All blur

Today has been a really bad recovery day as far as my eyes go and clarity. HOWEVER, 1) I have been able to open my left eye today!
2) My mom took me to the mall.
3) She was my eyes and guided me around. It weas funny whenever I had to open my eyes ... didn't see much, but it was nice to have a day pass!
4) We went to the mall for 5 different things, and didn't find any of them but I'm SO grateful that I was able to get out of the house and just DO seomthing.
5) I helped my mom earlier today organize a cupboard. It was about all I accomplished but it was SOMETHING!.

happiness quote: “I'm going to enjoy every second, and I'm going to know I'm enjoying it while I'm enjoying it. Most people don't live; they just race. They are trying to reach some goal far away on the horizon, and in the heat of the going they get so breathless and panting that they lose sight of the beautiful, tranquil country they are passing through; and then the first thing they know, they are old and worn out, and it doesn't make any difference whether they've reached the goal or not.” ― Jean Webster

p.s. I hope that was a good quote.. I couldn't read it! If not, I will change it later 

Day two

1) Turns out my eyelids feeling like sandpaper is normal. Which was actually a relief.
2) My family is still helping me immensely (again with my eyes closed here).
3) I got two naps. Of course my meds helped with that, but it makes my day go by faster. The pain and having to sit in the dark with my eyes shut, dark glasses, eye patches... it's making my days really long.
4) I'm so thankful to have an ice pack.
5) My visiting teacher (Michelle) brought me by a note and some treats. I thought that was incredibly sweet and it made my day. :) Well, and my family helping me too! :) I know such amazing people. I can't wait to be able to see again!
6) Oh AND it turns out I was able to dictate an email on my phone to my brother. That made me very happy. 

happiness quote: “Happiness is not the absence of problems; it's the ability to deal with them.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free 

P.S. sorry for any errors in typing the last two days. I can't stand to open my eyes long so I can't edit. Thanks for bearing with me!

Surgery!

1) The eye surgery was super fast!
2) My mum went with me. :)
3) It was WONDERFUL when my pain meds finally kicked in. My eye sockets felt like they were packed with exploding, white-hot, sand. Oh man.....
4) My mum took very good care of me.
5) My brothers and sister helped me too. I couldn't open my eyes hardly at all. (Just a few seconds here and there. Even now that's the same... I'm typing with my eyes closed!) 

happiness quote: “Happiness wasn't a mystical place to be reached or won--some bright terrain beyond the boundary of misery, a paradise waiting for them to find it--but something to carry doggedly with you through everything, as humble and ordinary as your gear and supplies.” ― Laini Taylor, Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Boxing Day

1) I played guitar and enjoyed that.
2) The day of my surgery is almost here!
3) I had turkey for dinner. Yum.
4) We watched Snatch. I love that movie!
5)  I wrote some emails to friends in Japan.

happiness quote: “Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear” ― Taylor Swift

Christmas Eve

1) I got to skype with my BFF.
2) I got to go and support another BFF today too.
3) Four of my close friends have texted me today and I really appreciated that.
4) I watched some 8 Out of 10 Cats.
5) I took most of the day easy. It was fun to be with family. :) Aunt Rita came down.

happiness quote: “Allow yourself to enjoy each happy moment in your life.” ― Steve Maraboli

 

Christmas Eve Eve

1) I got to go to the gym with Jean-Mi yesterday and I get to go again with him tomorrow. :D
2) I ate popcorn today! I found out I'm not allergic to it (corn). WOOOO!
3) I organized my school things. That was very satisfying.
4) I am SO getting a better night's sleep tonight. 
5) I get to spend some time with one of my BFFs tomorrow! 

happiness quote: “It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving, it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.” ― Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason

Maman's Birthday

1) We went to dinner as a family for my mom's birthday. :)
2) I got my final grading done. Nice to have that off my plate and WAY before it's due! 
3) I watched some 8 Out of 10 Cats and really enjoyed it. British humor is pretty great.
4) It's been nice being around my family and having time off.
5) I ate some pickles! Yum!

happiness quote: “No one can grant you happiness. Happiness is a choice we all have the power to make.” ― Dean Koontz, Life Expectancy

Family Dinner

1) We had a nice family dinner together. 
2) Lyndsay wanted me to open her gift since they're not coming down for Christmas. I got Batman pajama pants! They're awesome!
3) I got to skype with a good friend today.
4) My visiting teacher came to see me! It's been a while since I had one so that was nice. :)
5) It was fun to hang out with the family. 
6) My sister painted my nails. 

happiness quote: “We've got everything we need right here, and everything we need is enough.” ― Jack Johnson

Late again :/

Oops! 
1) I have most of my grading finished! Woooo!
2) My bite is looking especially "pretty" today. :D
3) I got to play some guitar.
4) I found my old glasses so I'm not COMPLETELY blind. It's SO nice to be able to see about six feet out.
5) I can't believe my surgery is in less than week! YAY! I will be able to see all on my own! :D

happiness quote: “Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening.” ― Nelson Mandela

My sister made these from scratch!

The infamous bite...

What it looks like today (a day later)

Service Day

1) The day went really well. I drove three boys up from the school the the Humane Society. 
2) Well, it went mostly well - I got bit by a pitbull. I will post pictures later. It's a funny thing to be able to tell people and luckily I was already going to the doctor so I got some antibiotics just in case.
3) I am getting an allergy test so I will know why everything I eat makes me sick. :D (The real reason I went to the doctor.)
4) I have put on a lot of muscle. :D
5) Today is my last day in contacts... EVER. 

happiness quote: “I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” ― Albert Schweitzer

Dec 18

1) Our last Deaf event went really well. 
2) Our staff part was at Brick Oven so I got to have pizza for dinner!
3) I got a nice gift card and some treats from the school for Christmas.
4) Classes went well and it's almost the break. :D
5) My jhs kids brought Japanese food to share and it was delicious! 

happiness quote: “Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes.” ― Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby

2nd to last day of classes for the year..

1) My classes all went really well.
2) My Spanish 2 class is REALLY coming along. We watched a movie in Spanish and they were understanding bits and pieces of it. It was great to hear them laugh.
3) I switched up my workout and am feeling pretty good about my new routine.
4) I have one more day of classes tomorrow and then service day and then BREAK!
5) I am throwing out a pair of contacts today and will tomorrow and Friday and then go blind until my surgery! I'm excited but nervous for it.

happiness quote: “Be happy with who you are and what you do, and you can do anything you want.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Moving forward with faith

1) I got a blessing from my Papa since I'm getting surgery next week.
2) I had some amazing counsel from the Lord on how to find peace.
3) My classes went well today and one student in particular has really turned their behavior around.
4) forgot to mention that yesterday my parents took us all out to dinner :).
5) I got to take my momma' name to the temple today. :D There's no face happy enough to show how I felt/feel. 

Turn around

1) I've had a fairly miserable last week and a half but today was a major turnaround and I'm so grateful for that.
2) I'm excited to go to the temple tomorrow. :)
3) I'm excited to start Les Choristes with my French class tomorrow. 
4) I got my last Christmas presents today. 
5) my life is headed in a great direction. :) 

Stake Conference

1) Stake Conference was great. I enjoyed the messages.
2) I learned some things and made some goals to make my life better.
3) I got back in touch with a good friend.
4) I got to text my BFF.
5) There's only one week of school left! And less than a week in contacts, and less than two weeks until I have my surgery!

happiness quote: “It sometimes takes a state of solitude to bring to mind the real power of companionship.” ― Stephen Richards

Family dinner

1) My sister makes amazing cakes!
2) I drank a lot of water today.
3) I got to watch a couple horror movies.
4) I didn't sleep very much so I got a lot of time to think.
5) We had a big family dinner to celebrate December birthdays. 

happiness quote: “Happiness is always a by-product. It is probably a matter of temperament, and for anything I know it may be glandular. But it is not something that can be demanded from life, and if you are not happy you had better stop worrying about it and see what treasures you can pluck from your own brand of unhappiness.” ― Robertson Davies

Yesterday - Chaperoning the dance

1) I got to chaperone the dance. :) (I love dancing so I was excited when they asked me.)
2) Clean up afterwards only took 45 minutes.
3) My papa helped me fix my headlight and even showed me how to do it the next time by myself. :)
4) We have some generous donors and our Sub for Santa is looking great for next week!
5) I got in an awesome workout. :)

happiness quote: “Reason, Observation and Experience — the Holy Trinity of Science — have taught us that happiness is the only good; that the time to be happy is now, and the way to be happy is to make others so.” ― Robert G. Ingersoll, On the Gods and Other Essays

promised pictures: 

The Renaissance Dinner

I wasn't the only one who dressed up!

My nephew, last Sunday, was popping this lego into my lap or on the chair next to me (cracked me up)

LOL Yumbo!? Who says that!?

Two of my students at the dance :)

It worked!!!

1) My idea my mom gave me worked! Class went really well today (jhs class). :D
2) Tomorrow is the last day of teaching for this week and then next week is the last week of the year. Woo!
3) I almost finished my Christmas shopping today. :D
4) I had a fun conversation with several other teachers today.
5) I watched one of my new movies (Ransom - edited) and enjoyed it. 

happiness quote: “We have no more right to consume happiness without producing it than to consume wealth without producing it.” ― George Bernard Shaw, Candida

Long day

1) I survived my very long day.
2) I'm getting two new students in one of my classes. One of them is super stoked. :)
3) My mom gave me a good idea of what to do with my jhs kids tomorrow. 
4) One of my students is taking the initiative to teach us all how to make sopapillas. I'm pretty excited to learn!
5) I am supposed to hang out with a friend tomorrow. Yay for getting out of the house!

happiness quote: “Why not seize the pleasure at once? -- How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!” ― Jane Austen, Emma

Only three left!

1) Since today is over (scholastically), I only have THREE classes left with my elective jhs class. Woooo! (Can you tell they were pills today?)
2) I made myself some popcorn.
3) The temple was awesome today. All the sealers are learning my name because I'm a regular now!
4) We aren't have intercession next year! (A two week intensive alternative course we teach to the students. I was racking my brain and couldn't come up with anything but we're trying something else so I'm really excited about it. -- Although it does mean I won't be teaching a Shakespeare class. That makes me sort of sad. I was also thinking of teaching a course on oppression. :/ LOL Oh well.)
5) I had breakfast burritos for dinner. Easy and yummy! :)

happiness quote: “Why not let people differ about their answers to the great mysteries of the Universe? Let each seek one's own way to the highest, to one's own sense of supreme loyalty in life, one's ideal of life. Let each philosophy, each world-view bring forth its truth and beauty to a larger perspective, that people may grow in vision, stature and dedication.” ― Algernon Black

Will post update soon!

Sorry - I've obviously gotten behind. I got sick and then got sicker and haven't been doing much but the bare minimum! However, I am starting to feel better so I will post an update here and then write one for tomorrow. Promise!

The weekend:
 
1) I was able to not even LOOK at work stuff on Sunday. Usually I check, at the very least, what I'm teaching. But I wanted to have a completely work-free Sunday. :)
2) I was able to stay with my family the entire evening on Sunday. (Sometimes I get crowd anxiety even with family but I stuck it out and had a great time with them. 
3) Saturday I went to a Renaissance dinner that was really fun. When I get a chance I'll post the pictures I got from it. 
4) I got to play a lot more guitar over the weekend than during the week. 
5) I made a recording for my brother who is in Peru right now (of me speaking Spanish and I also played him guitar). He loved it! :D

happiness quote (sorry if I double-up, sometimes I can't remember what I've already posted): “The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves—say rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” ― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

Midweek!

1) My workout at the gym lessened my pain! (I was worried it might increase it, as I was going to be using muscles that were already hurting me - but it didn't!)
2) Oh man... one of my student's today said I should date Brad Pitt. I told him, "Brad Pitt couldn't make me happy." Then he holds out his hands about ten inches apart and says, "Brad Pitt has a HUGE..." This is where I cut in and said, "Don't. Just don't." And he finished, "a HUGE jaw!" That punk!
3) Diana (our director) told me today that my Spanish 1 classes are being combined next semester and I will not be teaching a class of eleven-year-olds. HALLELUJAH!!!
4) Even with that line I just said about my sixth graders, I have a lesson tomorrow that I'm excited to teach them. :)
5) I ate some spicy pickled veggies today. YUM!!

happiness quote: “When you are living the best version of yourself, you inspire others to live the best versions of themselves.” ― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

Loopy day!

1) I can't believe it's already December 2nd. I've been thinking it was Wednesday December 1st all day. Weird day. BUT, my lessons went pretty well - ESPECIALLY my jhs one. One kid as he left sighed happily and said, "I love this class." Huzzah!
2) I am SO grateful for a heating pad and modern medicine. 
3) I had a small issue earlier today with my laptop and I'm very happy I was able to resolve it myself.
4) I got information on how to get the names I've prepared printed and taken to the temple. I told one of the ladies, "I won't be here next week." She gave me a big frowny face and then smiled when I corrected myself, "I will be HERE, just not doing sealings. I will be doing family names down at the font!" I am SO excited! I am doing the names of people that I prepared and who are dear to me. 
5) My BFF got great news and I'm so happy for her. :)
6) A student made me laugh today. He said, "I hope I die of ebola." I heard, "I hope I die of fruit roll-ups." We had a pretty good laugh today. 

happiness quotes: “I'm a happy person. If you want to be around me, you can either choose to be happy too, or follow the signs to the nearest exit!” ― Sharon Swan

Made it back!

1) My lessons went extremely well today.
2) My Spanish classes are so great. They make me laugh and they are such sports to do what I throw at them. :)
3) Dinner was AWESOME tonight.
4) My workout went well in spite of a lack of energy, lol. I pushed through and grateful I did.
5) Several of my students today told me I'm the best, lol. And it was for giving them homework! Seriously. 

happiness quote: “Recipe For Happiness Khaborovsk Or Anyplace'

One grand boulevard with trees
with one grand cafe in sun
with strong black coffee in very small cups.

One not necessarily very beautiful
man or woman who loves you.

One fine day.”
― Lawrence Ferlinghetti