This Too Shall Pass

No matter how dense the smoke, no matter how dark the day, the only constant in our lives is that things never remain the same. The rain will come, the smoke will clear, and although there are still fires on the horizon, the skies are looking blue again.

Last week, Buster and I finally set a date for our wedding. It went a little something like this:

"So, we said the beginning of May right? What's the first Saturday in May?"

"May 5th," I say.

"Then May 5th it is!"

"Well, I should make sure there is not an agility trial that weekend...."

Minor argument ensues.

"Well, May 5th is the beginning of May, by the next weekend, it's the 12th, and that's the MIDDLE of May."

"Do you care that it's Cindo De Mayo?"

"Nope, do you?"

"Hey, I love tacos. May 5th it is!"

So there you have it. We had our first planning session last weekend with my lovely family, and made a good headway in defining our vision. It's gonna be great.

Yesterday was a good day overall as well. This week has been crazy at work, and I had some unsettling news about something else, but I spent the day looking forward to seeing Circque Du Soleil here in Jacksonville with the tickets I won from the local radio station. Most people have to pay roughly $80 or more per ticket, so I was pretty thrilled that we could finally see the show after many years of hearing amazing reviews. We were not disappointed. Other than being disturbed by the idiots sitting in front of us, who apparently cannot go for an hour without looking at their phones, it was a mesmerizing experience. Of course I yelled at both people wwho were within my reach, so that mostly took care of the problem. Honestly, if you want to sit here and play on your phone, why did you pay to come see this show?!

Anyway, the quality of the performance was beyond words. The music, the costumes, the stage, the death-defying feats of athleticism and flexibility, all astonishing. My friend Jen, who brought her husband for his birthday, wanted to know where the contortionists kept their organs. I wanted to know what their spines were made of. There were fire jugglers, trapeze artists, balancing acts, something involving a large metal ring that I can't even describe, and trampolines in the floor with tumblers! I want trampolines in my floor!! There was a live band playing, and a lady singing incredible french music, and even clowns that I liked. I normally hate clowns, but these were hilarious! I have never sat with my mouth wide open and my breath held for as long as I did last night. It was absolutely astounding. If there is any way you can see this show, do it!!

On top of that, I got two peices of promising news. I was accepted into a mentoring program sponsored by the local chapter of the American Society of Training and Development. The group is made up of professionals in the field of corporate training and instructional design. I am very much looking forward to pairing up with a mentor and learning how to make my way into this field. Also yesterday, I received a scholarship for a Health Information Technology certification program which will run for six months and provide me with a professional ceritifcation as a Trainer for computerized health information, such as the EPIC system we are converting to here at Shands. It has taken patience, and a great deal of encouragement from a good friend here on the inside, but I think I am finally heading in the right direction. I can put up with the place I am in, as long as brighter skies are on the horizon. The horizon is looking pretty good right now.

On top of all that, Buster's brother is coming to stay with us for a month. He arrives today, and we are both excited to see him! Buster says that while he is here, I don't have to do ANY dishes. How could I not be excited!?!