Thursday, March 12, 2009

Some thoughts on this Thursday!

After reading comments to my post yesterday, I’m so glad I’m not alone in my hard core blogger status, ha! It’s funny; my good friend Holly is the one who actually got me into blogging. She sent me the link to her blog so I could keep up with her sweet family and then the rest is history. Please go by her blog, it’s precious and I think you’ll really enjoy it. I started blogging July of last year and was kind of sporadic and then it’s like something clicked after the first of the year and I became one blogging machine and now you just can’t stop me. I’ve always attempted to journal in a book but was never successful, I would get on a roll for awhile and then would stop and start again, and it continued like that. But I find this is a more wonderful way to document my days and journal. And it’s turned into a beautiful thing. The blog world is certainly no replacement for real life and those real relationships and friendships in your life, but there’s something so sweet in knowing that there’s people out there on the other side of the computer screen that you can share life with and ask for prayer and you know you might never meet these people, but there’s still something so sweet about it, and you all make it all the more sweeter. Just wanted you to know that :o)

Okay, now that I have all the sappy stuff out of the way, haha…. I want to introduce you to a wonderful man in my life (who I have yet named, haha) and he’s perfect in every way and he’s going to make me lots and lots of money...TADA… :o)

This is my professional machine that I purchased to use when I get out in the career. It made me sick to my stomach when I purchased it, and not cheap by-the-way, haha, but like to think of it as an investment for my future. Isn't he handsome??? :)


Okay, for those of who you might be new to my blog and just to refresh the memory of you others, I started school in ’06 to become a court reporter, a move that forever changed my life. It has been quite the journey and I have been stretched in ways I thought I never could. It has not been without God’s grace that I’ve gotten this far along the journey. I’ve formed some amazing friendships and there’s so much I’ve gained from this but there have been moments of a lot of tears. Thinking that I just can’t do it, that I’ll never make it, and that it’s just too hard and what was I thinking. One thing you have to know about court reporting is that it takes a specific skill and it’s not cut out for everyone and it is NOT easy. But if you can stick out the schooling and make it through, it can be very rewarding and there’s some good money to be made. It’s a self-paced program, so what you put into it, is what you’re going to get out of it. It takes a lot of self motivation and dedication and it’s not always easy. I try to surround myself with positive people and it’s so comforting to know you have that support system among other people going through the schooling, because no matter how hard they try, your friends and family will just never understand this type of schooling. You literally have to close your ears to all the negativity and just keep focused on the goal. I should hopefully be done by the end of this year at the latest, so please pray for me as I near the end of the journey. That my motivation and determination will be at an all time high and that I’ll continue to seek God and his direction for my life as I get out of school and the direction he’d have me to take.

Yesterday was a very hard day. Went to go visit my Grandpa in the hospital. He's recuperating from hip surgery!

This is him on his birthday last September!


He kept going in and out of sleep when I was there. He's not being cooperative and being very stubborn. He will not eat, will not do the physical therapy and sometimes he wont even know who you are and other times he will and he also struggles with diabetes. He also has dementia which is getting progressively worse. While he was sleeping I just sat there and cried. And it almost seems like he's given up. It's hard to see someone you love giving up on themselves and you want them to fight, but he's going to be 82 years old this year. He's lived a good life. You just have this picture in your mind of your grandparents being that figure in your life that will always be around, and sadly that's not the case. So I'm just going to enjoy the time we have left with him, however long that is. I just want from here on out to show him how much I love him and how much his presence in my life has meant to me, even if it's just sitting with him for awhile and saying nothing at all. Sometimes it's that unspoken love that speaks the loudest!

21 comments:

Carpool Queen said...

Hang in there on the court reporting! I have a friend who did that for many years and life was *ca-ching* good to her.

And sorry to hear about your granddaddy. Enjoy enjoy enjoy your time with him.

Unknown said...

very sweet blog! Thanks for sharing. I think it's awesome what you are going to school for..keep you head held high and know that God will provide! :)
Happy Thursday!

His Doorkeeper said...

Lauren,
I think you are doing a wise thing in preparing yourself for a career. Just keep looking up and stay with it. You will succeed!

Sweet words about your grandfather. It is the hardest thing in the world to see someone you love so much seemingly "give up" and also have dementia. My mother went through that and it broke my heart. Praying for you and your grandpa!

Blessings to you!

alyssa said...

i think it's AWESOME that you are going for what you want. God tells us the "world" /devil will always try to lead us astray! congrats on your new purchase!! and it will make you money!! hey, i still haven't figured out my "calling"!!!

Rebecca Jo said...

How cool is that machine??? I always thought it would be amazing to be a court reporter! You get to hear some interesting stuff, I'm sure!!!

Poor Granddaddy!!! Two of the girls in my youth group I lead just lost their grandfather... its never easy, but like I told them, our bodies arent made for this side of eternity... so sad to see our bodies break down... prayer to him & your whole family!

Niki said...

I think it's great you are going to school for what you want to do! I am fixin to go back also and it is gonna be really tough but will be totally worth it once I get out!

I'm sorry to hear about you grandad. I will keep your family in my prayers.

Whitney said...

You will be a GREAT court reporter!!!
I will be praying for your grandpa!
Have a great day friend!

lori said...

You have a great blog..
Good job on the court reporting thing, I have thought about doing that, along with a thousand other things.
I saw your post on the stawberry festival. i was there too (but the next day). I live in lady lake.

Kendra said...

It's hard seeing your grandparents, even your parents, age, isn't it? I lost my last grandparent last year and it never gets easy seeing someone you knew as vibrant and energetic get slowed down by age. Nothing graceful or dignifying about it. My pastor once said God lets people get old and sick and feeble so we are willing to let them go. It's a sad yet true statement. You keep visiting him and loving him!

Jordan said...

I wasn't aware of what you are going to school for and personally didn't know that it was so hard. I know you'll be great at it Lauren!! =]

Kaitlyn said...

I am so proud of you for having the determination and motivation to get your degree-- way to go!

I'll be praying for your grandpa. My Grammy had surgery last summer (heart) and spent 2 weeks in a coma, plus nearly 2 months not eating and being totally obstinate. She is FINALLY getting better but her short term memory and her dementia may be a bit beyond repair. What I am trying to say is that I know how hard it is (I've literally yelled at her maybe twice in my life,and they were both last summer when I was telling her "You MUST EAT or you will die".) and I am here for you. You can email me (upturnedbarbie(@)gmail(.)com and if you'd like I can even give you my # for instant-acess. You're both in my prayers :)

Crystal said...

Keep up the good work at school and you will make it. I will be praying for your grandfather that he gets well. Have a great day!

Jess :) said...

Oh, when you talk about sitting with your grandpa, it brings back such memories of me doing that with my grandma. She passed away from a massive (unexpected) stroke last June. It was very difficult because we just weren't expecting it. However, I had just been down to KS to see her on Mother's Day weekend (just 3 weeks prior) and I cherish that time I had with her!

Thanks for your thoughts! And, you'll be amazing at whatever road the Lord ends up taking you down! Praying for you, friend!

Jennifer said...

I mean, it's David BECKHAM for heaven's sakes. I should have an entire wall dedicated to him. :)

Jenna said...

I am proud of you for all your hard work!! Hang in there!

Praying for your granddaddy!

♥ H ♥ said...

I gave you an award on my blog!!

Nichele Lynn said...

LOVE that handsome "man" in your life!!! SOOO praying for your Grandpa! and the rest of your fam

heather said...

Aw, what a beautiful post! I couldn't agree more with that first paragraph, and I LOVE your last sentence about love. Too true!! Thanks for following me!

Jacquie said...

I really like this post, Lauren. I'm impressed by your hard work at such a young age! Keep plugging along - it will pay off!

I'm sorry about your Grandpa... you are so blessed to be close to him, though!

Kelsey said...

This was a lovely post, Lauren. You have such an amazing faith and strength and I'm so glad to know that I have you as a friend on "the other side of the screen". Thanks for sharing your journey with all of us!

Loree said...

Our grandparenets are precious. My nanna (grandma) died 9 years ago and I still miss her to this day but somehow I know that she is praying for me. I think, sometimes, when people reach a certain age they just want to go home to Heaven. But I wil pray that your grandfather will be with you for many more years.