New Semester, New Beginnings

Yes, it has been quite a while since I have written anything. I have been going through a lot of randomness this summer, which has caused me to put my blog on the back burner. I apologize!

So from about May 1-July 3rd, I was in the biggest trial of my life to date. Something happened that threatened me as a person and my dreams. I am still amazed that I survived that without doing something drastic. See, I have experienced the thing that most people call "down and out" or depression, once before....nine months of it in fact. And it was not fun. The hardest thing for someone to do is pull themselves out of such a depression, but I did it for the most part although it took me 2 years to totally recover. When this thing happened, it kinda of threw me back into that. I didn't sleep more than 3 hours a night and 3 hours was a good night. I wasn't really eating, but was gaining weight b/c extreme stress makes you gain weight. I couldn't think straight and I didn't want to socialize with anyone.

Besides the experience of the trial, the best thing that came from it was the blessings of the knowledge of those who care about me. I found out who really cared about ME; my family and a few true friends. I nailed down who exactly are my mentors not only for my career but also my life in general. Those two men really gave me the strength I needed to pull through what was happening to me. They mean more to me than they will ever know, because when I was at the edge of complete despair, they were there to keep my head of above the water.

Spiritually, through the trial, I realized that my Heavenly Father, God, was truly looking over me. He really does answer people's prayers and he really does know the intentions of our hearts. I know that the trial I endured was not from God, but from the adversary, trying his best to put a wall between me and the choice spirit I was sent to help come to know of Jesus Christ and God's plan for us; which only confirms more that my thoughts about the promptings and experiences I have had with about person are true. I figured out that the spirits of our family and friends in Heaven, still watch over us and help protect us through life's trials as much as they can. I felt the presence of those angels with me on July 3rd.

So on July 3rd, when everything was practically over and I saw some light at the end of the tunnel, I set out to make sure that I was thinking through everything I ever do. I wanted to make sure that if I made a decision it was the right one. I also set out to give back to those who were there for me at one of the lowest points in my life thus far. Some of those I will be repaying for a long, long time!

After that, I settled down a bit but still understood that this next year will be an interesting one. I had a pretty great rest of the summer after my aspirations were given their track back. I actually lost 20 lbs in 2 weeks after the majority of the stress left, which was the amount of weight I put on during May and June. I had set out at the beginning of May to lose 100 lbs by August, but was not successful because of the situation and stress I was under. I made a little money at random jobs, mostly house-sitting/dog-sitting and relaxed. I was so happy to be back at the School of Music on August 21!

My classes this semester are amazing! I love all of the profs that I have and plan to use my classes as a way to escape the world and the stresses that I will be dealing with this year. I love Sundays, because they are another opportunity for me to commune with my Heavenly Father and thank him for all the blessings I have.

I look forward to the trials of this year, even if they may completely drain my spirit for a few seconds. I know that these trials only make us stronger, and I am definitely a stronger individual after this summer. I am looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones, hoping to visit my 2 mentors at sometime for some chill time!

Here's to a New Semester, and New Beginnings!!!