**everything changes**

I love school. I actually believe I'm addicted to learning and the people that come with it. ADDICTED.PEOPLE. Here in lies the issue. I am taking some time off from school. I'm sad. More sad than I though I would be.

In my writing class this term our instructor has us "free-write". This is the time we can just explode our thoughts on the page. He usually give us a prompt. This is interesting for me. One was, "The Table" another, "Cheap Thrills". We are not required to use the prompt and Tuesday I decided not to. I wrote about our future plans and dreams. I wrote how I would miss school and wondering if, even if I was near earning a degree, I'd miss it. Then this mind game threw me for a loop. I wondered if I was addicted to school and its diversity. Then it morphed into maybe that being the reason I love the idea of teaching. Newness. I would get a new class every fall. Just as I would get a new instructor and class mates every term. Hmmmm. I think I just love learning. I hope I just love learning and I won't miss this interaction as much as I'm feeling I will right now. I'm thinking I will cry. These fellow students have helped change me to who I am right now. I love myself and them.

Why don't I just continue? Weeell. Our first financial goal was home ownership in 7 years. This would be the year Esther would be entering COLLEGE. Yes. You read right. If I take a one year pause (and work the hours they want me to)we would have more than the bank requires for a down payment. One.Year. Then I can go back OR I can pause another year and have enough saved for a little perk. That perk? Nip and tuck. =D

Who knows? God. I daily put my hopes, dreams, mistakes and desires at the feel of His Grace. Only he knows what will really transpire. I have had so many different plans that have changed. He is the one constant. He will faithfully direct our future.

So, beyond this this term's end; I.have.no.idea. I'm learning that not knowing is okay. It even can be fun. I'm waiting for the fun part to start....tomorrow maybe? Kidding. =D We will be patient. We will rest. We will accept. We will create. We will grow. We will believe. This is our quest.

When life throws you down, have surgery and get back up!

Oh, where to begin? Weeeell. We were all doing fine, great really. Ben has been going to class every Monday and Wednesday night. The kids are involved with church and, of course, school. I have been attending college full-time this term. We are also looking to purchase a new car and sell our old Honda (I use the term "we" very loosely here as Babe is the one who is accomplishing this for us).

I have class every Tuesday and Thursday and I work Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I woke up Thursday feeling under the weather and that feeling just continued to worsen as the day wore on. I checked on the kids and was on my way back upstairs when it "clicked". I was having a hard time pulling my right leg up to the next stair. Huuuh. It's almost like I had overworked my abs on just the right side. But I only had run 4 miles the previous day so I knew that wasn't it. The only other thing I could think of was.....appendicitis. But I was supposed to vomit with that right? Or at least be nauseous. I wasn't. I laid on the bed and pushed my lower, right abdomen. Wowzers. Yup, that hurt. When Ben got home he didn't even ask, he just helped me down the stairs and took me to the Immediate Care up the street. After 20min there they urgently requested that we go to the ER for an appendectomy.

By 12.30pm that next day (Friday 2/11/11) I was in recovery from surgery and by 6pm HOME! YAY! Modern medicine has it's perks. My entire operation was only 28min. Katie, my recovery nurse, said the speed was due to my "small body" and the enlarged organ. Nice.
Today is Monday and I am dressed and wearing a little make-up. I have been off pain meds since Saturday afternoon and I almost feel myself again! Now, back to life!....and homework!

Hopefully minus anymore surgeries.....