Blue-Eyed Breather

If you are ever at a loss as to what to get me for a birthday or Christmas gift, a book is always a safe option. I love reading! (Remember, I'm kind of a nerd). This year, I kept track of the books I read in 2013. I counted school books if I had to read them all and also enjoyed them, but for the most part, this list consists of books I decided to read for fun. If you have any suggestions of books I should read in 2014, send them my way!  2013 Reads  Problem of Pain by CS Lewis Reason for God by Timothy Keller Don't waste your life by John Piper Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald  Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge Wild at Heart by John me Stasi Eldredge Where's my Edward? By Laura Gallier O Pioneers by Willa Cather The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien My Foreign Cities by Elizabeth Scarboro One Chance by Karen Kingsbury A year of biblical womanhood by Rachael Evans A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks The Book Thief by Markus Z...

I know that God blessed me tremendously with the family He has given me. Let's face it--my whole extended family rocks. Sure, they can be a bit strange sometimes, but hey, that adds to the fun of it. They are overwhelming full of love, funny and joyful to be around, and are just the right amount of competitive! I can't imagine spending quality family time with a better group of people.  I especially enjoy spending time with Grammy and Paw-Paw, my mom's parents. They both love having the whole family at the house and go above and beyond to ensure that everyone is relaxed and contet. It brings my heart such happiness to spend time with these two!!  I love watching Grammy cook for us all. Let me tell you, if you haven't tasted Grammy's cooking, you are missing out! Everything she makes is absolutely wonderful, and she puts so much love into every meal. I also enjoy being around Grammy because I see so many similarities between myself and her--I inherited the Bonem wom...

The post below is one I wrote last year. The message still rings true today, a year after I wrote it. If I may, let me add just one more thing--Please, if you have an overall healthy body, don't take it for granted this holiday season.  All I want for Christmas is to be healthy. And I mean really healthy. I mean able to run, jump, and dance kind of healthy. I mean being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I mean not having to worry about lung function, bone density, caloric intake, blood sugars, vitamin levels, liver and kidney function, and IV antibiotic scheduling. My head is swimming with so many issues and problems right now, it's a bit overwhelming. Maybe soon, my Christmas wish will come true. After all, researchers are discovering more and more about CF and the mutations that cause it, However, I don't think I'll get to start on any ground breaking medication soon. Nor do I think I will be free from health worries for a very long time. And you know what...

People think I'm fiercely independent. People tell me I'm brave. People praise my strength and resilience, especially when they see my accessed port hanging from my chest or see me force down multiple pills at a time. However, are these qualities that people so greatly admire actually a part of my nature, or are they characteristics I've adopted because I have no other choice? Lately, I've started to think that the answer is probably the latter. Let me explain. I've grown up with the idea that I need to be independent. I rarely accept help from people outside my family and am wary of trusting others, afraid that if I stretch out my hand for help, people will reject me. I've had a few run-ins with people I thought were friends but in actuality turned their backs on me when I needed them most. While I've forgiven them of all the hurt they caused, those experiences drove me more toward independence. I've gotten really good at handling my own problems by mys...

I'm making it! Just a few more days and I'll be back home and starting IV antibiotics. It's probably a little sad that I'm counting down the days until I start a course of antibiotics. I mean, really? That's not normal. But hey, that's one of the costs of CF life.   Many of you don't know what it's like to think that a routine schedule of IV antibiotics is normal. Heck, most of you have probably never been in the hospital yourself. I know that you must feel at a loss as to what to do when your friends or family members are in the hospital or are receiving IVs. Lucky for you, I have some experience. Obviously, these tips aren't useful in all cases. They are just ideas I've come up with over the years when dealing with people who want to help me but don't know how. 1. Never ever ever say you know what they're going through. Everyone's situations are different. If I hear one more person say, "I know how you feel", I might screa...

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances"--Thessalonians 5:16-17.  Today is one of those days I do not feel like rejoicing at all. To begin with, this week has been absolutely jam packed with assignments and activities. All of those things are good things, but my busy schedule has led me to feeling exhausted. Add on top of the exhaustion the freezing cold weather, which has felt pretty miserable while trekking across campus. And finally, I am struggling to breathe. My lungs started hurting yesterday, and all day today I've been gasping for air and attempting to force myself to take deep breaths. If you saw me today, you would know it has not been one of my better days--I'm a mess! How in the world am I supposed to rejoice when I feel like my physical body is falling apart? How am I to be joyful when the only thing I can concentrate on is my next breath? These are the questions I ponder now as I'm writing this blog post. Rejoicing ALW...