and her family because they all drove up to spend the holiday with us. My nephews have all grown soooooo much and 2 of them are pretty dang close to being taller than me! Love you all so much!
Which brings me to today. Tomorrow is a new year. Nick doesn't have orders yet, so we have no idea if we'll be leaving in June, or if we'll have to extend because the Navy doesn't have the money to send him to another C school. If we have to extend, then I will truly be blessed to have more time to spend with my friends and family. If we move in June, then such is life as a Navy wife. We'll be on to our next adventure in another state. I'll miss everyone here in Illinois, but look forward to more college, and more new friends.
To all my friends and family... May the path you take be the one you're truly meant to be on. I hope it brings you happiness and good health. Don't hold grudges because life is too short. I don't care what "they" say, it's ok to have regrets, and to want to do better next time. It's called inspiration and motivation. Embrace life, try new things, be angry less often, laugh more often, and never ever forget to count your blessings. Look around you at all the wonderful things you have in your life so that when you are feeling down, you can remember those things, and hopefully they will bring you back to a better place.
Happy New Year!
