Thursday, August 11, 2011

A little self-assessment

Hi all!

Another 2 weeks has gone by since my last post. It's true what they say about time going faster the older you get. I can hardly keep up. It just flies by. I close my eyes and open them and another month is gone. It's kinda scary.

For the class I am currently in, our last assignment is a self-assessment. Kind of a "where have you been, where are you going, how have you changed since coming to our school" type thing. This has been an emotional assignment for me. I've been going to school for almost a year. I feel like the person who started school last August, and the person who is sitting here writing this, are two different people. I say that my diagnosis has changed my life, and that's absolutely true, but school has also changed my life. I have more confidence since going back to school. I feel like I'm better at public speaking and writing.  Like I'm more interesting and maybe a bit more intelligent now. I said that I didn't want to go to school and deal with infertility, but I'm so glad I've had the distraction. School has helped me cope with this. Being able to write papers, and look at it all from a different perspective, has helped. There are days when, for a few minutes, I forget that this is happening to me, that it's my life. But then I'm given this assignment and it all comes flooding back.

Don't get me wrong, I think it is so important to evaluate your life and goals, but it's also not always easy. Are you where you thought you would be at this point? Have you accomplished your goals? Do you even have goals anymore, or are you just trying to make it through each day? When Ryan and I first started dating, we wrote some goals on a couple pieces of paper. Well it was actually our "shit to do" list. Yep, that's right, that's what we named it. There may have been some adult beverages involved during the writing of that list, but we still have those pieces of paper. Some of the things we have accomplished. Like "go to Vegas", "get married", and "go white water rafting in Colorado", others, like, "go to Paris", "swim with great white sharks", and "have 3 kids" are taking longer to accomplish. We rewrote them out again after we got married, and we did dream boards, with pictures of all our goals. But, just like most people, we have not looked at those goals in a long time. Not since this class, have I really thought about it.

But back to that self-assessment. It's important. It's important for everyone to self-assess every now and then. Life is short, time flies. We all know this. Just look at old pictures. It feels like yesterday that I was running around outside with my friends, buying dresses for the dance, graduating, and getting married. Now I'm thinking about infertility non stop, working, and doing homework, and planning my 30th birthday.  If I've learned anything during all of this, it's that life does not go as you plan it. Ha. It's actually funny that I thought it would just all fall into place. Life's not that easy and I should have known that God has different plans. It's hard right now though, because I feel like we're in a bit of a limbo. We made the decision to wait to do any treatments until school is over and now, well, that's what we are doing, waiting. I don't want to live my life wishing time away. It already goes too fast. Plus I believe I have more to offer the world.

So, where have I been, where am I going? Well I know where I've been, but where I'm going is partly out of my control. All I can do is write out those goals again, and start living my life to accomplish some of them. After all, if God has decided to put this in our lives, He must have bigger goals for us!

~Tonya

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

God holds every tear you cry in a bottle. That's how important you are to him. God will bless you for all you are going through. You are amazing! Love, Aunt Phyllis xoxo

Becky said...

Good post as usual. I especially liked your line, "I don't want to live my life wishing time away." We have to enjoy the boring stuff too and not fast forward to the big events!! Although, I do kinda wish we could fast forward to next year so you can start doing stuff. :)

Tonya said...

@ Aunt Phyllis- Thank you so much! We really appreciate all of our family! Love you too!

@ Mom- Thanks for always being so supportive. I love you too!

@Becky-It's very hard to not want to fast forward! I've lived the past few months wishing for next year, but it's so important to enjoy the now! As always thanks for the support!

Anonymous said...

Another great blog. Totally agree with everything you said...BIG TIME! Love that you guys did a dream boards and I can't believe you want to swim with sharks!
-Kristy :)

Chris said...

Amazing Blog once again...

You should honestly look into public speaking on infertility...

You and Ryan are truely an inspiration...

Tonya said...

@ Kristy- Thanks! We are going to revisit our dream boards this weekend. They need a little updating. And the swimming with sharks was more Ryan's goal than mine. Ha.

@Chris- Thanks for always reading and commenting! I appreciate it. I hope to be able to do more public speaking about infertility.

Debbie said...

Self evaluation is great for everyone - and living in limbo is the worst! No matter what circumstance you are dealing with. I totally agree that you need to live each day as it is your last because we don't know what is in his plan for us today, tomorrow or even next year. My sister always says to me "but this isn't what I wanted to have happen" and I always respond to her "but God isn't in the consulting business darling!" Love to you both!

Cindi said...

Love you. xoxo

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