It's been a while...

Okay, so I haven't written anything on this blog in a long, long time. I have my reasons though.

Reason #1:



This little girl keeps me very busy. I can barely keep up some days. This is due to her being two years old and...

Reason #2: being pregnant with another little girl who will keep me on my toes in the not so far away future (scheduled to come into this world in less than three weeks!)

Reason #3: I was diagnosed with a major herniated disc in my lower lumbar spine in early January. I spent most of winter break laying in my bed in excruciating pain, all the while my chiropractor was telling me it was normal. Hmmmmm...he had been telling me my back pain was normal for about 6 months, but it took paralysis and wanting to gnaw my leg off because of pain for me to seek another opinion. I trust too much. So, yeah...I will have some permanent nerve damage in my right leg (numbness, weakness, no reflexes) and will probably be having back surgery a few weeks after reason #2 is born. Keep your fingers crossed that my next MRI shows some healing so I won't have to do this.

Reason #4:



My brother-in-law passed away in mid-November. It has been very difficult to deal with. I have a lot to say, but have trouble saying it still. I can't even imagine what my sister is dealing with on several different levels. Dan has been down there to help a bit, but not since December when reason #3 went down.

Reason #5: graduate school. I have been taking two classes per semester this year to get this degree completed. I am tired of commuting, tired of sitting in class, tired of missing evenings away from my family, and tired of writing papers on subjects that do not interest me all that much. The good news is, I am almost done with two more classes and registered for my LAST class the other day. It ends in July and then I have to study for the comps exam. When I pass it (notice, I didn't say "if" because I know I will), I will be completely finished with my master's degree. I don't even want to look at another classroom from the perspective of a student again for at least a few years.

So, that has been the last six months or so in a nutshell. Eventful enough to keep me away from writing about it until now. So, what am I doing now???

I am home, not working due to disability because of my back, nervously preparing for the birth of daughter number two, and trying to finish up my coursework for my two classes. But most of all, I am enjoying life and trying to appreciate everything that I have. I am truly blessed. Things could be so different and I think we all need to remember that when we feel that times are getting hard.

Until next time...