Birthday and stitches...

Well even though I am on pain killers the discomfort in my jaw and my chin is keeping me awake... so I'll blog about my many adventures over the last week.

So it was my birthday!!!! YAY!! I love birthdays and especially mine. I have tried in the past to be "grown up" and play down my birthday sticking to small dinners with friends or not doing anything special at all... but I'm over that and I like making a big deal out of my birthday. So this year I turned 24 and I am expecting quite a bit out of this year. After the tumultuous year of 23 where God taught me a lot about who He is and who I was... and was not, I am hoping 24 offers a more adventurous and less painful theme. But all in all saying good bye to 23 was bitter sweet because as hard and dramatic as the events of that age were, I really did learn so much and God revealed Himself and His power in a way I had never experienced before. But I think 24 is gonna rock!

My parents threw me a party for my birthday and we also doubled the soire as my Bon Voyage Party. Even though I am not leaving for England until January 7th, I didn't want to compete with Christmas Parties to have my going away get together. My party was WONDERFUL!! I loved having so many special people in my life there to affirm me, pray for me, and love me. It was such an honor to hear people share about who I was and how they were so excited about my trip and the great adventure God is taking me on. My mom made AMAZING food for everyone... bruschetta, which I LOVE, sweets, and we had fire pots out back. The firepots were the part I was most excited about, although I didn't get to enjoy them for very long. Thank you for all those who came and I cannot believe God would bless me with the most INCREDIBLE people to call friends and family. I will hopefully have the pictures soon from Nancy, who was SO nice to be the night's photographer, to post here. I do want to again say that this blog, come January will be entirely dedicated to my adventures overseas, so definitely check in and comment on all the pictures and stories I will post. I think I may even move into the video aspect so you'll be able to hear my voice :)

I also have my family from Oklahoma here this week for thanksgiving!! Kristen, her husband Joe and there two little girls, Kennady and Mya along with my Aunt Kathy all arrived last night!! It is so fun having them for the week. We went out to their house two years ago for thanksgiving and were so excited to have them come out to Arizona! Hopefully I'll have plenty of pics to share by week's end.

So now onto my wonderful adventure TODAY! I was on my way to school (which I has considered ditching, but decided to go anyway), and on ASU campus, right next to the parking garage on Apache, I was trying to move up to the sidewalk and instead my wheel caught the curb and I lost control and fell. I, being the genius at reflexes that I am, broke my fall with my face. I hit the sidewalk directly on my chin and slid for a couple inches. It was graceful and hilarious to witness I'm sure. Well, I got to my feet, with the help of a couple girl who had been walking past. They asked if I was okay, which I laughed and said I was fine. I felt my chin to see if I was bleed, and sure enough I was, but not too bad so I figured a quick clean up in the bathroom would do. Well the girl got all wide eyed and said, "wow, you're really bleeding, you may need stitches." Confused, I touched underneath my chin and sure enough a puddle of blood filled my hand. She helped me to the bathroom where I got a paper towel and almost fainted/threw up. I collected myself and took a couple deep breaths and then the nice girl (who I never asked her name), who was holding my bike for me, pointed out the direction to the urgent care on campus. I walked ALL THE WAY ACROSS campus with my bike and a blood filled paper towel... as I walked of course people kept staring at me. Along the way, I also noticed that my jaw felt dislocated. I got to urgent care, has the nicest nurse and a very kind doctor. I had to get 5 stitches and a tetanus shot. Turns out my jaw was NOT dislocated or fractures, but from jamming it against the ground so hard, all the muscles are firing and so my jaw is basically JACKED UP!! In two hours I was out of there, with a note that excused me from the rest of class. I had my dad pick me up and then spent the rest of the day hanging out with my family and cousins at my parents' house. It was an exhausting and eventful day and as it progresses, the aches and pains everywhere become more and more noticeable and pronounced. I can only imagine how I'll feel tomorrow when I wake up. Pictures of the face will be posted in the future also :)