So Now What?

 And the week of Last's begins. The last dead week, the last day of class, the last final I will ever take! As I approach my last week of finals I can't but feel a little bit of excitement, relief and of course uncertainty and sadness. I will have to say that I won't miss the hours spent in the library that comes with this dreaded week of finals and the many hours of sleep and fun that will not be had during this week. But I can also say that I am definitely not sure I'm going to know what to do when I hear my friends that are still in school talking about finals week in the coming year. I have always look forward to the day that there would be no more classes or studying or test but as the days approach that I realize that I am really unsure as of what to do next. All I have know for most of my life is school comes first but with that priority in my life ending in a short week I find myself asking, "So now what?" I keep telling myself that I have time to figure it out and that I will know what to do but honestly I really don't have time anymore and I really don't know if I will know what to do? Sure I could go to grad school and sure I could find a job if I needed to butttt I'm not sure I'm ready for a 9-5 job that I don't like or do I really want to spend another two years in school? My mother keeps telling me that it's all up to me, whatever I want to do I can do. But that's not exactly helping in my decision making processes. So I'm still left with asking so now what do I do, since college its over?

RubyJane

We finally have a new BABY in the family. My brother has been the youngest in the family and he is 19, so once we heard the news that my cousin was having a baby everyone in the family was so excited. Ruby Jane was born on April 16th, and was 6lb 3 oz! She is too cute! I can't wait to go visit them in May after graduation to meet her. Everyone in the family has already been arguing about what she will call us and what our nicknames will be for her. Its awesome to have a baby in the family.

Hoppy Easter!!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Although, I have grown too old for the early morning rush of running down the hallway to see what the Easter Bunny might have brought my brother and I. Or the hours my brother and I would spend Easter morning hunting for Easter eggs again and again, the meaning of Easter has grown into something more. I have always enjoyed the Easter weekend, with family visiting and big dinners with them each year I begin to realize how special the meaning of Easter is. Even though this years Easter was a little bit different for my family, visiting my dad in Louisville at Radical Rehab and having brunch instead of and early dinner, I think this Easter has been one of the most rewarding Easter I can remember. I am thankful to have this day with my family and the continued recovery of my dad. It has been a great weekend spent with my dad showing us all of the things he passes everyday in his travels and actives at the center. He remembered from the last time I was there that I wanted to see Churchill Downs where the Kentucky Derby is held, so we went on a tour of that on Saturday, followed by driving around the University of Louisville Campus. It was a miserable rainy day while we were driving around but my dad made it so fun by singing and dancing to the 70's on 7 XM station. It was probably the funniest thing I have seen him do in a looong time. My family and I were laughing so hard we were crying! Today for Easter we had Brunch at a Louisville Restaurant, my dad wasn't thrilled about the idea because it wasn't the way we normally spend the day but he was easily persuaded we he saw the dessert table and started doing this little hum, that he has done for as long as I can remember, of course my family and I started cracking up and the whole restaurant was looking at us like what could possible be that funny. It was like we were back to normal for a little while and it was a really great feeling. I loved spending the weekend with my family in Louisville. I hope each of you got to spend the Easter weekend with the people that you loved and enjoyed it as much as I did.

Daddy's Girl

I can honestly say I have always been a daddy's girl. My dad and I have a special bond that isn't like anything else that I have with my mom or anyone else in my family. I completely adore him to this day and maybe even more than I did when I was 5 and he was my superhero! He has always worked really hard in his life and has provided my brother and I with so many opportunities and memories that I admire him for all the time. In the pass year I think our bond has gotten even stronger with him over coming his injury. As hard it was to see my hero hurt I knew that I had to be the one to fix it and make him back to the hero I have always know. In the beginning when he was here in Morgantown at Health South I would spend hours with him and his therapist working on getting his strength and his mobility back. I was so glad that he was able to be here in Morgantown and I was able to help him in whatever way I could. I remember one of the first week he was at Health South and the therapist were working with him and I came walking down the hall way and he stopped what he was doing and waved for the first time. It was of the greatest feelings just seeing that small gesture and knowing that he recognized me from a distance was incredible. From that day I knew that I could get through this if I continued to have little moments like this. With my dad currently in Louisville, Kentucky finishing the thearphy that he needs is has been really hard for me to not being able to see him every day or talking to him everyday that I am used to doing. Although I know that Radical Rehab is where he needs to be and they have donemiracles with his recovery, I always secretly wish that he was close to me. I guess that's just me wanting to be there to help him. Since he is so far away, I alway try to send him cards and little things that make me think of him every week. A few weeks ago I sent him a T-shirt that I knew he would like with a picture of I had taken while I was on Spring Break. One of my dad therapist e-mailed me today and told me that he was showing of the T-shirt that I sent him and telling everyone that I sent it to him. I was so excited reading that and also proud that he was wearing it. Just another small little thing that he does to make me know that I am still his girl. I know that know matter what happens in my life I will always cherish that special bond that we have. I am always proud to say that I am a Daddy's Girl and that my dad is my Hero!

Ohh Senioritis

Its the end of the semester once again and I can say usually at this point in the semester I am so organized and have everything caught up and ready for finals. Well let me just tell you that senioritis has got a hold of me and isn't letting go. As hard and as much as I try to get myself motivated and organized for the end of the semester I just can't get it together. This senioritis thing should really be classified as a sickness and there should be some kind of remedy to get rid of it. However, I can say I am enjoy all the fun I am having instead of doing the studying and homework I should be attending too.

O.M.G Shoes!

 Like most girls, I guess you can stay that I am a little obsessed with shoes. This Viral video of a guy dressing like a women and signing about SHOES makes me laugh every time I watch it because it is really just so dumb. I remember my friends and I watching this video in high school over and over again and laughing. Since it was posted in 2007 it has received over forty-three million hits and the star of the video has made several other youtube hits. Here is the link for it! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

SGA Elections- Keep Moving and Don't Make Eye

This year it seems that the Student Government Elections have been on overdrive around campus. Student Government is something that the all of the students should be excited about and something that everyone on campus is interested, but sadly that is not the case. Many students, myself included, have an indifferent view about the SGA elections. For most students it is about the free snacks, t-shirts or other goodies that they accumulate throughout the campaigning period. I have a routine that I follow on campus when things like this are going on on campus; Keep Moving and Don't Make Eye Contact. It is the only way to get through the madhouse of people trying to throw things at you or hand you a paper you are just going to throw away. Some of the time I will go complelty out of the way to avoid having to deal with the two parties catching me.
I feel that this year I have witnessed first hand all of the madness that comes with this campaigning process because one of my roommates is running for board of governors. For a good week in a half we could not walk in the garage of our apartment because there were signs and boxes and who know what else that spread all over the place. There was another two or three days this past week that week couldn't see our living room furniture because there was so many t-shirts and campaign materials spread all over the room the furniture disappeared. The chaos of the election didn't stop at my house I felt like it was following me everywhere. My phone is constantly going off and 9 times out of 10 this week it has been about this stupid election, vote for this person or vote for that person. Its about to drive a girl crazy. I understand the need for Student Government and I feel that people have some really good ideas to express, but if your sending me hunreds of text messages and facebook notifications, there is a good chance that I am going to get annoyed by the whole thing and not vote at all.

Keep Moving and Don't Make Eye Contact 

Laughter is Contagious

As the old saying goes, Laughter is the best medicine and today I believe that to be true. My family and I take turns calling my dad every night and today it was my turn. As soon as he answered the phone I could tell in his voice there was a little change, within two minutes of talking to him I had him laughing. It was wonderful to finally hear my dad laugh his old laugh! There was a time on this journey that I was afraid I would never hear that laugh again. But hearing it today completely melted my heart and I had a renewed since of hope, like okay my dad is still there. Through this "marathon of recovery" that we have been running as a family, laughter is one thing that has pushed us through. We take it one step at at time and continue to be positive and get our dose of laughter whenever possible.

This is the most recent picture of us, this Christmas 2011 <3

Spring Break of 2011 = Miserable at BEST

Spring Break is something that every college student plans months in advance for a week full of partying and sun. I cannot say I am any different on those expectations. I have never been on a Spring Break trip, so this year some friends and I decided since it was our last year of college we would have to do something fun! The planning started in October in narrowing down where we wanted to go, this discussion of what should be something fun end up turning into a big fight and no one wanting to agree on anything. I think this should have been my first indication that this trip was going to be a disaster but I ignored the signs. We finally decided to go to Daytona Beach, Florida for a few days of break in late December, hotel booked then came the discussion of how we were going to get there. I was all for spending a little extra money to fly, I'm not a great passagenr in the car, but no one else was jumping on so we decided to drive the miserable 13 hours to the beach. As the week got closer I told myself that this was going to turn into a great trip with my friends, I built my expectation high and researched all kinds of things we could do in the short time we were there. However, the thoughts of it being a great turned in to a disaster. The five of us haven't been on a trip together since senior year in high school and I think it is safe to say that there will be no more trips with the five of us ever again.
So here's a little taste of how the week went down. Our departure time was set for noon on Friday March 18, we didn't actually end up leaving Morgantown until 7pm that night. We ended up only driving to Charlotte, North Carolina that day. Thank goodness for my shake, riding in the middle seat of the backseat is probably the most uncomfortable I have ever experienced in my life. Day 2, we wake up at 6:30 am to drive the rest of the 8 hours to the beach, again middle seat rider. We stopped for lunch and when we get back in the car, it wont start. The battery died and we are in the middle of nowhere Georgia. After an hour of waiting for this extremely nice man to jump us and fix the light that was causing the battery to drain we were back on the road. I finally moved out of the middle seat and drove the rest of the way to the beach. We arrive and we cant check in to the room, of course. When we finally check in the room we get isn't the one we booked, so we had to deal with that mess. Needless to say I needed a drink and fast after that ordeal, but that wasn't allowed because we had dinner reservation. Spring Break and we have dinner reservations? Day 3, we spend the day on the beach, the weather was great. We get ready and go to dinner and then come back to the room. Day 4 beach, dinner, home. Notice a trend here..? We ended up not doing anything fun on the trip, there was no normal spring break activities to be had by this group! After being at the beach for a few days I contemplated on just flying home. No one was getting along or really having fun and there was five of us in a small hotel room, talk about tension. My excitement and expectation of Spring Break we ruined and I spent money that I didn't need to on having a miserable time. We left at 4 am on Thursday, it was a very quiet car ride I'll tell you that much. Since I have been home my family jokes with me that I went on Spring Break with grandmas. But I think I might have had a better time going with my grandma, she is pretty crazy!
That is just a little taste of how I spent my Spring Break, that I have termed MISERABLE at best! Hope everyone else that went on Spring Break had a better time than I did!

Sunday Dinners

In my hometown of Clarksburg, it is made up of Italians, so Sunday dinners for them is made up of family get together and pasta! However, my family is not Italian so we have our own Sunday dinner traditions. Every Sunday my family gets together and has steak night, for as long as I can remember we have always had steak night Sunday, as my dad coined it. My family always tired to sit down together for dinner any chance that we could. I think that is one of the reason I like dinner as the favorite meal of the day because I grew up enjoying dinners with my family. I think one of the best Steak Sunday's was this past summer, my dad was home for a few weeks before he was due for his second surgery, it was just like it always had been. Dad cooked the steaks on the grill and mom made several other things to finish the meal. It was the first time in months we all were together, it was just like it always was. I loved that night more than anything. I am so looking forward to my dad getting better and having out Steak Sunday night dinners as a family again.

Top 10 Things!

I Make Lists For Everything! Here are a few of My Top 10's:

10 Things  on my BUCKET LIST :)

1. See My Dad Fully Recover
2. Visit All 50 States
3. See the 7 Wonders of the World
4. Go SkyDiving
5. Go Backpacking in Europe
6. Experience Something Magical
7. Go Snorkeling
8. Make A Difference in Other People's Lives
9. Learn Another Language
10. Live a Life that I truly Love and mskes me  Happy!


10 Places That I Want to Visit!

1. Paris
2. Florence
3. Greece
4.  LasVegas
5. Cape Town
6. Dubai
7. Los Angeles
8. New Orlenes
9. Sydney
10.Barcelona

Twitter Love

Since twitter really first caught on I have been "tweeting". I made a separate twitter page for this class so I could start from the beginning :)         

 Here is my twitter name & link to my page! Hope you like it!
      CarolineWVU

What To Write

I am new to this blogging thing and am not really sure how to work it yet but I am trying to learn. I have been looking for things to make my blog about, I feel like I have nothing interesting to write about. I talked to a friend that has been blogging for a while and her advice was to write about something that is important to your lifee, something that you find yourself wondering about or wanting to talk about. With that advice I decided to make this blog about something that has really taken over a big part of my life, which it traumatic brain injuries and my fathers recovery from one. My dad who has been my hero since I was a little girl, suffered a traumatic brain injury on February 7th, 2010. He was talking my dog for a walk in my neighborhood and slip and fell on the ice, hitting his head. Since that day my life has completely changed and has been consumed with ways to get my dad better. Since last February he has gone through 3 major brain surgeries and has been at two different rehab facilities. My dad is currently at a facility in Louisville, Kentucky that deals with many forms of brain injuries. This past year I have learned so much about how little information is known about the brain and how each persons is different and individually their own. I have spent hours and hours researching different studies by doctors all over the world about their findings an opinions of brian inurgies. I can honestly say very little known about the brain compared to other things in the human body, which is pretty scary to think about considering how important your brain is to you. My family and I have been very grateful and blessed with people that have helped my dad make it as far as he has and continuing to get better. It has been amazing to see how far my dad has come from where he started a year ago. So since this is what my life pretty much is consumed of I thought that this would be a good thing to write about.

No, No, No

I saw this video on YouTube a few weeks ago and just loved it. Charlotte has NO to say to everything! I love babies especially funny baby videos, so this is perfect!! Hope you think it is jsut as funny!!