It's been a long time... I shouldn't have left you....

My life.... what's different since November 2010....

I'm in love! I'm in a relationship with my life partner. God sent us to each other at the right time. He's the first person I can be around for hours on end and not become annoyed with his presence or want to get a breather. I actually like holding his hand (cause y'all know I am not a fan of this sort of thing) in private and in public. He understands, calms, loves, appreciates, and adores me. For the first time ever I was actually down with the thought of going to the courthouse to get married just so that we could hurry up and spend forever together. While he loved the idea, he wants to be sure I have the wedding of my dreams and he knew that wasn't it.

I'm transitioning to a head full of natural hair. My last relaxer was on New Years Eve 2010. I never made a conscious decision in the beginning to transition to natural hair. I was trying to save money (I'm still a full time student) and paying $70 every 2 wks and $120 when I got a relaxer just wasn't going to cut it anymore, especially not when I know how to take care of my hair. So about 3 months out I realized well I might as well stop getting relaxers and putting carcinogens into my scalp. Around the 6 month mark I was about to break down and get a relaxer I couldn't take all of that new growth! But with the help of a few online forums, youtube, and a great hair friend I learned how to take care of my transitioning strands with little to no daily maintenance. Now I only go to the salon to get trims, cuts, or treatments (my stylist still gives me the best hard protein treatments ever).

I'm still in grad school...sigh. My wonderful institution of higher learning does not believe in offering all of the classes a student needs to graduate on time, so I will be a 2012 graduate. I'd budgeted my money and savings to last me til June '11 (when I thought I'd be graduating) so these months since July have def been rough, but God has made a way and I've never missed a meal, or any other necessity. The only bright side to this is I have more time to spend studying for my actuarial exams, which is a HUGE bright side. My mother has been trying to talk me into getting my teaching certification immediately after I graduate so that I always have that available as a secondary career, and I just may listen to her. With the career my life partner is switching too, it'd be wise for me to be able to work in any location (rural, or urban).

I love my church and pastor. I finally joined the church I've been visiting the past couple yrs. It was time for me to leave the church I grew up in, when I could no longer grow there, and I was blessed to be close to a pastor of a wonderful assembly of believers. I love the different ministries, Bible study, and Sunday Service. I feel like I will grow here, and it helps that my life partner enjoys going there for service too.

2011 has been the year of odd health incidents. I had gasoline inhalation poisoning (complete with coughing up blood), pulled a main nerve in my thigh and couldn't walk for a period of time, had a mystery illness that lasted a month complete with a week of fever, and I'm sure a dozen other things I can't recall. Good thing is I've recovered from all of them! I thank God for a great team of physicians in my life, and the wherewithal to seek medical help when things don't quite seem right.

I think that's all I can think of for a catch up on me... if I think of anything else, I'll make another blog ;-)