My biggest accomplishment for 2015 was becoming a co-author in the book Emerge. A program called Transform thru Writing started in March and ended in September. I saw it as a means to an end. I had always wanted to write a book and I saw a FB post from Cassandra Washington (a coach I had met at a convention) looking for co-authors. I thought, why not check it out. The timing was good, because I wasn't that busy with gathering lessons at church or working a business my husband had left for me. And so I joined - and my passion for writing showed up right away and has not left my side. And through the lessons and the coaching calls - I discovered it wasn't going to be my writing that transformed, it was going to be me. And I'm continuing with the program in 2016 because I know there is still more of me to be transformed. I know God's not done with me yet, and there are so many more ways for me to grow (not outwardly, though!) If you haven't bought a copy of the book Emerge: Real Stories of Courage and Truth, I would recommend going to my shop tab of my website and click on the book Emerge - and it will take you directly to Amazon. My chapter, appropriately titled "Finding My Way" after the death of my husband, has been a journey all it's own. And I'm still traveling on that road, but discovering new roads toward greater things.
So each year I like to have a summary of places I've been to during the year - so feel free to continue to read about my adventures. At the end of April - I took a short road trip to the King of Prussia (that's a city near Philadelphia) for a women's business conference. On the way home I was finally able to buy one of those EZ-Passes for the car.
Then in May, I bought a new Camry and the very next day drove it to Chicago with a couple of friends to attend a Children's Ministry conference, The Gathering. We had fun traveling, and I was soon teased along the way because I almost ran into one of those toll bars. In PA, the toll booths with EZ-Pass, you just slowly drive through it, but in OH, apparently there's a bar! They even teased me at a RR crossing, "Sue, watch out for the bar!" Gotta love traveling with friends. Two days later, we drove home and then the next day I drove to Buffalo for a business training. Whew! Lots of miles on a new car - and that EZ-Pass? I don't know how I lived without it for so many years.
In June - I drove down to Knoxville to watch my granddaughters in their dance recital -and left my car with my daughter Amy while my other daughter Sarah and I drove all 6 grand kids up to my house in PA. Amy and her husband drove up later. So for the first time in two years, I had all of my kids together with their significant other and kids and we had a family picture (there were 25 of us) done at a local park - on a bridge by a creek. Before Amy and her family left - we took a side trip up to Niagara Falls with the kids.
In July - I found myself wanting to drive out to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, but not able to accomplish it on my own, so I changed directions and drove back down to Knoxville and got a hotel with a mini-water park attached - and had two kids at at time. It was a lot of fun, though I didn't get to see my daughter much. It was August by the time I got home from that trip. So I told the grand kids, they got to spend the summer with me!
In August - I took another trip up to Niagara Falls, but this time on the Canadian side with a friend, who didn't trust my ability to get from point A to point B - at all during the trip. Even when we were walking, "Are you sure you know where we're going?" I can laugh about it now.
In September - I flew down a day early to Dallas for a business annual convention. I was hoping to meet up with a friend I knew in GA, but as it was, she wasn't available. After the first night of activities, I was able to meet up with Cassandra Washington and several other co-authors from the books Emerge and Strengthen Your Wings (first book in series). There were some that were there for the business convention also, while others just lived nearby. It was surely a highlight of mine to spend time with them. We became instant friends.
At the end of September - I flew out to Chicago with another friend for another children's ministry conference: Group's Kid Min Conference. This was another great oppty to reconnect with friends from years' past. This was the 5th conference, and my 4th. Children's ministry is another passion of mine. I'm not as involved as I had been in years past, because I currently am not in a children' pastor position. But I have several friends that still keep up with me - and had been praying for my late husband and for me.
In October - I decided to drive back down to Knoxville and help my daughter pack up her house. Her husband had accepted another position at a school in Charlotte - so they were going to be sorting out, getting rid of, donating, etc and needed some help. And my motto has always been - when in doubt, throw it out! So I went down. A week before going though, I felt like I might have gotten another blood clot in my leg and had gone to the ER to have an ultrasound done. It was negative, so three days later, I drove the 10 hours to Knoxville - stopping every 2 or so to walk around. The pain in my leg only intensified each time I got out of the car. But I ignored it - I was drinking lots of apple juice for the potassium (thinking i needed more to make the pain diminish). I arrived on a friday night - and on Saturday - we ran errands and I got to watch a couple of dance rehearsals. By Sunday - I was noticing a shortness of breath - espec walking up the stairs (the bedrooms were in the basement). I had talked about it with my daughter and decided to wait and call the Dr on Monday - to see if I could just get a script for my anxiety meds, which I had left at home. Well, Monday morning came - and I was chatting online with a nurse (from home) and she said - go to the hospital now - you have a PE (pulmonary embolism - aka blood clot) - and so when Amy got home - she took me to the ER. I was just going to have her drop me off there -but she stayed the entire day (as I was in the ER for 9 hours - mostly due to the lack of a free bed for staying overnight). So there I was - hearing the news once again that indeed there was a blood clot in my leg and multiple clots in my lungs. I knew something wasn't right - because although I did travel alot - I did take precautions - wearing the compression socks and taking breaks. I spent three days in the hospital in Knoxville and can say I wasn't much help afterall - with Amy packing - but we did get in a few conversations here and there, so that was good. No one wanted me to drive home myself (actually, I was a bit concerned as well) - so my sister and her husband drove down on the Sunday and spent the night, and then she drove me home in my car and Doug was in his, We stopped every two hours to walk around. I would walk until the pain was unbearable - could have been more clots - but never found out. It was good to be home finally - and I've been home ever since. Probably my longest stay at home!
But I have a love for traveling - so I'm sure there will be some done in 2016. With two daughters getting new houses - surely, they need me to come visit them, if only to watch them carry boxes into the houses.
I'm working on my goals for 2016 - some for personal, travel, health/fitness, business, financial, other. It's good to have a starting block - and then you pick the pace - everyone has 365 days and 24 hours - the same amount of time. Just want to make a difference for others - and be whom God wants me to be.
And so my story continues...
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