Adventures in CO/KS and More Updates.

Well, I haven't posted on here in a while. As I've been able to do more things, I've gotten more busy in the past few weeks. I guess I'll go ahead and spill what all has happened!

I've been spending more time with other friends that I haven't seen in a long time (those that weren't still working or being camp counselors). Getting coffee, lunch, hanging at my house, just catching up with old gal friends that I haven't talked to in ages. I always love hearing about how their lives are going and what's new and big that's going on. I love telling them about how my summer "got flip-turned upside down" [Fresh Prince, what whaaaat.] It IS a really great story, and of course, it couldn't have been written any better, because it all came from God. I give all the glory to Him.

I've also been keeping up with physical therapy and the occasional orthopedist appointments. It's been a little over 11 weeks since the accident now. [Isn't it crazy how time acts? While you're living through it, it seems like an eternity, going at a snail's pace, but when you look back, it went by so fast and you wonder where it went.] At this point in time, I am only technically supposed to be 75% weight-bearing on my foot, but I've been walking around my house barefoot getting the feel of walking again . . . without the boot on. Next week, I'm pretty sure I'll be rid of the boot AND crutches. I'm definitely crossing my fingers and toes!!! My foot is still pretty swollen at times, but a lot of the time, it looks SO much better and looks more like my other, normal foot. When I was up in CO, my friend Shane kept telling me that I'll be running in three weeks. Although he was partially kidding, I want to be running that soon SO badly. I want to wear shoes on both feet. I want to walk without hobbling. I want to climb trees. I want to be free of my crutches and my boot. I don't wanna have to worry about people stepping on my foot or rebreaking it. But all of that will come with time. I have come a LONG way since the accident, and I will continue to get stronger and stronger until I have completely regained my muscle and ability to walk and run that I have lost.

I had a really big adventure last week! Probably one of, if not my biggest one yet. Alisha picked me up from my house and drove me back to her house in Tulsa last Wednesday afternoon. The next morning, we headed to the airport. After Alisha's mom dropped us off, we were by ourselves. It hit me: we're not with our parents. We were flying by ourselves. For the first time. We were responsible adults. What?!

We checked in, and the lady was really nice, she pointed the way and said it wasn't far for me to crutch around on. The security people were really nice too, I didn't even have to take my boot off, and they just wiped it down. The guy looking at stuff through the x-ray machine thingy saw I had liquids in my carry-on (because my bag for the week was small enough to be a carry-on), and he gave one bag to me and the other to Alisha. Afterwards, he told us to have a nice flight. I said, "You too!" Oops. He laughed and so did we. We stopped by Starbucks and had breakfast, then walked to our terminal waiting area and sat down. We had plenty of time. Getting on the plane was no problem at all either, which was surprising because of my crutches and such.

We landed in Denver, and that to me felt like a nightmare. It was SO much bigger than Tulsa, and Shane had tried to give us directions to where he was, and it took us longer than we wanted, I think. Eventually we found him. I don't know about Alisha, but I squealed when I caught sight of him! We all gave each other big hugs, went to go find Alisha's suitcase, and then packed up his car, and headed to Greeley (about an hour or so away north of Denver). We caught up and were really hyper. I remember it was an hour behind our usual time, so we were really hungry by the time we reached Greeley. Shane had some friends come by and meet us and catch up with each other. We eventually reached Shane's house where we unloaded and rested.

The next morning, Shane, Alisha, and I headed to Colby, KS for the wedding. Shane had to be there at 3, and the time zone changed again, so we almost didn't make it in time for him to get fitted for his tux. But we made it! Robbie's mom came and got Alisha and I from a park downtown, and took us to the hotel where they were staying to change for the rehearsal. The rehearsal lasted about 1.5 hours, not bad at all, and the rehearsal dinner was wonderful - it was tropical themed and they had so much delicious food! All of the JBU guys and gals sat at a table, including future bride and groom, so it was just like old times sitting in the JBU cafeteria, laughing and having a good time. Ariel took us back to her house, and we stayed cooped up in our room for the rest of the night.

Saturday morning, Alisha and I got ready and headed to the church to get dressed with the bridesmaids and bride. We walked in, and Ariel's dress was breathtaking. It still hadn't hit me that she and Robbie were finally getting married . . . Alisha and I got dressed and socialized with the other girls and moms. Then came the moment when Ariel put on her veil. I took a pic of her on my phone because she was just so unbelievably radiant. She left to go get the "first look" pictures with Robbie, and I stared at the picture and started tearing up. I couldn't help it though; she just looked so incredibly beautiful. Then, time for the wedding came. Alisha and I were privileged to sing the processional when our friends walked down the aisle, including the beautiful bride. We sat down to watch the rest of the ceremony. I most definitely cried through most of it . . . It made me think of my own "someday." It may be a few years, it may be ten years before I get married, but this day for Ariel is what every girl dreams about: walking down the aisle, wearing a beautiful white dress, and a radiant smile on your face, eyes on the man you'll be spending the rest of your life with. It's definitely something to look forward to! Anywho, the ceremony was beautiful, and I don't think it's still hit me yet that Robbie and Ariel are married . . . Maybe it'll hit me when we're all back at JBU . . .

We (Shane, Alisha, DJ, Nathan, Ua, and I) all drove back to Greeley the next day, changed into swim clothes, and went to Windsor Lake, which is a lake, but it also has a beach full of sand, and it's roped off at a certain point so people can swim without getting hit by boats out in the deeper parts of the lake. Swimming in that lake has been the only athletic thing I've done pretty much all summer besides physical therapy. It felt so good and it was so fun! Monday, we all drove to Estes Park, a valley in the CO mountains near Greeley, which was a big tourist attraction with a lot of shops and such. I got so many souvenirs there . . . Afterwards, we drove to a spot on the way down from the mountains by the river, and we found a spot where I could sit on the shore and stick my feet in the cold water and take a break from being in my boot. Tuesday, we packed up and flew back home. It was such a wonderful trip - I would most definitely do it all over again if I could. Maybe someday, we can repeat this trip . . .

Since I've been home, I've done quite a bit of art projects to keep me busy, as well as playing guitar and singing. I found out that I'll be playing music for the Freshman Move-In Cookout on the Friday night before Orientation officially begins. Which is fun, but really intimidating at the same time because 1. I'm the only one playing, 2. I have to bring my own equipment, and 3. I'll be playing for at least 2.5 hours. Which is fine, because I'll be able to take as many breaks as I need, but still . . . At least this is getting me playing music in front of people again.

Orientation training is in less than a week, and the actual thing is in a little over a week! Summer is seriously almost over. Goodness . . . It has been a roller coaster, for sure. I wouldn't repeat the accident, but I am glad it happened, because a lot of good came from it. A lot was learned from it.

I hope to still update my blog during the school year to keep all of you up-to-date with what's going on in my sophomore year of college.

I love you all. To God alone be the glory.