Schools Out! Almost anyway.....

So this is my last week of school and boy am I relieved. I do enjoy school, but I am ready for a break, and so ready to soak up the sun. This is the only semester I'm taking this year because I'm going to Australia in September. I am so excited to be going home, I miss my family and friends sooo much, and I haven't seen some of them for over two years. My brother is getting married and were also going to the Philippines to visit my grandparents and other family. It's gonna be so much fun, I will definitely take plenty of photos.

So I've been thinking about what to do with myself till September because school and work take so much of my time, that I haven't had much extra time at all. I've decided this summer I'm going to get creative with the cake decorating, exercise and swim ALOT, do my genealogy(since I went down the wrong line and need to back track and find my real great great grandmother), read some books (I haven't decided, suggestions welcome), Work of course, and just HANG OUT!! I love the words "Hang out" That is definitely the Australian in me, I loved finishing work and then going to the beach. Just laying in the sun and then going for a dip to cool down... PERFECT.

I've finally made my decision on my major and I sticking to it....Psychology. I took my first intro to psych class and have absolutely loved it. I love psychology for so many reasons. I feel that as I have learnt about behavior, I am beginning to understand that people's, reactions, feelings, coping mechanism, perception, all have to do with the experiences they have had in their life. As I have thought about this, I realize that people act a certain way for a reason and Psychology helps me to be more understanding and less judgemental (and boy I could use more of the understanding and less of the judging). I also would love to work with adolescent kids, and drug. alcohol abuse. I just hope I can help in some small way.

Obviously supporting someone with bipolar disorder does make me more curious about psychology, so that I can be a better help and support to Aaron. I've realized through my marriage and this class that there is a real stigma around mental illness, and that most people just think people with mental illness are scary and crazy. I will be the first to admit that this is what I thought, and boy I was wrong. Mental illness can be so debilitating and scary for the person who is suffering, that they don't need other people distancing themselves, and making them feel worse. It is not something that can just go away. "Snap out of it," doesn't help at all, because it is a disorder. No one would tell someone with cancer to just get over it...so why do people think it's okay to tell someone with depression, or other mental issues, to just get over it. Well most of us wouldn't say it, but most of us are thinking it, and that's what I hope to change. The hearts and minds of people. Help them understand that having a mental illness is like having any other kind of problem. Just because it is suffered alone on the inside, doesn't mean it is any less painful or hard.

Wow...I just read over that and I was pretty blunt.. Hopefully I won't offend anyone, It is not directed to anyone at all. It is only my thoughts about mental illness in general and the stigma that surrounds it. I know before I met Aaron that is how I viewed depression, and how I have been humbled and chastised by the Lord. We are ALL God's children and I am sorry I ever felt that way.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings....