January 10, 2007
The Move
So some of you know that Jimmy and I recently moved to Georgia and are currently attending Georgia Military College. We are now living in a townhouse in Milledgeville and are doing really well. Nothing really exciting has happened that I can report so I am sorry to say that this is a really boring post. I plan to continue blogging in the future but things have been really crazy so I am not going to worry about the lack of bloggage.
December 07, 2006
Last night was the first night that I slept in my own bed in a week. I have worked overnight at the group home as well as house sat for several days. Tomorrow I sleep at work again... crazy!!!!
I wrote 60 pages of papers in the last 3 days. My brain is not functioning very well and you can only imagine the agony of blogging right now. There was an irrational debate in my head that lasted at least 5 minutes on whether or not to blog. It went something like this
Little white Natalie: I really should blog something... I have not done it in a long time
Little red Natalie: ARE YOU KIDDING?!!! You don't have to write ANYTHING for months.
Little white Natalie: Yeah I know but I will get so far behind and then my blog will get boring and then I wont even want to read it!
Little red Natalie: You should lay around and do absolutely nothing for days
Little white Natalie: I can't do that... I have finals coming up
Little red Natalie: Ehh... who cares about finals? You haven't been to class all semester and you have been fine up until now
Little white Natalie: But I have to make A's in my classes... after all, I want to graduate magna
Little red Natalie: Hah...magna! Who cares as long as you get a job when you graduate!!!
The conversation continued in this manner until it finally came back around to the subject of blogging and I let the "little white Natalie" win out so here I am.... blogging! Well, I am done now.
I wrote 60 pages of papers in the last 3 days. My brain is not functioning very well and you can only imagine the agony of blogging right now. There was an irrational debate in my head that lasted at least 5 minutes on whether or not to blog. It went something like this
Little white Natalie: I really should blog something... I have not done it in a long time
Little red Natalie: ARE YOU KIDDING?!!! You don't have to write ANYTHING for months.
Little white Natalie: Yeah I know but I will get so far behind and then my blog will get boring and then I wont even want to read it!
Little red Natalie: You should lay around and do absolutely nothing for days
Little white Natalie: I can't do that... I have finals coming up
Little red Natalie: Ehh... who cares about finals? You haven't been to class all semester and you have been fine up until now
Little white Natalie: But I have to make A's in my classes... after all, I want to graduate magna
Little red Natalie: Hah...magna! Who cares as long as you get a job when you graduate!!!
The conversation continued in this manner until it finally came back around to the subject of blogging and I let the "little white Natalie" win out so here I am.... blogging! Well, I am done now.
December 02, 2006
Lo and Behold
So I had an epiphany while walking to my car from class.
The phrase "sticks out like a sore thumb" usually refers to someone or something that is awkward or out of place... could also be known as an "upside down awkward turtle" (when something is REALLY awkward)!
Anyway, the light dawned on me and behold... an epiphany!
My thumb, as you know if you usually read my blog, is sprained. It also hurts very much and is most comfortable..... sticking straight out!!!!
A SORE THUMB THAT STICKS OUT!!!!!
You have no idea the mental relief this revelation has given me. I am like a whole new person! So much so, that I even bent my thumb a little!
The phrase "sticks out like a sore thumb" usually refers to someone or something that is awkward or out of place... could also be known as an "upside down awkward turtle" (when something is REALLY awkward)!
Anyway, the light dawned on me and behold... an epiphany!
My thumb, as you know if you usually read my blog, is sprained. It also hurts very much and is most comfortable..... sticking straight out!!!!
A SORE THUMB THAT STICKS OUT!!!!!
You have no idea the mental relief this revelation has given me. I am like a whole new person! So much so, that I even bent my thumb a little!
November 27, 2006
Casting Room
Mom and I went to see the orthopedist today. It was the most uneventful trip I have ever taken. I diagnosed myself before he came in and the he just repeated me. When we were called to go to the back into the scary freezing cold rooms that house only bad news... I cringed on the trek to the unknown.
As soon as we were safely deposited in the examining room and the nurse was taking my BP there was a movement of the door handle. A nice woman pushing a wheelchair was coming in. She looked confused and disoriented as she said "I think that this is our room." The nurse apologized profusely to both parties and escorted us out of the room.
We followed her down the hall to the casting room where she left us instead of an examining room. We were happy... it was far warmer and more comfortable. So there the doctor found us in the company of three bags of dirty linens with our feet propped up on a stool and lounging and laughing.
The doctor came in and looked at my x-rays, jammed his fingers on my wrist, hand and knee until he had heard a sufficient amount of yelps of pain when he said "nothing is wrong with you and you are a liar!"
No, just kidding... but the diagnosis is not very much more exciting than nothing, sorry folks!
My wrist is sprained and has "soft tissue damage" yadayadayada... I have to wear a brace for a little while. I will have a MRI for my knee next week to check it out but that's it... other than a lot of bruises and aches.
Yeah I know... entirely uneventful and boring...what a waste of time!
As soon as we were safely deposited in the examining room and the nurse was taking my BP there was a movement of the door handle. A nice woman pushing a wheelchair was coming in. She looked confused and disoriented as she said "I think that this is our room." The nurse apologized profusely to both parties and escorted us out of the room.
We followed her down the hall to the casting room where she left us instead of an examining room. We were happy... it was far warmer and more comfortable. So there the doctor found us in the company of three bags of dirty linens with our feet propped up on a stool and lounging and laughing.
The doctor came in and looked at my x-rays, jammed his fingers on my wrist, hand and knee until he had heard a sufficient amount of yelps of pain when he said "nothing is wrong with you and you are a liar!"
No, just kidding... but the diagnosis is not very much more exciting than nothing, sorry folks!
My wrist is sprained and has "soft tissue damage" yadayadayada... I have to wear a brace for a little while. I will have a MRI for my knee next week to check it out but that's it... other than a lot of bruises and aches.
Yeah I know... entirely uneventful and boring...what a waste of time!
November 26, 2006
Over the Bars
On Friday we all went to ride at the Bar H Ranch... Sean, Nina, Jon, Noelle, Tom, Holley, Erich, David and Jimmy. The trip was A-mazing! When we got there we all grabbed our bikes and hit the trails.
The first trail was a short and easy one that was only 2-3 miles just to get warmed up. After that we went to the trail with the hardest climb and longest downhills. We were cruising along... all at different paces of course... when I went the wrong way (aka I was too far behind the fast crowd to see where they had gone)! I went down the trail and immediately ran into the road and went both ways calling for people when I finally realized that they had turned a little ways back.
I then waited for the last few people to make sure that the people in the back knew where to go and then I took off again. I managed to get up the climb without too much trouble and reached the top where a crowd was waiting for the rest of us.
After we all arrived Nina told me to grab my bike and then she took off up the trail. I jumped on to follow. Erich was right behind me and I warned him that I frequently fall and for his sake he should hang back a little! As we road along Jimmy came flying past all of us and then Erich passed me so that he could catch Jimmy. At this point Erich was between Nina and I.
Nina rounded a corner and was not in sight. I saw Erich stand up and knew that a downhill was coming up. As I got closer I saw what was soon to be my fate... a 15 foot downhill with HUGE rocks and no place to go but over them. The sizes of the rocks ranged from large softballs to footballs.
As soon as I hit the rocks I knew that I was in way over my head.
I saw the ground come toward me like an old friend... only this time my friend was a lot harder than I it had been in the past. I went over the handlebars with a mighty force and landed on me hands first. After I had skidded a foot or two I rolled onto my right side wrenching my knee in the process and landed on my side after I had hit my back.
I went too stand up and grab my bike as I am accustomed to doing on a regular basis when I realized that things were not as dandy as they usually were. Dave came running to my side because he was behind me and saw the whole thing. We moved off the trail and started to inspect the damage. "Is that a bone?" asked Dave in reference to a huge lump that was now protruding out the side of my elbow. I extended my arm and pulled it in several time "nope... guess not" I replied!
My hands hurt like crazy and my knee was killing me... then the adrenaline kicked in! I looked down the hill and realized that Nina ate it at the bottom of the same hill when she lost her concentration trying to tell me to be careful and go slow (so much for that).
After a few minutes I hopped back on my bike and kept going. Everyone else hung around for awhile so I was by myself. Although I could feel pain it was not enough for me to be really concerned except that I was having a really hard time gripping the handlebars. I ate it 2 more times after that on easy sections just because I was timid and couldn't grip very well. When I got to the bottom of a big hill Jimmy and Erich had stopped to wait for everyone and they were a little ways off the trail.
Jimmy figured out that I was not doing too well so we slowly went back to the trail head. Later, Jimmy asked why my right wrist looked so funny. With my palm up, my hand was cocked to the inside by about 3-4 inches. It felt natural that way and looked really weird. I thought that my left thumb was broken because it hurt so much.
Noelle and I stayed at the truck for the rest of the time while everyone else went off to ride all the other trails... I was so jealous I could not stand it!
When we got home I went to the ER and stayed there for 5 hours with Dad. My wrist is in a splint and we don't know if it is broken. I will have more x-rays done by an orthopedist this week. My knee had, and has, a lot of fluid on it and was really sore... another referral to the orthopedist. My right thumb is sprained and black and blue but functional. The rest is just scratches and bruises!
My first REAL mountain biking crash! I am definitely hardcore now!!!!
The first trail was a short and easy one that was only 2-3 miles just to get warmed up. After that we went to the trail with the hardest climb and longest downhills. We were cruising along... all at different paces of course... when I went the wrong way (aka I was too far behind the fast crowd to see where they had gone)! I went down the trail and immediately ran into the road and went both ways calling for people when I finally realized that they had turned a little ways back.
I then waited for the last few people to make sure that the people in the back knew where to go and then I took off again. I managed to get up the climb without too much trouble and reached the top where a crowd was waiting for the rest of us.
After we all arrived Nina told me to grab my bike and then she took off up the trail. I jumped on to follow. Erich was right behind me and I warned him that I frequently fall and for his sake he should hang back a little! As we road along Jimmy came flying past all of us and then Erich passed me so that he could catch Jimmy. At this point Erich was between Nina and I.
Nina rounded a corner and was not in sight. I saw Erich stand up and knew that a downhill was coming up. As I got closer I saw what was soon to be my fate... a 15 foot downhill with HUGE rocks and no place to go but over them. The sizes of the rocks ranged from large softballs to footballs.
As soon as I hit the rocks I knew that I was in way over my head.
I saw the ground come toward me like an old friend... only this time my friend was a lot harder than I it had been in the past. I went over the handlebars with a mighty force and landed on me hands first. After I had skidded a foot or two I rolled onto my right side wrenching my knee in the process and landed on my side after I had hit my back.
I went too stand up and grab my bike as I am accustomed to doing on a regular basis when I realized that things were not as dandy as they usually were. Dave came running to my side because he was behind me and saw the whole thing. We moved off the trail and started to inspect the damage. "Is that a bone?" asked Dave in reference to a huge lump that was now protruding out the side of my elbow. I extended my arm and pulled it in several time "nope... guess not" I replied!
My hands hurt like crazy and my knee was killing me... then the adrenaline kicked in! I looked down the hill and realized that Nina ate it at the bottom of the same hill when she lost her concentration trying to tell me to be careful and go slow (so much for that).
After a few minutes I hopped back on my bike and kept going. Everyone else hung around for awhile so I was by myself. Although I could feel pain it was not enough for me to be really concerned except that I was having a really hard time gripping the handlebars. I ate it 2 more times after that on easy sections just because I was timid and couldn't grip very well. When I got to the bottom of a big hill Jimmy and Erich had stopped to wait for everyone and they were a little ways off the trail.
Jimmy figured out that I was not doing too well so we slowly went back to the trail head. Later, Jimmy asked why my right wrist looked so funny. With my palm up, my hand was cocked to the inside by about 3-4 inches. It felt natural that way and looked really weird. I thought that my left thumb was broken because it hurt so much.
Noelle and I stayed at the truck for the rest of the time while everyone else went off to ride all the other trails... I was so jealous I could not stand it!
When we got home I went to the ER and stayed there for 5 hours with Dad. My wrist is in a splint and we don't know if it is broken. I will have more x-rays done by an orthopedist this week. My knee had, and has, a lot of fluid on it and was really sore... another referral to the orthopedist. My right thumb is sprained and black and blue but functional. The rest is just scratches and bruises!
My first REAL mountain biking crash! I am definitely hardcore now!!!!
November 20, 2006
Anne Shirley Says
"I never make the same mistake twice. There must be a limit to the mistakes that one person can make, and when I get to the end of them, then I will be through with them. That's a very comforting thought."
~Anne
This is now one of my favorite quotes!!! It is not necessarily always right but it is a nice little quote and I do hope that I learn enough from my mistakes that I can atleast recognize the same problems when they come up.
~Anne
This is now one of my favorite quotes!!! It is not necessarily always right but it is a nice little quote and I do hope that I learn enough from my mistakes that I can atleast recognize the same problems when they come up.
Just Thinking
I was thinking today about the implications of what God has planned for our lives and what and why he does some things. I have been confused on some things that God has called me to do and to live in but not to the point of doubting God's love for me.
Sometimes God calls us to live through things for reasons that we can't explain and that we might never understand. I will daily accept the things that God puts in my life and choose to know that He is good... bottom line. I choose not to doubt God but to live my life accepting the trials placed before me.
I do expect healing and and restoration for areas of my life and I have experienced that in the past. God does not necessarily fix us as soon as we ask for healing because sometimes we need to go through those things for ourselves and for the benefit of others.
People do not have to be sinning or doing something wrong for there to be trials in their lives. Sometimes, even though a person is doing everything right, there are still trials and illness. Who are we to question why? My trials are big to me because they are mine but not necessarily big to someone else. I can't understand things sometimes but I will live my life in peace knowing that God cares for me and loves me.
God puts trials in my life that I can't comprehend but even when things look too tough to get through God always pulls me through... not always the way that I see things working out but I am stronger and more adaptable for the things that have gone wrong in my life. This is why I know that God is GOOD even through the hard times!
Sometimes God calls us to live through things for reasons that we can't explain and that we might never understand. I will daily accept the things that God puts in my life and choose to know that He is good... bottom line. I choose not to doubt God but to live my life accepting the trials placed before me.
I do expect healing and and restoration for areas of my life and I have experienced that in the past. God does not necessarily fix us as soon as we ask for healing because sometimes we need to go through those things for ourselves and for the benefit of others.
People do not have to be sinning or doing something wrong for there to be trials in their lives. Sometimes, even though a person is doing everything right, there are still trials and illness. Who are we to question why? My trials are big to me because they are mine but not necessarily big to someone else. I can't understand things sometimes but I will live my life in peace knowing that God cares for me and loves me.
God puts trials in my life that I can't comprehend but even when things look too tough to get through God always pulls me through... not always the way that I see things working out but I am stronger and more adaptable for the things that have gone wrong in my life. This is why I know that God is GOOD even through the hard times!
November 18, 2006
Race
This morning Summer and I decided to spend the day together. Due to many circumstances... the day started at 1:30!
I was in my room with my dad figuring some things out on my computer when Summer came in to talk about today's plan. We decided to take quick showers and the go to a late lunch. I looked at Summer and, knowing that we are not the quickest people in the world, I realized that our "quick" showers would end up getting us out the door at 3:00.
I was standing in the middle of my room when I yelled "I can take a shower faster than you... LETS RACE... clothes too!!!" We both screamed (well I kinda yelled a little as she ran into me) and dashed for our respective bathrooms. Officially... the fastest shower I have EVER taken. I was determined to win. I kept thinking over and over that I was sure that I had lost because I accidentally washed my hair three times instead of twice. Those precious few seconds could have cost me the competition. I was mentally beating myself up as I jumped out of the shower and ran for Summer's bathroom.
Oh glory... I heard, through the door, the water shut off from her shower. "I WON" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I proceeded to do a victory dance. The sputtering and protesting was music to my ears. I laughed hysterically and victory danced myself back to my room where I gloated and patted myself on the back for, sadly enough, about ten minutes.
When she came into my room, with her clothes on, I was still in my towel. She pounded on my bathroom door and I opened it to a fully clothed (earrings too) Summer! "I won... you said clothes too!" I disagreed because I had told her through the bathroom door that we would leave it at that. "You can't change the rules cheater... I won, I won!"
We ended up calling a truce and decided that we had both won in our own way.
We laughed hysterically as I quoted myself on my favorite thing to say "I'm going to blog it!"
I was in my room with my dad figuring some things out on my computer when Summer came in to talk about today's plan. We decided to take quick showers and the go to a late lunch. I looked at Summer and, knowing that we are not the quickest people in the world, I realized that our "quick" showers would end up getting us out the door at 3:00.
I was standing in the middle of my room when I yelled "I can take a shower faster than you... LETS RACE... clothes too!!!" We both screamed (well I kinda yelled a little as she ran into me) and dashed for our respective bathrooms. Officially... the fastest shower I have EVER taken. I was determined to win. I kept thinking over and over that I was sure that I had lost because I accidentally washed my hair three times instead of twice. Those precious few seconds could have cost me the competition. I was mentally beating myself up as I jumped out of the shower and ran for Summer's bathroom.
Oh glory... I heard, through the door, the water shut off from her shower. "I WON" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I proceeded to do a victory dance. The sputtering and protesting was music to my ears. I laughed hysterically and victory danced myself back to my room where I gloated and patted myself on the back for, sadly enough, about ten minutes.
When she came into my room, with her clothes on, I was still in my towel. She pounded on my bathroom door and I opened it to a fully clothed (earrings too) Summer! "I won... you said clothes too!" I disagreed because I had told her through the bathroom door that we would leave it at that. "You can't change the rules cheater... I won, I won!"
We ended up calling a truce and decided that we had both won in our own way.
We laughed hysterically as I quoted myself on my favorite thing to say "I'm going to blog it!"
November 05, 2006
Biker Beast
I went mountain biking again today!!! We went to a different trail that is only 2 miles away... coincidence? I think not!
Today I road really hard and started to get more comfortable going over rocks and roots. I think that this is something that I could be really good at. I am not scared of falling which gives me an advantage and I love going fast. I am really excited about riding and I am going to be competing in the beginners bracket in the spring. This is something that Summer and I are doing together. Our first race is March 10! I am hoping to buy a bike tomorrow. The one I want is a really good bike and is totally cool. Here is a picture of it!
Today I road really hard and started to get more comfortable going over rocks and roots. I think that this is something that I could be really good at. I am not scared of falling which gives me an advantage and I love going fast. I am really excited about riding and I am going to be competing in the beginners bracket in the spring. This is something that Summer and I are doing together. Our first race is March 10! I am hoping to buy a bike tomorrow. The one I want is a really good bike and is totally cool. Here is a picture of it!
Because I have ridden motorcycles I am a little more coordinated on turns and such as I would have been if I had not. I am definitely going to have to build up some stamina though...haha!!!
October 31, 2006
Downhill Falling... I mean Biking...
On Sunday Jon, Noelle, Sean, Nina and I went to Grapevine to go mountain biking. It was crazy fun!!!
Within 5 minutes of strapping on our helmets, squeezing into our bike shorts and hopping on the saddle... I had flown of the front of my bike. Now you might think that I am being dramatic because sometimes I have a tendency to, let's say, embellish a few little details of my stories (the otter)! But this time I am dead serious. I thought that I was doing really well and that this whole biking thing was not as bad as I had pictured when I rounded the first bend and realized that I was very wrong.
My first segment of rocks and roots were quite terrifying... they started to taunt me and laugh at me as I rode up to them. I heard "Your gonna fall, your gonna fall" over and over again. Low and behold, I made it through. With my new found confidence I continued on the path of doom and went down a steep embankment with rocks and roots only to turn very sharply to the left at the bottom. The elation that I felt as I thought that I had cleared the series of high tech maneuvers (for a beginner atleast) quickly dissipated as I snagged the back tire on the side of the log and my bike stopped. No, not in a smooth "oops" type of a stop but a violent jerk which sent me pummeling over the handlebars and crashing into dirt, roots, rocks, and blood (produced by me of course).
Furtively glancing around, I made sure that no one saw me. I jumped back on my bike and continued on with a few scrapes and bruises but totally fine. As I pedaled on, Nina yelled back to see if I was okay and then she waited for me for a few seconds. I caught up with her and told her that I was fine and just had a little bit of a spill... after all, it's not like I almost died or anything!
I speed past her and decided to take the lead... bad idea! With Nina behind me she could see everything that I was doing. I came upon an 6 inch ledge that I popped my front tire up and over. Yes, I thought! Yet... things don't usually work out the way that I want them too. My back tire, again, snagged the ledge and violently stopped my bike and where did I go? Up and over... once again uncomfortably close to my friend the ground. More blood, scratches and bruises thought that they would join my ever swelling flesh.
To make matters worse, as I was brushing myself off and grabbing my bike, two "real" bikers came upon us and slowed down to see if I was okay. "I am fine" I said with a lot more confidence than I was feeling at the moment as I laughed it off and hopped on again.
On we went as I let Nina go in front of me so she could not witness my demise. My next fall came about because of a complicated series of rocks and crevices. My back tire... no just kidding, it was the front... fell into a crevice and I went careening over my handlebars. Noelle and Jon came up behind me with concern. Up until now I had portrayed the perfect beginner attitude with humility and respect. Now, I was angry!!! Every time that I got going I would end up with new rocks embedded in my skin and a mouthful of dirt.
After I had calmed down and continued on things got much better. Jon and Nina went on and got a "good ride" in. Noelle, the kind sister that she is, waited on me and turned back early so that we would have time to get back. We talked and joked the whole way back. I laughed so hard and smiled so much that, in the end, my cheek muscles hurt more than my "cheek" muscles.
Within 5 minutes of strapping on our helmets, squeezing into our bike shorts and hopping on the saddle... I had flown of the front of my bike. Now you might think that I am being dramatic because sometimes I have a tendency to, let's say, embellish a few little details of my stories (the otter)! But this time I am dead serious. I thought that I was doing really well and that this whole biking thing was not as bad as I had pictured when I rounded the first bend and realized that I was very wrong.
My first segment of rocks and roots were quite terrifying... they started to taunt me and laugh at me as I rode up to them. I heard "Your gonna fall, your gonna fall" over and over again. Low and behold, I made it through. With my new found confidence I continued on the path of doom and went down a steep embankment with rocks and roots only to turn very sharply to the left at the bottom. The elation that I felt as I thought that I had cleared the series of high tech maneuvers (for a beginner atleast) quickly dissipated as I snagged the back tire on the side of the log and my bike stopped. No, not in a smooth "oops" type of a stop but a violent jerk which sent me pummeling over the handlebars and crashing into dirt, roots, rocks, and blood (produced by me of course).
Furtively glancing around, I made sure that no one saw me. I jumped back on my bike and continued on with a few scrapes and bruises but totally fine. As I pedaled on, Nina yelled back to see if I was okay and then she waited for me for a few seconds. I caught up with her and told her that I was fine and just had a little bit of a spill... after all, it's not like I almost died or anything!
I speed past her and decided to take the lead... bad idea! With Nina behind me she could see everything that I was doing. I came upon an 6 inch ledge that I popped my front tire up and over. Yes, I thought! Yet... things don't usually work out the way that I want them too. My back tire, again, snagged the ledge and violently stopped my bike and where did I go? Up and over... once again uncomfortably close to my friend the ground. More blood, scratches and bruises thought that they would join my ever swelling flesh.
To make matters worse, as I was brushing myself off and grabbing my bike, two "real" bikers came upon us and slowed down to see if I was okay. "I am fine" I said with a lot more confidence than I was feeling at the moment as I laughed it off and hopped on again.
On we went as I let Nina go in front of me so she could not witness my demise. My next fall came about because of a complicated series of rocks and crevices. My back tire... no just kidding, it was the front... fell into a crevice and I went careening over my handlebars. Noelle and Jon came up behind me with concern. Up until now I had portrayed the perfect beginner attitude with humility and respect. Now, I was angry!!! Every time that I got going I would end up with new rocks embedded in my skin and a mouthful of dirt.
After I had calmed down and continued on things got much better. Jon and Nina went on and got a "good ride" in. Noelle, the kind sister that she is, waited on me and turned back early so that we would have time to get back. We talked and joked the whole way back. I laughed so hard and smiled so much that, in the end, my cheek muscles hurt more than my "cheek" muscles.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
