2011

Yet again another year has gone by! It's insane to think it's already about to be 2012!! I remember thinking that sounded so crazy and futuristic, yet here it is! This is my traditional post composed of my (to the best of my ability) chronological order of massive memories from the past year.

I feel like this year has been SO. LONG. So much happened....so much change occured. Some good, and some bad. But it would suffice to say that I am not the same person who started on January 1, and I think I'm okay with that. Life is a constant growth process full of pain, sorrow, joy, and laughter....and I think if I ever get so complacent with my life that I never change, or am the same person I was a year ago, I have cause to worry.

Here's a super Cliff note version of my year!

Started off the year with the last of a series of 3 surgeries, coincidentally about 4 days before school started
I spent another wonderful semester trying to keep track of the crazy awesome KXA Big Brothers
There was a crazy arctic cold front that resulted in lots of snow!
Because of said snow, my friends and I went sledding down at the marina, using the tops of plastic bins
Muburak stepped down, a big politcal move
I was absolutely blessed beyond measure to add my 2 grandlittles to my lineage
Being a part of All-University SING
Finding out my sister was going to have a baby!!
The earthquake and tsunami in Japan
Bin Laden being killed
Flying by myself for the first time (to see my epic best friend!)
The debt ceiling crisis
Starting my senior year, living with my best friend from 3rd grade
Being sent off as Early Alum from KXA
My last Christmas on 5th celebration
RG3 winning the Heisman
My wonderful, annual post-finals hang out with my Gangster Z lovely
Having my beloved friend of 16 years, Freeway, die in my arms the morning after Christmas
Baylor winning the Alamo Bowl
My sister having her baby - making me an aunt!!
My grandpa turning 90!


This year - as you can see - has been such a whirlwind!! I am definitely excited for this upcoming year, one that will be really big in terms of my next big step in life. I can't believe that college is almost over!! So insane. Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful and safe New Years Eve...and an epic 2012!

My love: Freeway

The past few days have been a stressful whirlwind of emotions, all of which ending in the passing of my beloved best friend Freeway.

There truly are no words to express how much pain is as a result of his loss, and how much he meant to me for the past 16 years. He has been through EVERYTHING with me. Medically, emotionally, everything. He was always there for my good days, and the bad...and always lended a listening ear.

He got sick a couple days ago, and I spent my Christmas day trying to nurse him back to health, all the while slowly watching him get worse and worse. This morning I woke up for some strange reason (no doubt in my mind a gift from God) and I heard him crying. I went down just in time to be with him in his last moments of life, and to be able to hold him in my arms as he passed from this life. As insanely hard as that moment was, it was one that I wouldn't trade for anything. If he had to go, that was the place I wanted him to be...where I always had him.

I've never had to lose an animal, much less one who has been with me since I was six, and it is an indescribable ache, and he has molded a place in my heart that he will always fill. It was his time to go, and I know that he is no longer suffering, which brings great peace, and am doing my best to remember all the good times we had, and not the scarring images seared in my mind of my last minutes with him. He truly has been a puppy his whole life and was the funniest dog I have ever met. He was a joy to all, and can never be replaced.

I keep hearing him crying, or hearing the jingle of his collar, or look in his room expecting to see him there....but I know this will pass eventually. I miss him so much, and could never express how much I loved him. But he is still around, and has forever changed my life in the most amazing way possible.

Christmas Warriors. Help Kai get adopted!

Hello!

I realize, yet again, I have ignored my blog. School has been so insane (then again, when is it not) so that is my lame excuse for not posting.

However, this blog is not about me. It's about my cousin Stori! She and her husband have taken it upon themselves to help this adorable little Chinese boy get adopted. His name is Kai and he has been diagnosed with Down Syndrome. It takes so much money to adopt a child, especially internationally, and with The Angel Tree's Christmas Warrior program, you can donate money towards a child, which will make the process a little cheaper for an amazing family to adopt this sweet child. They have been told that for interested families sometimes it can take up to $10,000 help to be courageous enough to adopt, so every penny counts!

Any amount you can donate will be such a blessing to Kai and the family who will hopefully adopt him soon! Here is the link to my cousin's blog with all the information. http://storilayne.blogspot.com/2011/11/help-kai-and-win-ipad-2.html. In addition to that, my cousin and her husband have on their own decided to have a fundraiser incentive. Anyone who donates even ONE dollar, is automatically entered to win a FREE 32G iPad. It's such a wonderful cause, and I just want to help spread the word, and hope you will as well! And if you can't help out financially (or even if you can) please be in prayer for Kai and all the children like him who are waiting for a home!