Apples for Kiddos!

As you all may know, I was in the hospital for 40+ days back in March and April. I luckily had my laptop to keep me updated with friends and family back home. The staff was fantastic and the care was wonderful, but I know if I wasn't able to stay sane through skype and facebook and knowing everyone was still alright, I wouldn't have been in as good of a mood as I was. So, we got to thinking, what if every kid had the opportunity to stay in contact with their friends and family back home? Check out our website and support by giving to such a great cause!

http://giveapplestokiddos.wordpress.com/

Iceland

I have recently become absolutely fascinated with the country of Iceland. I want to learn about it's language, it's culture, the food, the landscape, the tourism, and the people. Everything. I think it could be the natural beauty that lures me into it's nooks and crannies of volcanoes, green valleys, fire and ice. I am drawn to the way people live, so simply yet so happily. I love the way people seem to interact with one another, with love and companionship. I am thinking about planning a trip out there, as soon as I can, but we'll see. Plans change, and come and go. I will go to Iceland one day though...you can count on that. Upon looking more in depth into the country I came across one of my newest favorite artists. Sigur Ros. They are an Icelandic group of simple, yet elegant pieces of music. The lyrics, if sung at all, are in Icelandic, but with out a doubt some of the most beautiful music I have heard. Something about it is peaceful and calming, yet also awakens my mind to my surroundings. Even though it's not in English, it feels as if you can still understand the meaning the artists are trying to portray through their music. To me that is true music. Music you can feel move through your body, effortlessly and full of strength.

Feelin' Alive Again

Today marked the first of several days in Boston for post-surgery follow up appointments. Three this morning to be exact...so in conclusion, quite the long day. They all went fantastic though. My doctors were all thrilled and happy to hear that I am doing well and am a travel-craze. I brought in a few pictures from my trips this summer, and as I expected, they loved looking at them. I bet it feels good to know that their work has such an impact on a person. Definitely worth driving to Boston for. The overall saying: "we wait to see what the tests say." I have an MRI and an endoscopy scheduled these next few days to see how my insides all look from the inside view. Crossing my fingers that they look smooth, pink and healthy!!

As for after my appointments, it was absolutely gross and rainy outside in Boston today, so I wanted to do something indoors. What's that I wanted to do you say? Well, rock climbing of course! It was the first time since I have been out of surgery and it felt...So.Good... I was pretty proud of my post-op weakling body too. It lasted longer than I was anticipating. Since it was just me, I decided to just do a bouldering session. Fantastic decision. Met some great people and saw some absolutely great climbers. One of which I think had muscles on his muscles.haha It was just a great time to get rid of all the hospital thoughts and just relax (well, at least my kind of relax). Somebody needs to build a climbing gym in Central NY though...anyone up for the challenge?

Me doing some bouldering

-Danielle-

My All-time Favorite Cookie

Whether you like Double-Chocolate Chocolate, Peanut Butter, or your plain old Sugar Cookie...in my opinion, a cookie is a cookie. They are delicious covered in chocolate or dipped in sprinkles (I'm more of a chocolate girl myself, if you couldn't tell.) A cookie always brings back the taste of home, warmth and company. Each recipe has it's own memory, it's own story to tell, and when you bite into one you'll find you travel right along with it. A cold glass of milk and your favorite cookie can melt everything away, even just for a brief moment in time.
Well, in my family, every time company comes to our house they can expect something of the sort. Usually a fantastic meal and some sort of dessert. Last night, while I cleaned and tidied up, my mother made an absolutely amazing batch of my all-time favorite cookie creation- Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie (she surprised me actually.) I sneaked a spoonful of batter before she put everything in the oven...I had to test it and see if was safe. ...Mhmm... It's everything good and wonderful in one. Definitely a cookie to make whenever a sweet tooth is knocking at your door. Just fill a glass with cold milk, sit back, put your feet up, relax... and let the cookie do the rest.

A Long Time Away from Home

As I sit here and write, the fan blowing softly in my window and my bed lamp dimly shining on the keys, I remember all the things I have done the past two months. I remember living in Seattle for three weeks visiting my sister and her family, seeing just a glimpse into her life and watching the kids as they seemed to grow in front of me. Each time I saw the kid’s smile I shoved it deep down, close to my heart to remember always. (Man I love them.) Remembering the ever growing list of adventures my sister and I would go on, with the kids in tow or not, there was always a story to bring home to whoever was there to listen. Meeting new friends, going to church, climbing mountains, swimming in unforeseen places, all of which added to the collection of memories I have locked away in my mind. It is always so amazing to be with family, to love one another in every possible way, even in the most annoying of times. I know I’ll always have a place to stay there.

My favorite kids ever.

                                                                              

Then I flew back home, for only a few hours, where I then boarded a plane once again to meet my eldest brother in Central America. We discovered when I landed, that this was only our first time traveling together which completely surprised both of us given the amount of traveling we have done. I met him in Belize where we began our journey with an interesting cab ride to the “bus station.” Everything else is history. We traveled south, day after day, bus ride by bus ride, stopping in each country finding something amazing to do or interesting to eat.  All we had was each other, our back-packs, and our increasing list of stories… all the way down to Panama. Panama made it into my passport as my tenth country. We celebrated with an ice-cold Coca-Cola from a bottle (absolutely the best when from a bottle.) We climbed temples like a Mayan King, slept in a tent in the very heart of the rain forest, (no sleep to be had on that specific night…too many crazy animal noises.) We surfed the waves of the Pacific, and watched as a Sea Turtle so delicately laid her eggs on the beaches of the Atlantic, zip-lined through the canopy of a cloud forest, we ate like champions while watching HUGE cargo ships travel through the lock system in the Panama Canal, and of course took the longest, most interesting rides from place to place on whatever we could (even if that meant hitchhiking a time or two…shhh don’t tell my mom.) After all was said and done we flew home. Home to meet our mother with open arms, home to eat some good ol’ American food, and home to where I know I belong.

 I know I’ll always be traveling, and to only God knows where, but within me, and I imagine every traveler, there is always that one place where everything falls into place. That one spot where you feel at your utmost comfort. The place where you’ll find your heart again deep within the crannies of the walls and hiding out between the covers of your own comfortable bed (oh how I missed my own bed.) You know that old saying “Home is where the heart is?” … well I think it’s true. In every heart there is a home and I find mine every time I walk into mine, filled with the laughter of family and friends and the smell of homemade food on the table. No matter where I go, who I meet or how I get there, this is where I’ll find my heart, fully and happily living.

Sometimes life just doesn't go as planned. Through out my life I have had to re-live again and again those words more often than any person really should. It takes a lot of faith and courage to make it through life and recover from all those bumps and scrapes it will inevitably throw at you. Since I was much younger I think I have always had sort of a plan for my life and what I wanted it to be. It wasn't until these past few months that my plan wasn't necessarily God's plan for my life. It wasn't until life had to smack me straight across the face once again for God to get my attention.
On my plane rides to Seattle to visit my sister I had been reading Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick (I absolutely recommend it) and I came across something so radical to be that I had to stop and pause. Furtick goes on to tell the story of Jonathan and that although he did know entirely what was going he believed that perhaps God would help them through the battle. Perhaps? Really? Wow. Then Furtick followed that with "Instead of letting their fear disable their dreams, they start increasing their capacity for faith. They act on the part of God's direction they do understand, and they leave the rest up to him." It hit me right then. Square across the face. I realized that I needed to fully follow God, not any of this wishy-washy  stuff. But that my heart and mind was fully submitted to God's authority and everything else came second. I had realized that my wants of being a doctor when I first started school was more of a positional standing for myself. So that I may say "hey look what I did" at the end of all of it. Now I fully commit myself and my will to God and his own plan for my life.
Now, I'm not saying that I'm not scared or afraid of what that might mean. I know that there will be sacrifices that I must make, obstacles to jump over, and hurdles to plow through. But I also know that it is by God's grace that I was given gifts and opportunities. Without using them it's like leaving an unopened present at your birthday party. "Activating your faith to realize God's vision for your life involves a surcharge of sacrifice."-Sun Stand Still. I want to be used to make an impact in this world today, to be used in ways others think impossible or unable to be reached. I want to make a difference in the unreachable or the once unteachable. I want to be used in this world enough to make an impact for someone else's life to be forever changed.

It's been an entire month since I last posted, it feels so weird. I have been ridiculously busy, but I did come home from the hospital and since then have been loving being at home. I have my post-op check up tomorrow and hoping for the "a-ok" by the docs to do whatever I want again. Including climbing. I can't wait to get back to the rocks. My new gear came today and I am super stoked to get back on board. Along with climbing, I'm hoping for the ok to travel this summer. Big plans: Dominican, Iceland? Seattle. Gonna be a great summer, I can feel it.

Peace

Today... is Thursday. Today I have surgery. Today I have peace. God has been and is with me through everything. The good the bad, the ups and downs, the beautiful and the ugly. He has overcome everything even before I know of it's existence. He makes the impossible, possible. Sitting here listening to Hillsong's new album Aftermath, I wait upon Jesus. He is here. I can feel him all around me, surrounding me (and my mama) with peace, understanding and strength. I fill my head with verses of strength and victory, Psalm 18:2, Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28 pick me up and carry me through. One of my all time favorite "life-verses" is Romans 8:17: "Despite ALL these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loves us." This verse has pulled and yanked me through all obstacles that have come across my path during my life. Through struggles and hard-times I know that my God is bigger than anything and everything. That he can do it all and that victory IS possible when I turn to him.

So, today I am trusting God that he is in complete control of everything. That the surgeons hands are guided with wisdom and knowledge, and that no complications occur. Thank you God for everything you have done, and thank you for the victory I will have in trusting you, even through overwhelming circumstances.

Happy Visitors!

Today my favorite family ever are coming to visit!! My mom's best friend and her family are here to say hello. Her five boys and her husband (Papa) have had a special place in our hearts for as long as I can remember, and even longer. Although they live nearly four hours away, every visit seems as if we had just seen one another the day before. Whether it's playing in the river, going on long walks, playing Rummi (that's a given) or just snuggling with Mama and Papa (my adopted parents) I enjoy every second of my family. So, seeing them today is going to  fill my heart with joy and happiness! I am so elated about their visit, I better make sure these heart monitors don't go off! ;-)

Sunday Friends

Today I had visitors to the hospital (yes, I am in the hospital with a Crohn's flare. bummer.) Both of my brothers and two of my very good friends (or more like big sisters) came to see me. It was a very exciting time, as my heart monitor displayed while they were here. We laughed and sang and went for a walk in the hospital garden, soaking up as much sun as possible. Mhmm! I love having the support of people around me, it helps me get through times like this. My friends, my family, and most importantly my relationship with God pull me through everything. It's uplifting to know that no matter what, I have a big God that is behind me and knows my steps even when I don't. I have had to drop out of school this semester because of my illness, but I know everything will work out and be a-o.k. Day 18 and counting here in the hospital and still not much of a plan...just waiting...

Being here has taught me patience. Lots and lots of patience. I have had to clear my mind and have taught myself  better time management skills. Having lots of time to think about my life, and my future. Although many would be scared by this, it has gotten me even more excited about what is lying ahead of me. Being home, getting better, nursing school, new relationships, new adventures. Ah! Very happy about where my life is headed.

While being here, I have consistently found myself on various recipe and blog sites looking at food that I WILL eventually create. I can't wait to be home again. It will be amazing. My mother works during the day and my younger brother is still in high school. Since I will be home for the rest of this semester, I will be working when I can, but when I AM home I will be able to cook, clean and bake all that I want for the family, almost like a stay at home mom, except...I'm not.haha. I can not wait to be able to help my mom out around the house, she deserves it. :-)

The Beginning

I have never done this before, nor did I ever think I would. But here I sit, writing to the unknown abyss. To the world of "blog-readers" (which I will admit being a part of.) To whoever may be reading this, I say "hello" and welcome to my blog. I don't know exactly what I'll write about, it's an entire blank canvas to share my thoughts, ideas, feelings and anything else I can think about to put out there. I try to enjoy anything and everything the world has to offer. I like spontaneous adventure, the outdoors, cooking, baking, family, friends, a good chick-flick, home decorating, and chocolate. Who doesn't? My life can be crazy, but I know I am who I am today because of all that craziness. I will write as often as possible, whenever time allows. So, again...Welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy what's to come :-)