Vulnerable

Share with others how important they are to you.
Relationships are built on mutual appreciation, and there is no better way to show that appreciation than to tell someone how much you care.

Researchers at the University of Houston have studied the question of why we don't tell people how important they are to us. One area they studied was reaction to sad events like funerals.
One subject, Bill, lost a close family member recently. Some of Bill's friends sent sympathy cards, some sent flowers, some sent notes, some told him they were there for him. And some did nothing.
Why did some of his friends not say anything?
Perhaps they thought that telling others we care means being vulnerable. For these people, relationships may be more of a competition than a celebration, and competitions are premised on strength, power, and position.
Researchers caution that we don't win AT relationships, we win by HAVING relationships.

Research on unemployed adults has found that the length of unemployment was less important to a person's self-esteem than the amount of social support received from parents, family members, and friends.
[from the book The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People by David Niven]

Something to think about. How vulnerable are you?

Smile :)
Sarah "the vulnerable" Bickerstaff

Trek up the Tower

http://www.trekupthetower.org/

February 23, 2008.

Team: The Stairwells.
Me and my Dad climbing to the top of First National Bank. I hope to beat him. ;) I'm super excited to do the race, and I might eventually start trying to 'train' for it.


Climbing,
Sarah

The Good.

I was conversing with my ole college friend Mike Friedman last night -- who I must say is one heck of a cyclist. We were talking about "good" people, and I mentioned that in college I seemed to be around so many of them. Very good friends, very kind, go out of their way for you, very awesome people. I miss that. Don't get me wrong ... I LOVE my friends here in Omaha, but sometimes I expose myself to people who aren't good for ME. They aren't bad people by any means ... just not good for me. I'm probably not making any sense because I'm being so vague, but it's like person #1 can be an awesome person FOR person #2 but not necessarily FOR person #3. Doesn't make them a bad person and for the record I'm talking in very general terms.

Our conversation just made me ponder for a bit about who we expose our lives to and why we do it. Which jumped my mind to something completely different (which is how my mind normally processes) to the idea that some people will share their whole life story to someone just for the sake of telling it but not having any meaning to it. While others might tell their story because they are secretively begging for advice, and still others because they know a friend might need to hear something about their life that may make the friend's life make more sense -- advice you might say ... or confiding.

My mind is usually all over the place. Most likely because I like to over analyze things, but that's just me. Over analyzing has kept me out of trouble for most of my life so I can't complain too much about it.

So anyway, after talking to Mike it just made me miss cycling -- mainly Penn State cycling road trips and best of all... competing in the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC). It's hard to understand how the things you do now will affect you later in life, but I can definitely say the ECCC helped me in ways I still don't even realize.

It gave me a PASSION for something that made me believe in myself. Made me want to wake up each morning and strive to deliver that passion. Spring of 2004 especially gave me so much self-confidence that made my life so much better. I miss that. It's not that I can't have that now ... I just have to pick out something. I'm never gonna get back the 8 hour long road trips to Boston for a 3 race weekend or the commoradorie (sp?) from teammates that will be there for you no matter what. I guess those are the "good" people I was sort of describing before. People who you want to have around you all of the time because there's a 50/50 shared life bond between ya.

Often times I'll have the urge to really get back into cycling and get my pro license back but then I realize there are big road blocks preventing me to do so -- biggest of all is my failing hip. What a bugger that thing has been for the past 2 years!! Then there's also the dedication that takes place. It's hard to dedicate yourself to something when you feel like you need to dedicate yourself to a couple other things as well.

On that note, though, I feel like I've been getting super strong going to the YMCA's spin classes twice a week + a couple other easy trainer rides. I'm excited to see how it pays off in a couple of months. I'm pretty sure there's a cycling race around here in Nebraska at the end of April. I wanna get back to kicking butt. :) -- which would be much easier if there were some mountains around here... dang how I miss climbing!

Anyways ... that's my ramble for the day.
Hug,
Sarah

Squirrels at Penn State

I think it's the little things that you miss most at times.
Even if these lil creatures threw acorns at me from the trees all throughout my life in Atherton Hall, they'll still forever make me smile. I swear they think they're human.

Squirrel on Leg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZUQBQ75IkY&feature=related

Squirrel Loving Cheez-its
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXByuTvlIY0&feature=related

3 more months until I get to hug a squirrel again. hehe :)

Sarah

Still on my mind... forever.

Photo: Me and my Grandma fishing ... circa 1986.
I've been missing my Grandma a lot lately and thinking a lot about her. Thank goodness I have Samuel. It's just been hard thinking that I'll never have a chance to give her a hug and tell her I love her.

I haven't written in a week as I haven't had too many positive things to talk about. Well, I guess some :) but work has been crazy, my hip has been killing me, and I'm still curious as to what was/is wrong with my stomach.

Always pray,

Sarah

3am

I love it how God seems to have a special way of surrounding you with people that will make you smile when you need it most. :)

Cheers to 3am visits.

New Desperate Housewives tonight... yay! ... hopefully going over to Jen's to see her and of course E.J. :)

Smiling again,
Sarah :)

Pros and Cons

Things I Love about Omaha:
- my job
- my coworkers
- my awesome apartment
- living downtown
- walking to work
- getting every dvd from the library
- people watching downtown
- being 1 mile from the YMCA

Things I Don't Like about Omaha:
- all my super fun friends are engaged or married or have kids
- everyone already has their life settled
- living by myself
- 1000 miles away from all of my college friends
- i try too hard to make friends and end up screwing things up
- there are no mountains to climb on my bike
- the weekends because everyone seems to go away
- how hard it is to find people my own age since i'm not in college any more
- how i always miss people

Rough weekend.
The End.
Trying to smile...
Sarah

2008 - smiles and hernias

The past week has been amazing in so many ways and so I hate it when I let one little thing creep in and let the happiness drift away. I'm a big thinker in "tomorrow is a new day" which is nice because each day I get to wake up and try to correct what went wrong or try things from a different perspective... but anyways ... can't go into detail about that one.

New Year's Eve was one of the most fun ever. I came back to Omaha and barely caught the downtown fireworks which were pretty amazing! Even though the windchill was sub-zero. :) Then I met up with Jen and some friends. We played some games which put a lot of laughing in my system. I was debating whether or not I should come back for NYE, but I'm glad I did. Then I had a surprise visitor from downtown at 3am... it was a pretty humorous time and made 2008 start off pretty well. Ha.

I had been having some stomach problems for about a week, though, and finally mustard up the nerve to go to the doctor on Thursday. I feel absolutely fine except throughout the day my pain in my left side of my abs just gets worse. The docs couldn't figure it out and I took a bunch of tests -- blood, urinalysis, etc -- to try to get a glimpse of what was going on, but all of those came out normal.

So today I had to go in for an ultrasound at the hospital so they could look at my insides. Unfortunately the person doing the ultrasound isn't authorized to tell me anything in regards to what she fines. After the ultrasound I was finally able to relieve myself --- thank goodness! (They make you drink 48oz of water and not use the bathroom for 2 hours before so all your insides are extended ... and of course my bladder has to be the size of a peanut. lol) Anyways, they make sure the pictures they took from the ultrasound get sent to the radiologist and the radiologist will send the results off to my doctor who will finally contact me with any news. A lot of people are thinking it's a hernia because I feel fine but I have a lot of pain (which comes and goes depending on when I've eaten and what I'm doing). But then again I'm in an exstrenuous amount of pain, either. However, I'm glad to say that I don't think it's anything too serious as they probably wouldn't have done something immediately about it. I'll just be happy when I have the results and can maybe put a name to what has been bugging me for over a week now.

Well, I guess it's time for some shut-eye. I had wanted to hang out with some friends tonight but half of them had plans and half I couldn't get ahold of. Oh well, at least I'll get to bed at a decent time.

Saying my prayers,
Sarah

Four

Photo: Ginger guarding the presents ... and sleeping on the job. All she does is sleep. :)


I woke up this morning around 10am thinking that I'd just take the day off from working out. After 2 hours of morning tv, I headed back to bed for another hour, and then sat in the living room with my mom for a couple more hours until Ryan started recording our old family VHS tapes to cds. Some of those were pretty funny to watch. One of the tapes was entitled "The Bickerstaff Family 1954-1967" ... which featured a dog jumping on my dad when he was a few weeks old. Haha.


After basically just sitting all day I ended up going to the Wellness Center. My mom was going to do the beginner spin class so I told her I'd join her. So, I went around 3:30pm to swim 3000 yards and then lifted weights. After that it was on to the spin room with my mom. As we were finishing the class, my dad came into the room because he was doing the 6pm spin class. Somehow he convinced me to stay for a SECOND spin class -- and spin classes are never easy. After 4 workouts in 4 hours, I have to say that my body was beat. Luckily my mom had made one of my favorite dinners -- homemade hamburgers, baked beans, and waffle fries! and right now I'm extremely stuffed. I'm curious as to how my body will feel in the morning as my recent workouts have had no intensity to them like the spin class does.

Okay ... back to watching Texas defeat Arizona St.

Sarah :)

Merry Christmas!

Technically I still have about half an hour until it's no longer Christmas. I hope everyone had a blessed holiday!!!

My family and I attended Christmas Eve service last night at 7pm ... it's always nice to see all the people at your home church whome you haven't seen in a year. After that the Bickerstaff tradition is to come home and open presents! We also drink wine, egg nog, and this year's snack was cheese ball! I think everyone got some really nice gifts. I know I loved all of mine!! :) I got a lot of swim stuff, a sweater and another shirt for work, a hand held vacuum, and season 3 of The Office! I had decoupaged some wine bottles for my parents that had a bunch of pictures of our family on them. I like to surprise people with stuff they wouldn't expect. I hope my parents enjoy them... I tried really hard to make the present special.

I got Ryan one of my favorite books of all time "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. I had read it right out of high school and think it's just an amazing book. It's one of those that after each page you literally have to stop and let the words soak in. My old Pastor in Alva got me hooked on his books. He had given me "The Screwtape Letters" my senior year of high school as a Christmas present and I loved it. I would highly recommend both of those books. In fact, I think I'm going to re-read them soon. I just hope Ryan takes the time to read it. It's hard to shop for him. We see each other about once a year and rarely ever talk -- except for birthdays. I really wish we had a better sibling relationship, but I don't know what else to do at times to make him realize that I'm an okay person. I feel like I've tried and tried but each time I feel like I just fail ... then someone told me once that sometimes you just have to accept another person's behavior and thoughts and realize that it might not be anything you did ... just how that person operates. So, perhaps Ryan doesn't hate me ... perhaps we just operate completely different in life and with people that it's hard for us to get along. At least that's what I have to tell myself so that I don't get sad.

On a happier note, though. I'm really thankful for all the calls, texts, messages, etc that I received today from all my friends. It's so nice to hear from everyone -- even if it's just a simple "Merry Christmas" greeting :)

Oh! and I'm really trying to make it back to Penn State for Blue and White weekend. It's sometime in mid-April and I'm hoping that a ton of my old roomies and alumni friends come back that same weekend. In fact, I probably won't be going unless ya'll come back ... so everyone will have to let me know their plans. A lot has to fall nicely into place in order for me to go --- plane ticket prices are outrageous! So, hopefully it'll all work out and I'll be able to spend a couple days in good ole Happy Valley with some amazing people. :)

Remember the reason for the season.
God Bless,
Sarah :)

Scanner

I really wish my family had a scanner at home. I was looking at pictures from 1985-1988 this evening (2-5 years of age) and basically I have discovered I was a pretty awesome toddler. I should probably confirm that with my parents before I post it to the world, but I just love looking at old pictures. Things I've learned today from pictures:

1. I had no hair on my head until I was 2.
2. I went through a phase where I thought it was awesome to close one eye with my finger in pictures.
3. My corrective shoes had a black stripe.
4. I was scared of our own dog.
5. When I was 5 I was taller than our backyard tree. Now I'm 24 and the treet is about 6 times as tall as me.
6. I loved putting glue on construction paper with a q-tip and then putting packing peanuts on the glue.
7. My mom made some pretty fancy birthday cakes.
8. My brother and I had to wear EXTREMELY BRIGHT ORANGE hoodie jackets when we played outside.
9. I surprised my parents when I was 4 by riding a bike with no training wheels ... when they didn't know I could.
10. There's a picture of me looking 25% alive because I was so sick. It's actually pretty cute -- me with a blotchy, over heating puffy cheek face ... an ice pack on my head .. covered with stuffed animals (because they were the cure for everything) ... and of course a sippy cup. Being 2 and a half or being 24... being sick is the story of my life.
11. My mom liked to include the camera case in numerous photos.
12. At the age of 4 I was a space dragon for Halloween. The pictures look like I was wearing aluminum foil.
13. Even back then I acted silly in half of my pictures.
14. 80% of the furniture in my apartment came from the pictures between 1983-1987.
15. In 1987 I got a ginormous wooden house that my dad built for my little tiny doll toys. I can't think of the name of them right now... but I loved those things! That same Christmas I got my good ole stuffed animal Snoopy. It looked much fluffier and angel white 2 decades ago... it's been loved a lot since then.

And ... there's so more. Every time I come home I have to look at basically all the pictures ever taken in our family.

Home is still going okay. Basically I sleep in, workout, eat, take a nap, workout, watch tv, take pictures of my dog, and catch up with as many people as I can. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, which for my family means gift opening! And with presents comes egg nog! I gave my parents gifts they would never expect this year so I'm excited to see their reactions.

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve! :)

Sarah

Snow and wind

So, I wasn't planning on leaving Omaha until this morning so I didn't bother packing Thursday night. Well, when I got back from work Friday afternoon, I realized that a blizzard was going to be rolling through NE, KS, and OK. This was around 3:30 as we all left early; however, I was sooooo very sleepy so I knew I had to take a nap before I attempted driving 450 miles. I ended up finally leaving (took me FOREVER to pack my car with all the stuff I needed to bring home) around 6:30pm. Which made for a 1:30am arrival with a bit of speeding involved. ;)

But now I'm here in good ole Alva, Oklahoma. It's snowing with 40mph wind gust. Nothing like home. :) I'll be home for a little over a week and hope to relax and stroll around my little town as much as possible. I'll probably make frequent visits to the Wellness center to workout as well... thank goodness for an indoor pool! (Though I will miss my YMCA for awhile ... love that place.)

I finally finished mailing out all my Christmas cards earlier this week and hopefully everyone will receive theirs before Christmas day. Evidently the mail service gets a little slow this time of year. But, I like to keep in touch with lots of people so hopefully everyone will enjoy their little notes ... and adorable cards this year. :)

Well, I better get to that indoor pool I was speaking of... now that my car isn't filled with snow... I must have accidently hit the window handle when I was taking all my stuff out of my car last night. Luckily my Dad saw it when he got up to run at 8am ... so he cleared off the nice layer of snow in my backseat. lol

Oh! and check out this band...
http://www.myspace.com/oxygeno2
I like.

Sarah :)

Nice

I'm overly nice. I admit it. I like to make people smile. I like to make people feel special. So I try my best.
Some people only try to cheer up those that outwardly look sad. But I know others might need it as well.
I know many times I've been a mess inside but outwardly could present myself as I'm the happiest person on Earth -- partly because I giggle at everything.
I do random things for people. Send them little notes in the mail. Give random things.
Try to put a smile on my face as I pass people. But mostly I like to let people know what they mean to me.

I just finished sending out all my Christmas cards. Most of the people I send cards to are the ones I only might see once or twice a year. So when I'm pulling their name from the address book, I get a chance to sit and reflect about shared memories and how that person has helped me grow to who I am today. And so I like to tell people straight up how meaningful they are to me ... and if they are to me, then they are to the world.

Sometimes I think people think I'm crazy for being so upfront. Maybe it's because most people don't share their thoughts every day... I don't know.
It's like the old lady at Barnes and Noble who always has a million magazines or books on her table in the Starbucks Cafe ... I've never told her this, but I appreciate her presence so much. I believe she might be a bit mentally impaired, but I am greatful on the days that we are there at the same time as she reminds me of how simple life can be and how complicated we tend to make our lives.

Anyways... I just finished my cards and wonder what people feel when they receive that little note. I'll end with one of my favorite quotes of all time:

"I do honestly believe that people enter our lives for a reason. That everyone who we meet, who forms an impression, has something to teach us. Everything that happens to us is an experience, and because of that it can never be bad. An experience can only be good because it all serves to shape the person that we are, the person that we become."

And that is precisely why I'm so very greatful for so many people ... no matter how short their stint in my life might have been.

A big thanks... to everyone.
Sarah

Oh December

Photo: Always in my heart.

Dear December ... you have been a tough one.

I attended my Grandma's burial and then memorial service last week in Kansas. Saddest 2 days of my life. However, I don't think I'm as much sad for her as she is no longer here as I am for all the people she had blessed throughout her life. My Grandpa gave me her wedding band that was built into a necklace. I'm going to wear it with pride. Being in her house was very hard as well ... none of her praying to wake up to, or questions about my life, or her crazy casserole dishes, or her ever so distinctive voice. As I look at her picture on my desk though, I can only be happy that she is up in heaven in perfect peace.

I finished up my Christmas present shopping this past weekend and I only have one or two more Christmas card to send out. My list isn't nearly as long as my Grandma's was (152 people! ... with hand written notes in each one!) but I must admit that I tend to go on and on in my letters and so my hand is kinda getting sore.

My eyes have opened up a bit in life lately and it's hard to take it all in. Some days I can think I have a wonderful life and other days I feel like I'm messing up somewhere. Those of you who know me well know about my struggles ... and somedays are good and some are bad. I guess all I can do is pray about it. There are so many good things in this life on Earth to let certain things get to you.

Anyway, it's been a crazy learning month for me and I guess those come around every once in a while to put us back up on our feet. Check out "Silver Lining" by Rilo Kiley. Pretty sweet song.

Trying to smile ...

Sarah

Rest in Peace Grandma... You're up in Heaven Now

I miss you.

Rachel Bickerstaff

December 11, 1921 - December 7, 2007

Update

Received a card from my Grandpa and Aunt Connie (who is staying with them to help my Grandpa out). My Aunt wrote "... your Grandma wanted to make sure that her Christmas cards got out. I am so glad she keeps good records. Otherwise I'd be in trouble. Now that she is in her own room she made sure the picture you drew [for her] that says "Jesus Loves You" is taped to the wall so she can see it. So between Grandpa and I we're getting her cards out. Wow she knows so many people."

Guess I just wanted to fortify the fact that my Grandma kept in touch with so many people her entire life no matter how little she saw them and no matter if they ever wrote back. I want to be like her.

I need a HUG.

Picture: Christmas Break 2006. Grandma and I were practicing goofy faces for the camera.

Well, a week ago I wrote and was as happy as could be. But then life just started going downhill... I was having high hopes but my Dad called me yesterday to inform me that my Grandma only has a few days left. Below there's a post from my Thanksgiving visit with Grandma.... She was doing much better the next couple of days in ICU and got her breathing tubes out. She even got OUT of ICU. Right now she has an oxygen mask and they inserted the feeding tube again to give her some energy.

My family sent her some balloons on Tuesday and my Grandpa and Aunt said that she smiled and faintly acknowledged the gift, but that she's barely grasping their hands any more when they hold her hand. Carbon dioxide is building up in her lungs and she seems to be slowly slipping away. Today she had a slightly better report which was good to hear but it's hard to accept that when it seems it's just a matter of time. If she continues to fade my Dad will have to make the decision to pull her off life support and let her die a natural death.

I've never really had anyone close to me pass away, especially someone so holy as my Grandma. She was the type of Grandma that when I would visit I would wake up to the sound of her unforgettable voice praying aloud to God to be with her loved ones and ones she didn't know. She gave me my first Bible. When I didn't want to play pinnocle with the rest of the family she would sit and play cribbage with me. She made the best watermelon rolls which I still have yet to attempt to make. She wrote to me every single month once I left home to let me know she loved me and that I was always in her prayers. She would make me crochetted everything. Once she made me a green hat (see pic below) that evidently I wore every night for a summer waking up with a pool of sweat on my head. She seemed more connected to her extended relatives than anyone I've ever known. I gave her a penn state t-shirt my freshman year for Christmas and even though I accidently bought an XL... she still wore it when I would visit to show me she appreciated it. Every time I would visit in college she would always ask if I had a "special friend" which would make me smile because of her curiosity.

My parents stopped in Junction City to visit my dad's parents on their way up to visit me in September. I was surprised to see a sad looking dog my brother and I had named Samuel in my parents' car. It was the stuffed animal Ryan and I would always fight over. Every time I would visit in college my Grandma would always ask me what I wanted of hers (she always had this negative view of how her life seemed to becoming closer to its end that all of us would just chuckle about because she was fine and healthy). I never really wanted anything of hers ... like the china she gave me and other things like that. So I mentioned to her once, that the ONE thing that will forever remind me of her is SAMUEL. She gave Samuel to my parents in September to give to me because (in her negative view) she might not be alive to give it to me. I went down to see her and my Grandpa towards the end of October while my parents were there for my Dad's 35th high school reunion. That was the last time I saw her as a whole... as the Grandma I grew to know...

Her and I watching TV while my parents were at the reunion stuff. Her asking me about my job and me asking her stories from when she was younger. Her putting her little boombox to her ear so she could hear the football game on the radio and all of a sudden hearing "YES!!!" when her team scored. I love that memory. It truely makes me smile.

So when my Dad called yesterday I felt like I should go down there immediately so I could see her one last time. After talking to him awhile though and contemplating it I realized that I don't want that atmosphere to be my last memory of her. I did see her twice over Thanksgiving, with the first time me being a crying mess, but the 2nd time with all of us showing smiles because she looked so much better. So as much as I want to go see her, she might not even know I'm there and I don't know if I can handle that feeling. She knows I love her and that we're all praying for her. I just wonder what she's thinking right now... like if she's wanting all of us there but just can't communicate that. She doesn't have enough energy to talk, yet I know she wants to talk and I just don't want her to go. I only saw her a couple times a year but I like to think it made each visit that much more special.

I feel so sad for Grandma but then I almost feel worse for my Dad who has to make the power of attorney decision, my uncle who is unable to see his own mother, and my Grandpa who calls her "B" and has been married for 62 years to her.

She's alive right now and I am praying for a miracle, but I guess I'm writing all of this now because in a few days I might not ever feel like writing it, and I want the world to know that Rachel Bickerstaff was a pretty damn good and loving Grandma.

So, right now I just need a friend to hug. This is one of those moments when it sucks to live by yourself. A shoulder to cry on or a friendly hug is quite comforting. And right now that's all I want.

Picture: THE green hat that my Grandma made and that I would wear ALL the time.

The Title of My Blog

It says "Always Smiling" ... and that's just what I did for the past 5 hours. So, I thought the world should know...

I think life just got a big tad bit better ... :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMycfdNdlKA

My life this week started off in the most unwanted way ... and ... well, as my Dad says...
YOU have to MAKE it a good day.

Smile.
Sarah

Make It a Good Day.

The title says it. So does Samuel. That face is to die for. lol :)

The Past Week

Picture: My Grandpa and Grandma Bickerstaff ... with Samuel :)

Well, a lot of things both good and bad have happened over the past week or so. I won't get into all of them but let's just say it's been a bumpy road and I'm glad I can pray about it...

Thanksgiving was really nice. It was great to actually be with my family for Thanksgiving in Kansas City... the first time since 2001! I wasn't able to do the Thanksgiving Day 5K that I had been training for because I was still recovering from my stress fracture, but I was able to stop wearing my walking boot! Ryan got 6th overall I think and my Dad ran a lot faster than he thought he would. Go Family Go! :) While Ryan and Dad were running, my Mom and I walked Ginger around... and accidently let her pee on someone's sweatshirt...Oops! Ginger was quite popular at the race though. She's basically the best dog ever.

My other Grandma -- my Dad's Mom -- got really sick the week of Thanksgiving and had to go to the ICU in Topeka, KS. It was really hard to see my 85 year old Grandma with a breathing tube and being so sedated. There was a bucket of stuff they were draining from her lungs -- they think she has non-infectious tuberculosis. It was sad. I cried lots the first visit but had better spirits for the 2nd. I've been praying a lot and I ask you to do the same. She's the type of Grandma who writes every month to every person in her extended family, no matter if you ever write back, because she wants you to know she loves you. A couple months ago she gave me her stuffed animal named Samuel that my brother and I used to fight over each time we visited her. I love that dog. It really means a lot to me.

It was really hard to be alone when I came back to Omaha on Saturday. Being around so many loved ones and then going back to being by yourself is quite hard. It kind of put me in a "I don't care about anything" mood. Not so good.

I started to feel sick Sunday night -- probably from the lack of sleep over Thanksgiving -- and now it has turned into the full Bickerstaffiosis (as Dr. Jeff calls it). It's my usual sore throat that turns into a nonstop runny nose that will then subside to just draining down my throat and then I'll develop a cough. I've been through this a couple times a year from since I was little so I feel like I'm quite used to it. :)

Other than that, I made a new friend this week which is great, it's Christmas season which is AMAZING!, and I'm going ice skating this weekend outside downtown.

Looking forward to getting a better life...

Sarah