I see you not ICU . . .a non hospital update!

Non-hospital update:

I'm so excited that I get to share that I once again judged debate this weekend. It has been an incredible week and I'm just on cloud 9 right now. I have no idea why, well maybe I do, but I am so incredibly happy after debate tournaments.

Denver East ran a great tournament and I have been asked to go be a judge for their team on the weekends and potentially travel with them. Its not anything official but I am honored that they've taken interest in me.

I am also known as the judge who makes jokes and has a cute dog. I hope this is good? I hope students don't feel they are at disadvantage with Toby in the room, I know I have been incredibly impressed with the rounds I've been a judge in so if they are impacted they truly need a disadvantage to level the playing field.

I also have started swimming again which is very exciting for me as well :)By swimming I mean I've gotten in the pool 3 days this week and by the 3rd day swam a total of 500 yards. I am trying to remember to take it easy and one step at a time. I so badly want to be the athlete that I see in my head but even more badly I want this to last and not result in hospital stays.

I also had a wonderful appointment with my doctor this week and we discussed a return to Iowa. I had a phone call with the dean of students at Coe as well. I have been saying for the past 4 years I am coming back so I'm not making any promises about it all but Coe is in the cards.

I am 10 credits shy of my associates degree after FRCC didn't give me the credits I was told I would get but I am hoping to CLEP out of those 10 credits. This means that really the next step is for me to get my bachelors degree and I'm ready to be a student again. My gut says so at least. The biggest hurtle for me will be finances but I have faith I will continue to apply for scholarships, and work hard to make it happen. I have seen some pretty amazing people work their way through college though it may be a little different in my ability to do so, this is what I want more than anything these days (and the past 8 years).

Everything can change so fast for me in a minute that I'm just taking it one day at a time and enjoying my hope.

I have also been blessed with a great bible study group that I have even face-timed with in order to attend and they were the ones that suggested that. To have people who go so far to include me is amazing. I've always been blessed by the people around me and I feel I have been given way more than I could ever even hope to return in a lifetime so I can only continue to pay it forward in hopes I make a difference for someone else.

I am babysitting for a wonderful family in Denver as well just once a week, but its perfect for me right now. I have eased them into my circumstances and feel already very loved by their family and the situation.

Friday I had the best of surprises and had not 1 but 2 phone calls from my my soul-friend Tess, the one in the navy. She said "I needed a pep talk from the strongest woman I know, so I had to call you." I couldn't believe the words she uttered and I repeated them directly back to her. I love getting support others and getting to be a friend and she is one of the greatest things that has happened in my life. Honestly my whole EMT experience really has been that way (Tess and I met in EMT school). So thank you to my EMS family even if I don't get to be on the streets with you and even in the classroom for the most part, know that I smile about the good things and feel very blessed by all of you.

Every day is a fight for everyone. We all have struggles and there is no way to compare them. So know that I am sending love to you all. I have given beyond what I "can" in the past and I cannot do that again. I end up taking way more in the end. So I am here for you but with boundaries.

Love,
Julia and Toby