The whirlwind of crazy that is my life right now.

Kids, test, homework, housework, and classes. The last few months have just been a whirlwind of craziness. I have been so busy w/ school, kids and work that I barely get a breather. But I am taking one now. Can't believe I am almost done w/ my 1st yr of school! How crazy is that?!

This 1st yr is going great...minus the minor (and a few major) hiccups. My 1st semester was laid back and nice, which was totally perfect for going back to school for the 1st time in 6yrs. I really enjoyed and loved having the room for to breathe and expand my horizons. I got back into the groove of things much faster than I expected, altho I think it helped that all my classes were something I was interested in. I did extraordinarily well considering it was my 1st semester. I got all A's except one B...and had a very high GPA. I even made the dean's list!

The only major hiccup I had for my 1st semester was my uncle's death. He died the wk of my finals. It was a major blow for my family and I. It left me personally devastated. My uncle came into my life a very long time ago but became a permanent fixture in my life about 10yrs ago when he married my aunt. In many ways, he was my only and true uncle I ever had...despite the many uncles on my Dad's side. He made our (mine and my family's) lives so much brighter. I was extremely distraught and devastated when he was diagnosed w/ an inoperable brain cancer September 2011. I just couldn't lose my uncle! His diagnosis was part of the reason we moved back home and am I ever glad we did. I am so glad I got the time w/ him that I did. I am so glad I got to have that long talk w/ him after I got back.

A yr after he was diagnosed, we learned the chemo wasn't working for him. His tumor had not shrunk nor had it gotten any bigger. However, the chemo had done other things to him, damage. The chemo had caused my uncle to lose almost all his motor functions. He couldn't walk or stand on his own. He couldn't talk- he literally sounded like someone who had a stroke or someone who had been drinking. He was confined to a wheelchair and could barley feed himself. Despite all this, my uncle never lost his sense of humor. Throughout the whole ordeal, my uncle was always his happy, go-lucky, self and joked about everything. Even when he lost 3/4th of his toe from his dog chewing it off (he had an infection in the toe and she chewed it off to keep it from spreading and probably saved his life at the time), he would joke and laugh about it. Ultimately my uncle lost his battle w/ the cancer and died peacefully in his sleep. The loss of my uncle was unimaginably heartbreaking for us....but I am happy he is at peace now. His death was the black mark of my 1st semester, Christmas, and year. I miss him very much.

Despite the painful loss of my uncle, I went into my 2nd semester with hope and a purpose: to make my uncle proud. This semester has been super crazy w/ my full schedule of classes but I think I have managed it alright. I joined a honor fraternity/sorority, much to my family's delight. I am making new friends and coming out of my shell. I just might end up a social butterfly after this whole experience. lol. I still have a few wks of craziness to endure before the semester is over but I think I will enjoy it.