Wow. I know it's been FOREVER since I've been on here. And saying, "Life happens, you know?" just seems like a cop-out, no matter how true it is.

Since I've haven't been here in a quite a while, there should be a lot for you to catch up on, but sadly, I'm afraid that is not the case.

I'm still working 24/72-hour shifts as an EMT, and volunteering as an EMT at the local rescue squad on my days off. It seems to most that I live, eat, breathe, and sleep rescue, but I do love it very much. My only complaints about it is the political drama with the higher ups, otherwise I'm content to check off my truck, finish my base duties, and run my calls. It's the nit-picky things that I try to not let bother me, and for the most part, I think I'm doing okay with that. However, on the other hand, the higher-ups are encouraging each shift to pick a charity to sponsor to increase community involvement (thus the March of Dimes post previously).

I really love the church I'm going to now. This morning's service was a baptism service. I can't remember the exact number, but I think around 80 men, women, and children were baptized today. And the energy was awesome. I told my friend who went with me today, that I believe that is the first church service I've ever been to where I felt like I needed to catch my breath after it was over from all the excitement. I'm also active in the nursery there (ages 2yrs and under) and those kids are just so precious helping pack up at the end of service, waving at me in the hall, and they're just so darn cute! And the pastor there does some pretty neat sermon series, (the latest one was "Express-o Yourself"). I do believe God has many more blessings in store for that place.

Oh! Before I forget, I am not Catholic, but I did observe Lent this year. I gave up potatoes. There were a couple of days in there where I really wanted a french fry ESPECIALLY when resturants would put them on my plate even when I specially requested that I did not want any, and I had friends trying to determine if I'd make it 40 days or not. But I did, and I did have some french fries at lunch today. When I was thinking of what to give up for Lent, I skimmed through my diet and realized that I ate a lot of potatoes, almost with every meal. So I bet you can figure out how excited I was to find I had lost 4 pounds, just by going potato-free (but that was the only difference in my diet, the rest remained the same).

So outside of working, volunteering, and church, there hasn't been a whole lot going on with me. My family, on the other hand, has recently sustained a ding or two...

Mom was in the hospital for a few days last week with a kidney infection and an 8mm kidney stone on the left side, and two smaller stones on the right side (but hadn't moved from the kidney at that time). She had 2 stints put in for the infection to drain and she has to go back next week for the doctor to go in and get out the 8mm stone. They feel, for now, that the two on the right side are small enough to pass. We shall see...

Dad messed up his knee at the beginning of the year by stepping off the back of a pick-up "wrong," (I even took him in by ambulance). At first the doctor thought it might have been a severe sprain, but has since deteremined that he has a small hairline fracture to the top of his tibia, stretched the ligaments on both sides of the knee, and has a partial tear in the back of his ACL. We have also found out that Dad has severe sleep apnea (he stops breathing 33.1 times an hour while sleeping, well, that's what he said the Dr said), and when he goes in to surgery this coming Tuesday for his knee, the doctor is going to keep him overnight to make sure there's no adverse effects to the medicine they're going to use to put him under.

My sister that's in the middle of me and our baby sister will be graduating in May from the community college with her degree/certification/whatever it is in General Studies. So she's trying to find a job and with the high unemployment rate, she's worrying she won't find anything.

And then my baby sister, she'll be coming home from college for the summer soon and she's been worried about the 'rents and this one really hard class she's in right now.

So yeah, other than hitting my head at work a few shifts back, hard enough to seriously think I may have given myself a concussion, I'm doing okay. Just staying busy taking care of everyone else, all while working, volunteering, and having a good time at church.

I hope you all have a wonderful Happy Easter!

Just remember that any donation is appreciated, even your spare pocket change. My cousin's two young kids (ages 8 and 6 years) gave me something like $1.55 because it was to help babies. I understand that economically times are hard, but it's never too hard to say a prayer.

Thanks! Ya'll are all AWESOME!

<3 ya!