But, I must admit, I’m starting to miss my mom and brother, and I’m glad they’re returning home tomorrow night. While I do enjoy my own company, I also (shockingly) enjoy the company of others. Alone time is essential to my wellbeing, but so is being around other people. I have been calling my family daily just to see what they’re up to and update them about the state of the house. But, I’ve also been striking up daily conversations with my next door neighbor, and even had a comfortable small-talk conversation with the roofers as they were nailing a couple tarps to the house to protect the rotting siding from the rain. 

Since I’m fully vaccinated, my Seattle family has been eager to visit with me in-person without masks. To be honest, I’m actually quite excited to visit with my great aunt and uncle. We recently buried the hatchet, for lack of a better term, after years of me feeling smothered and micromanaged by my Seattle relatives. They seem to finally recognize that I am a fully capable woman, and there’s nothing wrong with being introverted and quiet. Just because I’m quiet and independent doesn’t mean I don’t like other people, or I never want to go to parties or host dinners. It just means that I need space to myself to recharge after awhile. Now, my relatives no longer feel offended whenever I just trot off to sit in my truck for a few minutes while we’re visiting them on the front lawn, and I no longer feel like I’m being chaperoned and patronized by them whenever I see them. 

Also, after watching me devour a massive Taco Time order at a socially-distanced outdoor birthday party, and not get sick or fat, and then wash it all down with a giant Mountain Dew without suffering a sugar or caffeine overdose, my elderly relatives are no longer so freaked out by my health conditions. I’ve proven myself to be capable of being responsible and keeping myself alive. Does that mean I have to be absolutely perfect? No. I’ve definitely missed a few doses of Trikafta here and there since starting, and I did eat an entire sleeve of Oreos the other night. But, I know my body better than anyone else knows my body, and so long as I’m eating healthy and taking my medications as prescribed 90% of the time, I’ll remain extremely healthy. 

The more I think about it, the more I’m starting to believe I’m right where I’m supposed to be in life right now. Maybe I’m not where I want to be right now. If it was up to me, covid would’ve never happened, and I’d be living in some college dorm right now. But, that’s not reality. Reality is, my God-given job right now is to simply exist and to heal. And, to call my mom immediately if the house collapses. 

I don't know how to end this blog, again. I know y'all like my little animal adventure stories (I'll be sure to throw them all into a giant collection and post that soon. I'm working on it). 

So, here's a picture of middle-school me riding my great uncle Courtney's horse, Apache (the same horse that bucked me off when I was seven years old). As you can tell, it was a peaceful ride that time.