September 2008 update

It has been almost a year, I am ashamed to say, since I have updated my blog. But when I sit and think about all the things that have happened in this time frame, it makes my head spin and I am not surprised I have not had time to sit down and update my blog.

The beautiful, idyllic picture on the side is actually from Epcot at Disney World. In late November/early December, my friend Cindy, Jess and I went to Disney world for 4 days and then on a 7 night Disney cruise through the Western Caribbean. It was so much fun. We went to several ports of call, but of all of the places we went, the highlight was in Cozumel where we swam with the dolphins. I think if I could live with the dolphins, I would not be disappointed. That was truly an amazing experience that I will cherish. I hope that I get to do it again, but if I don't, I have the most amazing memories that make me smile and take my breath away to think about. It was all I every dreamed it would be and more! Dolphins are truly amazing, beautiful, smart creatures.

I love this picture because I wish I had a green thumb and the ability to be this creative in the landscaping department. I finally bought my first house in May. God has been so good and blessed abundantly. I got an incredible house (I will post some pictures that don't do it justice) with almost half an acre of land. The house is over 1400 sq.ft and has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and a loft. There is a garage, shed and huge yard. The house was almost completely remodeled inside and out and I got many things included with the house because it was an estate sale. Like I said, God was very gracious to me and gave me good gifts and blessed abundantly. I am very happy in my house and very comfortable.

School continues to be fun. I have about a year left before I graduate with my Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies. I hope to graduate with honors. I will be so disappointed if I do not. In the meantime, I am attempting to get a part-time job in the paralegal field to get my foot in the door and get job related experience.

I decided another big life altering change as well. I took steps to begin the process to be cleared to adopt. I am going to adopt a couple of young children, siblings, from foster care. I will do a foster to adopt process that allows me to get young children and take out the mess of me having to compete with couples. However, the staffing is so poor, there is a backlog of paperwork, so I am still waiting for my home study to be completed. That is basically where they clear my home as being safe and interview me. Everything else has been submitted and cleared. I want the process to speed up, but I know God's timing is always much better than mine, so I am content to wait.

My former roommate, Cindy, got married this past week. It feels strange to have all of my single friends now married, and it is an adjustment, but I am glad for her and glad to see how God supplied my needs for this house so that we both could go down these separate paths in our lives.

I also started my own business in August. I have not done too badly since the beginning. I am pleased with my start. Of course, one always would want a much faster start, but realistically, I am doing quite well. I never imagined myself owning my own company, but I don't know why not since I am such an independent person.

My health has been wonderful until the last couple of months. I have had some health challenges in the last couple months, but then it would not be my life if there were no health challenges would it?

So, as you can see, my year has been filled with activity from vacations, some not even mentioned, to buying a house, moving, unpacking, going to school, going through the adoption process, becoming a business owner and so on. I am sure these things are just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. But that is my year in review. I hope you enjoy the pictures and I am settled in my new homes, so maybe I will be able to post more often and keep things more current...but no promises! LOL

Fall Update 2007

Well, fall has come and is almost gone. It is strange this year. The weather has been wacky. We haven't even had a snow or really much of a hard freeze. However, I am not complaining. I don't mind. The picture here is the final dress fitting of my formal for my upcoming Disney Cruise. Cindy, Jess and I leave on the 27th for Orlando. We will be staying at the Disney Animal Kingdom Park for 4 days and going to all of the Disney parks and enjoying the Christmas festivities. Then on December 1st, we will be boarding the Disney Magic for a 7 night Disney cruise through the Western Caribbean. We will be stopping at Key West, the Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Castaway Cay. We will get to actually swim with the dolphins in Cozumel which has been an all time dream of mine. I still have to get jewelry for my fancy dress, but other than that, I am set. I can't believe we have less than two weeks to go.

I have taken a term off from school. It seems weird not to go to school right now. I will be off of school until January 29th. Then I am going to try to pick up the pace a bit and see if I can get this schooling knocked out. My health has improved somewhat. Actually, it has improved a lot since I had the central line removed. I am still battling with pneumonia that I got three weeks ago, but I am much better than I was and thankfully did not have to go into the hospital this time. I have lost a lot of weight this year due to my extreme illness. I should have not survived the septic poisining of my blood stream, but God wants me to stay here, I guess. But due to the severe illness, I lost a lot of weight and a lot of hair. Hopefully the hair will come back and the weight will not!

I am continuing to counsel with women who have addiction problems and other than that, I am just relaxing this next few months and allowing my body to recover from a very hard year. I am hoping to find a part time job when I get back from my trip to Orlando.

We lost another one of our Reformers Unanimous people. He died suddenly of a heart attack on Monday night. Thankfully he knew the Lord as his Savior and is in Heaven now free of all addiction, pain and suffering. Sometimes I am jealous! However, I have so much to be thankful for here and this month I just want to make sure that when I look back on this year I focus on how much I have to be thankful for. It has certainly been a year of God's amazing grace in my life.

Saturday I am going to the Bill Gaither quartet with the Ernie Haas band. I am really excited about that. I love music and I know it will be a blessing.

I just want you to know that I love each of you and am thankful for the part that each of you play in my life. God bless you and give you a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends. We have so much to be thankful for.

Remember, you can double click on a picture to enlarge it. Enjoy the site and I will try to get it updated with more pictures after our Disney trip.

Love,
Helen
Psalm 121

Eating at the Yesterdog with my friends, Manda
and Jess. Unfortunately, they only had Pepsi products!
I am a Coke-a-Cola girl from the south!

Pictures of the Yesterdog where we ate twice
in Grand Rapids. It is a one of a kind place.
You can check it out at www.yesterdog.com.

A Mark Lowry concert that my friends and I went
to in Grand Rapids. It was awesome. I even got to talk
to Mark Lowry and have a picture and him sign my CD.

Beautiful Lake Michigan

My friends Manda and Jess on our big trip to
Grand Rapids and then eventually over to Lake Michigan.

The house looks so much better with a new roof.

My friend Jenny and her son Kyler.
He is my "Troll baby." Jenny helped us
a ton on the roof!

My new outfit celebrating my loss of
almost 70 pounds. It was due to illness,
but I will take it however it comes!

The beauty of the product of some of my labor this year.

My favorite thing to do in the summer.

The new roof is finally on the house and looks great!

Pixie Dust posing for a portrait.

Nanook is either laughing at me or arguing with me.
Can you figure it out?

Cindy snuggling with Ted E Bear otherwise
known as Theodore Edward Bear.

Rascal is a very patriotic pup.

Mikko observing the world around him.

Catching you up

Hi. It has been a long time since I have updated my blog site. I have had a crazy year. The beginning of the year started me out with a near death experience when the hospital made a major mistake and overdosed me on a medication and then didn't monitor me like the should have. Then the rest of the year has been been spent studying in my classes and trying to stay out of the hospital. Unfortunately, in the last two months I was not able to stay out of the hospital. I got septic, a serious blood infection, from my central line. It didn't clear up completely and I ended up back in the hospital again. There is more trouble with my insurance covering the daily IV's that I need for my kidneys and life is never dull.

I am looking forward to this finishing this school term in the end of October and taking the next term off. Cindy, Jessica, and I are going on a fun filled trip to Disney World. We are going to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge overlooking the Savannah for four days and enjoying the Very Merry Mickey's Christmas Party. Then we will head out on December 1st - 8th on the Disney Cruise ship for a cruise on the Western Caribbean. We will go to the Keys, Cozumel, Cancun, and Castaway Cay. We will have an all night pirate party where they shoot fireworks off the ship and we battle with the Disney characters who with us are dressed in pirate regalia. We will have a full black tie dinner with the captain and so on. We are so excited, we cannot wait. I definitely cannot wait. It has been a rough year in a lot of ways health wise and counseling with some women and loosing one to suicide. I am definitely ready for a vacation. I am certainly sorry it has taken me almost a year to update you on everything and I am sure I am leaving things out. But I will try to do better at keeping you updated from now on. I will post pictures of the new roof and when we get back from our trip, you can bet I will have lots of pictures to post and a lot of excitement to share.
Well, I look forward to hearing from you.

 
Sporting a new hair cut back a while ago...actually back in the summer of 2006 and holding Nanook as a puppy.