I almost don't believe it- EDITED

But I appear to have a surgery date.

October 27

Edit: I was right to not believe it. November 10th

Just Dwell

This is a strangely difficult post for me to write, and I'll advise you to skip it if you do not want to hear about my faith. (I wouldn't blame you. Up until a few weeks ago I didn't want to hear about it, either.)

I was raised Roman Catholic and went to a Roman Catholic school until 1997. (Until 1997, Denominational education was the norm in Newfoundland) Culturally, I would say the closest I would describe myself as is "Newfoundland Irish Catholic...but lapsed." When I have said on your blogs that I am praying for you or your family, I truly am. I am begging something for peace for you, or for for a certain outcome. I'm putting my whole heart into it, I promise.

But I've thought- for a variety of reasons- that religion wasn't something I could...access. Something I didn't have a right to. Because I am gay, because I have had past life regressions, because I sense things and know things.

I envied people of faith- especially people of faith who could be good to me with all those things stacked against me.

And then last weekend I went to a wedding. The secret agents mentioned in a previous post were taking the plunge and getting married. They are two of the most loving, giving people I know, and their faith is very important to them.

We arrived in time for the weekly "kinship" group- a small group of people getting together for fellowship and community and prayer. Their pastor is young and energetic, the father of children, a husband- And he knows what an IEP is, intimately. I loved it. I felt myself opening up to him, and to the couple we were staying with, also disabled, and also in ministry, about the "God moments" I've been experiencing or witness to in the last few weeks or months.

Sweet Keri and her trip to Russia

The family at His Hands His Feet and their sweet Selah's lasting legacy

And all of you- my "Blogger Mamas" who are there when I need someone to talk to, who give me perspective with your joys and struggles, who welcome me...

"God's everywhere." I said many times that night. "And I just don't know what to do with it... I'm not... I don't... I'm not that kind of person."

"Just dwell." I was told.

So I am. And it feels good.

Posting about everything but what I want to post about

I've got a post in the works about how I have a whole new relationship with God and Faith after this week, but I'm finding it really hard to write about, almost like I'm tongue tied. Hang in there, I'll get it out somehow. Also, feel free to skip it, if that's not where you are. It wasn't where I was until this weekend...

In other news, they still haven't scheduled my surgery yet. I see the doctor on Oct 12, so if you'd like to send prayers or good thoughts towards a quick date and a good outcome, I'd really appreciate that.

I've also been bitten by the scrapbooking bug, and have a very happy cat now that I'm home from a quick trip to Ottawa for a wedding.

Also, I'm going to ORLANDO! For those of you I'll see there- It will be so nice to meet you in person!

If you are watching the news, and know where I am...

I'm okay! Hurricane Igor hit hard, though! If you are waiting for PayPal from me, it will be a day or so, but I haven't forgotten you, internet is spotty here as is power, but I'm hoping tomorrow will be a calmer day.

Paperwork and conclusions

Dealing with paperwork this morning. Yes indeed, I am still disabled, I would be bothered were I not. Yes indeed I would still like to receive the handy dandy financial support that allows me to keep living in my lovely apartment and keeps Mackers in kitty food. I will only accept these services until I no longer need them; then I will happily pay taxes to ensure that other people can also benefit.

Changing billing addresses- my paratransit bills should not be showing up at Lady's mom's house, that just makes things weird. (Also, I think it costs more in manpower, postage and ink to send someone a bill for 6.75, but what do I know)

I am not going back to school this fall, I am instead figuring out health and documentation and surgery to reapply for funding in January. Next appointment with the surgeon is Oct. 12. I'm really going to push hard to get things scheduled, if they aren't by then. 


Lady is in school, and thriving, and maybe will post on her blog soon to tell you all about it.

I'm trying out a role as a Girl Guide leader this fall, so good wishes are appreciated. I'm excited about it right now, and we'll see what it brings.


I'm saving change in a bottle to go to Orlando.

I'm also standing in a wedding in two weeks and don't have a dress yet- Breathe in and out, it'll happen.


Think that's most of it for now, except for the fact that they sent a bedbug sniffing dog in here the other day as a "spot check" and I think Spot was more interested in Mackers than he was in anything of the bug persuasion.

There's nothing terribly exciting in this blog post, but that's the state of things right now.

Ta for now,

Ashley

Bath Lift: Success!

So in this post, I said that the OT was providing me with many yummy things.

In the past week, two of these have come in. One is my walker, which looks an awful lot like this.

Walking is painful and energy consuming for me, so I don't choose to do it often. However, I sometimes get the urge. I put on more weight than I was comfortable with when I broke my foot in December, and this metal monster is helping me get active and hopefully get some of it back off. I still have to be really careful and not push myself, because foot is heading for surgery soon and still has some pretty major wonky structure, but it's something!

However, today the thing that I was perhaps the most excited about showed up: My bath lift.

Seriously, where have these things been all my life? They even sell them on Amazon! See?

Minivator Bath Bliss 311 Lift

However, mine is not sold on Amazon, and is called the Aquatec Orca. Had my first bath in it tonight and it was *bliss*- Sheer bliss.

Now, to get some new wheels under my butt, once the walker has made it a bit smaller, and I'll be set for more awesomeness.

Things I Never Thought I'd Say

....while browsing a cousin's FB pics.

"There's my [bio] Father, traumatizing some random baby [on Facebook]. No, I don't know whose."