The breather that's long overdue...

I did it. I actually did it.

Do you know that feeling of impending doom that you feel at the beginning of every semester? You know, the one where you look at your syllabi and your never-ending list of assignments and say to yourself, "Oh geez. I'm dead." Multiply that by 100 and you have my graduate program.

I am here today, breathing, to extend to each of you a feeling of hope. This past week I finished my seemingly endless project for my ComD 610 class: a diagnostic evaluation on a speech and/or language client from start to finish. Holy Moses... that project was a time sucker. This project is the END of my projects/assignments for that class. You heard me right... one class is completely finished! That makes Christmas feel just that much closer. I never thought this day would come, but for the first time (in years, it seems) I can relax. I'm sighing as I type this, just because I can.

This is what I subjected myself (and occasionally my husband) to for the past month:
- NO zumba. Absolutely none.
- NO homemade meals. We were all about cereal, spaghetti and good 'ole mac and cheese.
- NO house cleaning. I think my laundry pile was starting to grow fangs.
- NO socializing besides at school and church.
- NO sleep. This is nearly literal. I went to bed no earlier than 2 (sometimes 3) every night and woke up at 6.
- NO normally working bodily functions... don't ask for details. Just trust me.
- NO weekly television shows (which wasn't a huge sacrifice... since they've all blown lately).
- NO reading assignments for other classes were completed (but I'm all caught up now, don't worry!).
- NO relaxing piano breaks (because heaven knows I'd keep playing for hours).
- NO Halloween costumes (or trick-or-treaters... but because none ever came, not because they weren't welcome... sad face).
- NO blogging (duh)
- NO fun

I almost don't know what to do with myself now that I'm able to breathe again. I went to zumba last night for the first time in several weeks and my legs are ON FIRE. I checked facebook and half my friends had babies. I made dinner and went into shock because I forgot what "leftovers" were. I watched a part of Glee... and all but swore it off for the rest of time. I had time to prep for my session with my 3-year old client this morning and it went amazingly well. I played Christmas songs on the piano till my fingers hurt and didn't look at the clock once. I went to bed at 11:00. I woke up at 8:00. I appreciated the snow for the first time in my ENTIRE LIFE.

This just goes to show that my mom's (and now my) mantra, "This too shall pass" is a true and eternal principle. Before I know it, it'll be Thanksgiving break. And then Christmas. And then I'll be done with classes. And then I'll be working as an intern. And then I'll have my M.S. And then I'll be a certified clinician. And then Spencer will be a successful (fill in occupation here)-er/man. And somewhere in all of that we'll have lots of adorable babies.

And I want to enjoy every minute of it. So whenever you have hard times, just think, "this will be over soon," work harder, and you'll be breathing a sigh of relief in no time.

And of course, never forget to pray. Sometimes it may seem like the only thing you can do but it's always enough.

Till next time...