The power of a happy heart

So let's begin with the fact that school has in fact begun...that being said, I have only been to 3 of my 6 classes, so there is more to come. I'll be honest and say that yesterdays class was lackluster and I am not entirely looking forwards to it as a whole. Part of it being that it is Applied lab. That essentially is just an extension of my most stressed about class last semester in terms of public anxiety. I truly can understand the enormous benefit of having to do role plays in front of the class but that doesn't mean that I have to enjoy them or even like them. I think they made me grow as a person, but I will leave it at that. All that being said, I'm just not as excited about that class as I am about the others that I am in. Personal preference stated. DONE. So, fast forward to today...I really hadn't done much more than printing out the syllabi for the 2 classes today and wasn't really sure what they would entail, but oh boy! was I in for it or what? I'll just say that yes of course there is a ton of reading and things that are due, BUT...it is such interesting material and oh so very relevant to my professional life and of course my everyday life. The first being Counseling systems and interventions, and the second being family systems theory. So, yes there is going to be a moderate to high level of stress associated with these classes....actually scratch that! I am taking on the theory of this lovely lady and banishing stress from my life because it is really just not useful and I DO NOT like it. In the grand scheme of things, I am not even a big stress person from what I hear but that really just means that any small amount it too much for me. Anyways...all this to really say that I'm excited for class, nervous about all the work that needs to be done, yet know of my capabilities and my shortcomings, which is where someone much greater and better comes in!

SO...let's get to the absolute best part of the whole day!!!! So Emily, Bethany, and I all have both classes together today and we were going to eat lunch up in our classroom but I needed to microwave mine in the kitchen so we all trudged down into the basement (not really basement-y though-its the headquarters if you will of student life) and what do we see??? A CRAP TON OF PEOPLE! It was a PARTY!!! Oh my, there were like 50 students at least down there, and pretty much everyone that I have ever met at the school was there. Do you know what that equals? bomb.com! Not only were ALL of my school friends there, but there was free pizza and drinks for lunch. Score again. Literally I looked at Emily and was like my heart is so happy right now, like busting over sort of happy, the sort of happy that makes any stress go away and is not from any material source, but from within and of being in community and relationship with people that make me smile. It was a seriously great feeling and one that I can thank someone better for, who always shows me what's up. Just when I think that I am _____, other things come along and remind me of how fickle my emotions and I can be at times. Following said great lunch, we made our way to our next class in which we discussed family systems...gotta love endlessly talking about our family of origin! I also realized that we are having to do a genogram (sort of like a family tree with different symbols) of our entire family with 3 generations! I did a little prelim jot down of how many people that is, and I'm already above 50...SUPER! That includes aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, step siblings, ALL of them!!! Good thing I have a stepmom who loves to do family trees! So that is it...that is my day, and all of its glory! HA

So going back to the beginning...my teacher in my first class said that we are going to begin each class by praying (love it!) and this was the prayer that we read today and I thought it was really good and totally just started my day off right! Also something that we did in the class that was so hard and I would not have thought it would be was to number a paper from 1-20 and write answers to the question I am ____? Who would have thought it would be that difficult to think of 20 things about yourself? Well it was!

So that concludes the week back at school...2 whole days of fun! Let's begin the reading and studying and writing...but for now I am on a HAPPY HIGH and loving every minute!!

The prayer:: Pour into my heart the spirit of wisdom and understanding; the spirit of counsel and spiritual strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness. Grant that I might ever seek thy face with all my heart and soul and strength, until, in thy mercy, I am brought into thy holy presence.