Thanksgiving & Prayers.

tis thanksgiving! and there are many things to be so thankful for.
and i have too many to count.
for one,
if you have seen me walking around lopsided, or asking people not to hug me, it isn't because i have asperger's syndrome....although i have been showing other symptoms lately...haha its because my boob-tumor is gone, albeit through a TRAUMATIZING, painful process. and i got the call that it was benign, what a wonderful thing to hear.

unfortunately, some people aren't so lucky.
The most amazing influence in my life, and the woman who taught me to be who i am today, was diagnosed with breast cancer almost a year ago, and a week after being told she was cancer free, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Not surprisingly, she is still fighting, although her prognosis isn't good to say the least.

I remember having to be at school at 6:00 am to work on my FBLA (future business leaders of america....judge me why don't you.) Partnership with Business project (this involved a 30 page paper and a 7 minute presentation) and not leaving the VITA (Volunteer income tax assistance program) site until 5:00 pm. I went to see Barnard and just cried. I hated it, and I was frustrated. My days were consumed with FBLA and it was too much work. i was so stressed. She just gave me a hug and said "You can't quit, I know you want to, but you'll be such a better person in the end if you stick with it and show people you can do it". I didn't quit, but it wasn't the trial that made me a better person, mostly it was just her influence. Lauren and I just kept doing what we needed to do, drank lots of starbucks, and picked up a swearing problem. we took 2nd in state (we got robbed) and 9th in the nation (disappointing, and on an ironic side note, we took 1st in state and 7th in the nation for banking and finance, a topic we didn't even care about) Lauren and I were so sad, but we overcame so much to get there that it didn't really matter. The only reason we got through was because of Barnard (and Banta)
i know high school seems like forever ago, and it was, but Barnard was like the "Coach Carter" of The Business Academy. Plus, even when Kailey and i mooned downtown SLC and almost got put on the sex offender's list....she was the only teacher who thought it was hilarious too. haha.

like i said...not surprising that she isn't quitting her fight.
She is such an amazing mom, "school mom", & inspiration to her students. not only is she intelligent and strong, but she takes care of everyone. She saw my potential, and nurtured it, she steered me in the right direction, listened to me vent about life on a daily basis, she made me passionate about learning, but we made each other laugh more than anything.

Christy wasn't just my favorite teacher, she's been an amazing friend.



Please Pray for Christy Barnard, her husband Bruce, and their 2 children.
If you have anything extra, please make cash donations to Northridge or Syracuse High School to help pay for their astronomical medical bills.