I’ll probably get a lot of crap for this.

I used to love Christmas. Decorations! Lights! PRESENTS! I loved coming home from the late candle light service at church. It was already Christmas and I went to bed knowing that Santa was on his way and I’d wake up soon to find presents under the tree and cookies eaten.

I know Christmas isn’t about the presents and Santa. It’s about Jesus’ birthday and family, but the Santa part is a nice little perk. At least it used to be.

I stopped really enjoying Christmas when I got into high school. I’ll admit that if we had get togethers I might like it a little more, but when your parents are divorced and your family isn’t as close as most, once the opening of presents is done, there really isn’t much more to do for the rest of the day.

I’m the only child between my parents and the oldest of four between my dad and his ex-wife. Growing up, they didn’t make ridiculous amounts of money, be we had what we needed and come Christmas and birthdays, we got a little something extra. now they’re divorced and my dad makes more money that he ever has, which means the kids get more for Christmas now than I ever could have imagined. I realize life isn’t fair and that’s jut how things work, but it still sucks.

I am an adult now and I don’t expect to get as many presents as I used to, but just because “I’m grow and should be out on my own” doesn’t mean that it hurts any less.

As I sit here, The Bubs is complaining that Daddie owes him money for some toys that were left at Daddie’s ex-fiancée's house. Never mind the fact that it’s been almost a year since he’s seen them and they’ll just sit in his room, rarely being touched. Daddie owes him the money because they were left over there.

He gets more for one Christmas than me and my two sisters ever got growing up and he takes that for granted. All I asked Daddie for this Christmas was an Epiphanie bag. I realize that, yes, it is a lot of money, but I’m okay with this being my only present. What bothers me is that The Bubs is asking for an Xbox for Christmas and Daddie keeps reminding me that I asked for such an expensive gift.

I’m older than the youngest kids. I know that. I’m okay with that. I’m not okay with the fact that they get spoiled beyond belief when it comes to Christmas and I get the short end of the stick.

I don’t want to come across as ungrateful or whiny, because I know there’s more to life than how many presents are under the tree come Christmas morning and I’m grateful to even have a tree to put presents under.

Just because I’m older and don’t believe in Santa anymore thought doesn’t mean that it hurts any less when I get a few presents and The Youngins are opening present after present after present.

The joy in Christmas gets taken away when you spend most of the morning fighting back tears because your feelings are so hurt.

To Whom It May Concern:

As one of my last assignment in Political Science, we had to write a letter to an elected official expressing our opinion on something we feel needs to be changed or praising things that have been changed.  I chose the first of the two. 

The following is a letter I wrote to my Congressman on behalf of my uncle’s fiancée:

 

December 06, 2010

The Honorable Ted Poe
United States House of Representatives
430 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4302

Dear Representative Poe:

I am writing this letter to raise awareness on Diabetes. Specifically continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) and the lack of support our health care system has given it. I come from a family that is well aware of Diabetes. Both my mother and grandfather are Type II Diabetics. My uncle's fiancée is a Type 1 Diabetic. She is highly susceptible to low blood sugar and tolerant of it as well, which is a dangerous combination. Sometimes, she doesn't know her sugar is low until it is so low she loses consciousness. Because of this she cannot work and is on disability which leads to her receiving Medicaid benefits.

Having been diagnosed at a young age she has learned to deal with the ups and downs that come with the high and low blood sugars. Recently her blood sugar dropped while she was home alone and left her unconscious for a good amount of time before my uncle came home from work. This led to her being in the hospital for twelve days. Soon after she came home, she checked her blood sugar level before lunch and it was normal. When she checked it after lunch, around 12:15 PM, it was in the 200s (normal range is 70-150) so she was given some insulin. Two hours later she was sitting in my living room telling me how she didn't remember any of her hospital stay. She suddenly got quiet and started shaking. I asked if she was okay and she didn't respond. Normally a few sips of juice pulls it back up and she is fine. This time, she was still not responding when we talked to her. After checking her blood sugar we knew why, it had plummeted to a dangerous 20. It took a whole bottle of juice and three glucose tablets to pull her back up into the 50s, which is still dangerous, but made her capable of responding to us.

She wears an insulin pump and that helps her out some, but it is not enough. Her doctor has suggested that she could highly benefit from a CGMS. A CGMS is a device that continuously checks ones blood sugar levels. A sensor is placed right under the skin where the blood sugar is checked every 10 seconds and sends the information to the device. The device then automatically records an average of the readings every five minutes, up to 288 times a day. If levels are too high or too low, users can be alerted and act accordingly. As with most medical equipment, the CGMS comes with a high price tag. The pump itself costs around $6,000 with the remote being around $600. That is just the hardware, however. After the pump and remote, the CGMS disposable sensors are around $50 each and are only worn for three days before being thrown away. Pump supplies run about $200 a month before insulin. Because of the monthly expenses being so high, CGMS are considered "precautionary" and are not covered.

If she were to get a CGMS she could become a productive member of society again. She could get a job and therefore be able to stop receiving disability payments and if she were to find a job that offers their employees health care, she would no longer have a need to receive Medicaid benefits. Although CGMS are costly, the possibility of her losing consciousness could have been eliminated. The pump could have alerted her that her levels were getting low and she could have acted upon it. That in return would have kept her out of the hospital and I am fairly certain that the cost of supplying her with the "precautionary" CGMS is far less than the amount of money spent running tests and keeping her in the hospital for twelve days.

Any positive awareness that could be brought to the situation would only help. A CGMS is not necessary to live, but as "precautionary" as it may seem, the benefits and services it offers to its users can ultimately save their lives. I thank you for your time and hope that with the future changes to our health care system some of them can be positive ones and benefit those who need it.

Sincerely,

Katie B.

Now whether or not this will help, I don’t know, but it’s a start.  I used to think people were weird for writing letter/emailing politicians.  Now I know that if enough people do it, and do it correctly, that change can happen.  Nothing changes overnight, but we can start small and work our way up.  That’s what we elected the for in the first place, isn’t it? 

Here Comes the Bride

I know I said I was taking a break, but I just got back from my cousin’s wedding.  The wedding where I took 677 (or 3.79 GB of) pictures.

I had dream upon dream of every possible thing that could go wrong.  I almost had 2 panic attacks.  I woke up sweating.  I was beyond nervous.

Turns out I’m a big wuss.

 

I have a lot of work to do sorting and editing, but I’m happy with myself.  I’m not one to normally step outside my comfort zone too often.  I’m really glad I did this time.  I’m pleased with how the pictures turned out and I’m proud of myself.

Congratulations, you two!

School. Holidays. Pictures. Change. January.

It’s raining outside.  That hard, loud, makes you want to curl up and nap rain.  I’m glad there’s a cold front coming in, I just wish it would stay cold for more than 5 days.  I seriously should not be wearing flip flops when tomorrow is December 1st.

School has been kicking my butt.  It’s a good thing, but I’m so glad that I have two finals December 8th and 10th, a case study due December 13th and then I’M DONE!  Thank heavens.

Thanksgiving was quite nice this year.  No drama and my uncle is ‘working on his people skills’ and was extra nice to me.  I’m happy to say that he’s come a long way from barking at me when I was a little kid!  (Yes, I said barking.  My family is a strange one, I know.)

This is a lot of random thoughts and for the 7 of you that read this, welcome to my world.  I do apologize.

I wanted so badly to finish that 30 Day Blog Challenge, but I don’t know.  It got kind of boring.  I’m a little unhappy with myself that I didn’t finish it, but I’m okay with it, too.  I lasted a lot long than I though I was going to.  I think I posted more this month than I ever have.

My cousin is getting married Saturday and I’m the photographer.  I’m so nervous, but excited nonetheless.  I bought my camera with the intention of taking pictures and making a little extra money here and there, so this is perfect.  I’m not letting her pay me since she’s my cousin, but you get the point.

I may post some pictures of the wedding next week, but other than that I think I’m going to lay low until January.  I have finals to study for, classes to register for, Christmas is coming up and I have two and a half more seasons of True Blood to watch.  (Like Lost and Twilight, I’m jumping on the band wagon a wee late.)

I have some ideas that I want to turn into a reality and I think January is the perfect time to do so.  It gives me time to get all my ducks in a row and what better way to start off the new year than with change.

So to sum things up.  School.  Holidays.  Pictures.  Change.  January.

See you then, folks!

Talent, huh?

I always hate when I'm asked what my talents and hobbies are. Some people sing. Some people dance. Some people play sports. I can't even walk across the room without tripping over my own feet.

I love kids and am quite good with them. I enjoy getting down to their level and playing, coloring, singing, whatever their little imaginations come up with. I love to cook and bake. I won first and third place in a photography contest my senior year. I can tell you what kind of car I'm looking at, make and model, by the tail lights. (Modern day, at least.) I can sleep pretty much anywhere as long as I can sit. I can also count out twenty quarters just by weighing them in my hand.

I was in drama club in middle school and earned tons of ribbons and medals. I can read upside down and backwards and can spell words backwards, as well.

As far as talents, well, mine definitely aren't normal. People tell me I'm weird all the time. I don't care. I'd rather be different than be boring. Plus, normal is only a setting in the washing machine.

What to say about my best friend?

I really don’t think there are enough words for how much I love my best friend.  She’s my better half.  I can tell her anything and everything, which I basically do, without fear of being judged.

We’ve been friends on and off since 5th grade.  Life has gotten in the way and we’ve lost touch, but we’ve always found a way to find each other again.  I thought that this time it was going to be different and that we weren’t going to be able to go back to the way things were.  We didn’t.  Things are so much better this time around.  Blame is on age or maturity or whatever you want.  I blame it on our awesomeness.

We laugh about the stupidest things and know how to take a joke.  We don’t always think alike, but I think that’s what makes us work.  We’re the same in the places that are most important and the things that are opposite about us are the things that compliment each other. 

She’s the first person I can call when I have a bad day and need to be cheered up.  The first person I can call when I have exciting news.  She’s the first person I can call for everything!

People tell me I’m weird, loud and awkward. She tells me I’m friendly and know how to have a good time.  People say things, things that are mean and cruel, but not her.  She sees the good in me when I can’t and loves me flaws and all, which is a rarity these days.

I can guarantee that if one of us were a male, we’d get married and live happily ever after.  We’ll just have to settle on finding husbands that can handle us and the fact that they’ll be number 1.5!

I don’t know where I’d be today had she not sent me that friend request and I mean that.  Life is so much easier when you know all you have to do is pick up the phone and have someone like her on the other line.

Boom Boom, I love you like I love my family.  You’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had and I’m so glad you came back into my life when you did.  You’re the apple of my eye.  The peanut to my butter, er, cookie to my monster since you’re allergic.  (Wow that sounds dirty!)  You really are my better half.

I can’t to find husbands, buy houses next door to each other and be the house wife who takes care of the kids while you and our husbands go make the money.

I don’t know of many people who would put up with me like you do.

Good morning, love!  My butt just had a miscarriage.  It was yours.  Sorry we can’t be mothers together and corrupt our poop baby.

Lmao.  Oh, Katie Kate I love waking up to your texts.

If only for the above reason alone, you can never leave me again!

Ifly,
@Katie Kate

Art

I took Art Appreciation my first semester of college, so you'd think that this would be easy, but it isn't. I spent a good while searching through endless pieces, but couldn't really find one that I loved. Starry Night is a good one, but everybody likes that one. Water-Lilies reminds me of Titanic; Boquet of Sunflowers, Mona Lisa Smile.

Art isn't just paintings though. It's sculptures and drawings and pictures and anything you want it to be! One of my all time favorite photographs is V-J Day in Times Square.




I want it blown up and hung above my bed when I get my own house. It just screams romance to me and I absolutely love it!