Well, I transfered to Ouachita Baptist University in the Spring and began my studies to become an Art Teacher. Go Tigers!
I matured a lot personal and spiritually from living in Arkansas, away from my family, and putting myself in an estranged environment. God was really working in my life as I pursued Him and studied His word daily to give me strength when times where tough! I felt Him calling me out onto the mission field that summer... Heaven knows it was all Him because I like my Harleton, T.X.
Anyways, I was obedient to His calling and followed Him to Oklahoma Baptist Children's Home, where I spent my summer serving and loving on the most amazing kids in the world. It changed my life!
Little did I know that while I was in Oklahoma, my grandpa was back home living his last days battling Cancer. The reality of that was a shock to me when I returned home. When I got back to Texas my grandpa was in the nursing home, as I was preparing to return to school things got worse. Life became WAY WAY hard!
Within a week of being home my grandpa had returned home from the nursing home. My mother and I were shopping for school supplies one afternoon and got a call that my grandmother was taking my grandpa back to the hospital... that was just the beginning of many trips. The doctors explained that my grandpa's Cancer had spread from his liver to his stomach and was taking up of the space in his stomach that his food couldn't go through. Therefore, everything he would consume he would throw back up because of the acids in his stomach. Water even.
I saw my grandpas like this and the time had come to head of to college... knowing my grandpa was in his last days. I could NOT tell my grandpa goodbye knowing that it was the last time I would see him... I decided to stay home the Fall semester. It was a tough decision, but without a doubt it was the best one I could have made. My grandpa passed away on September 2, 2011. (Obituary of my hero!) But... He will be living in heaven for eternity with a mighty Savior. Those last days were the hardest...
While staying in Texas, I got to just STOP... to breath. I searched myself and decided to officially change my major to Nutrition. I plan to become a nutritionist and work in a children's hospital. I took classes from, Kilgore College, and did extremely well in them!
Soon, I learned that I had the beginning of Type 1 Diabetes and began to lose my joy. Life was happening and it was HARD! I grew so much spiritually through all of this because of the only Person I had to look to for guidance and counsel.
My family and I started going to church with my grandmother at Longview Missionary Baptist Church. The church I had grown up at and where my grandpa had studied the Word every Sunday since I can remember! I could not have been happier! God is a faithful Father and even though life was raining heavy upon me, He gave everything I needed to survive and grow! I love Him with all that I am!
I grew up so much in 2010, and I can not wait to see what God has in store for my 2011. It's will be a great journey I know!
Now, I am looking forward to heading back to Arkansas in January and beginning my degree as a nutritionist. Life for me is just simply taken one day at a time!
