Germs be GONE!!

Air Born + Zicam + vitamin C + Emergen-C + Neti-Pot = My recipe for health. Both of my roommates have been sick, my entire Life Group was coughing and sneezing last night, and I work with children... I suppose the odds of staying healthy are stacked against me. However, I am determined to beat this thing. So, I will be guzzling vitamins by the handful, and Neti-Potting like a mad woman. To top it off, I wash my hands 100+ times a day (that's the trick people!). I have also been known to Lysol an entire house a time or two... Germs, be warned! Your life will be short-lived!

the good, the bad, and the ugly...

the good: just finished my online test, and submitted my crazy essay about Diversity in Special Education and the Disproportionate Representation of Ethnically Diverse Children in Special Education... PHEW!! let me tell you, that was one FUN essay to write... ha, right.

the bad: i'm currently sicker than a DOG (are dogs sick or something? i never really understood that funny little saying...) but seriously, sick, feeling like roadkill, wanting to curl up and sleep for a month. that's the current mood... i sure hope i didn't FLUNK my health test.

the ugly: i can't even muster up the strength to vacuum my house. you know i'm sick when i can't vacuum, and don't want diet pepsi... so my house is a mess, and i'm in serious need of some caffeine.

FAMILY-it just "clicked"

So I've decided I'm not very good at this "blogging" thing. I'm just not very graceful with my words, thats all. I always start a blog, get half way through it, then get totally frustrated, and erase the entire thing. This is my fifth attempt at this particular blog, so bare with me. 

Last night at the Stirring we began a new conversation about family. Nathan did such an fabulous job of addressing the eye opening topic of the family God has intended us to become part of. How, although our biological family may not provide us with the love and support we desire, there is an entirely different type of family out there, waiting for us to join. (How am I doing so far? Still making sense??)

Okay, so toward the end of the night, Nate began to pray for the different members of this family of God.... He began with the Fathers- talking about how they need to call out their sons and daughters, and provide for them with support. Then he began to pray for the Mothers, and something really went a bit crazy in me. I have no children, I don't even have any younger siblings. I am not an auntie to any little boys or girls, but when Nate started praying for the Mothers, I began to think about who I am. You know, my personality, my role at work, my role at the Stirring, my role to my friends, my role in this family of Christ... and it clicked. It totally clicked. I am a Mother. I am a nurturer. I love to bake cookies and treats for my friends. I love to sit with a friend (or a total stranger!) who is going through a horrible time, and provide advice, a shoulder to cry on, a place to come and find safety. I love being around children (HELLO!! I spend hours with tons of them on Sunday nights!!). Do you even know how many times in my life I've been told "Emily, you are such a MOTHER!!" At work, I'm the one telling people to be nice to each other, and constantly (yes, CONSTANTLY) picking up after people, and not even thinking twice about it. I'm always bring treats for the people I work with, and just making sure everybody is doing okay in general. I befriend the newest person, and try to make sure they feel at ease and welcome at work. At my last Life Group, one of the guys in it told me that I just gave off this motherly energy, like you could come to me, and just be yourself and be accepted. All of this is suddenly making sense to me. It's like God's been dropping me these subtle hints, and He finally got kind of annoyed that I wasn't getting it, and helped me figure it out! HA! I like to think that God has a sense of humor :) 

But seriously, I'm only 23, and I realize that I have a lot of living left to do, but I'm such a motherly figure in this family. Maybe not as motherly as some (those who are ACTUALLY mothers perhaps!) but I've got some of it figured out, ya know? I know how to love. I have such unconditional love for so many people. Some of them that I've only just met. For so long I couldn't figure out why I was able to love people so easily, and so wholeheartedly, without even thinking twice. I've always loved to nurture people, and now I can begin to understand why God's given me this amazing gift. But now, how do I put it into action? How do I seek people out, and offer this love and support and advice and comfort without looking like a CRAZY?  This is the point I'm at right now, and some of the questions I'm struggling with. I appreciate those of you who've provided me bits of enCouragement in the past. I love knowing people are actually reading this silly blog (that I'm not so great at). 

I'm so excited about the place God's given me in His family. It really just gives me this sense of ease and joy. And seriously, I really do enjoy baking cookies, brownies, rice krispie treats (no real baking involved, but still delish!) so any special requests? Let me know! 

Thanks all, much love! OH, and I'm feeling LOADS better! My head is clear, my nose is clear, my chest is clear, my throat doesn't hurt.... just this gnarly sounding cough... I can live with that!! 

Current mood: sicker than a dog!

In all reality, I suppose I did this to myself. All cold/flu season long, I've been bragging about how healthy I've been, and how I haven't even had so much as a stuffy nose. I figured the flu bug was long gone by now, and it was smooth sailing from here on out.... WRONG! I woke up this morning with the back of my throat on fire, and my nose so stuffed up, I sound like Kermit the Frog! I have been downing vitamins and Air Born for the last few hours, praying that it will work. This is my Spring Break! I do not want to spend it curled up on the couch, surrounded by a mountain of kleenex! So here I sit, staring at my "DO TO" list, not wanting to move an inch off of my couch. Like I said, I guess I did it to myself... I spoke too soon. Bummer!! At least I have the next two days totally free (no work, no school, yessss!) so I can rest and drown myself in DayQuil :) The only thing that really, REALLY stinks about this, is that I was supposed to head home (over to Humboldt) for the next two days to visit my parents. My mom was so excited, and I'm afraid I've broken her heart by telling her I wasn't coming. She understands, but is still pretty bummed. I was really looking forward to the ocean, my mom's cooking, the lovely fog over on the coast, and of course Los Bagels. (They are only the greatest bagels in the WORLD! And they are only located in Arcata/Eureka). Here's a picture of the Arcata Los Bagels. I will be dreaming of their bagels... and waking up to my Kermit voice... Ugg!