In February, Tej hosted a little Rihanna halftime watch party and I got a picture with my little guy :) (although he's not so little anymore!). February is also my birthday month and I had 5 total birthday celebrations! I was able to capture 2 of the birthday events from February. 

March saw a continuation of my birthday shenanigans! We did so many things in this weekend and I was only able to capture some of the things. I'm so salty, because there was so much more. Quanita and Chantel are always a good time! 

In April, I attended Jamaal's art show! I try to show up to all of his events because, first of all, the work is amazing, but it's also the community that shows up. I've met some really great people at these events. 

Ok so May is hilarious! These pictures aren't events, but they are apart of what I did this year that led to other things. I got involved with this man and we had A TIME yall! I don't want to give too much details about him and the things we did just yet, but I couldn't leave this picture out. The other thing that happened in May was I got a Cooper's Hawk membership. I still haven't had their food, but I very much enjoy the Wine Club.

In June, we took my mom to the Newport Aquarium for her birthday. My mom doesn't do pictures, so I can't post the group photos, but here's me! Also, I attended Miracle's all white birthday party! I was super late, but I got there and in time to get a picture :)

July was actually crazy! I visited with Rachel and Devin, but I didn't get any pictures of us together. It was a great time, as always. Devin's house is like a vacation destination. I also had a friend date with Quan and Tej. We went to a nice restaurant and then I hung out with Quan at her house. Tej's car got stolen that night and I immediately got online and started shopping around for a new car. I had a 2019 Kia Rio and panic bought a new car. It was kinda already a plan because we were having car break ins at school and my car felt like a sitting duck. I just didn't plan for it to be that quick. I was in my new car by the end of that week. Meet Roxxi!!

August was the start of school and I met my new class of kids. Which means, I got sick. I got sick on day 14 and day 28 and it just so happens that both colds coincided with 2 events I was supposed to attend. Kiera's housewarming (I think) and Tiera's 30th birthday party. I was salty. But in between colds, I was able to get some time in with Miracle and we had a girl's night. I did get to see Tiera, too. This is the only picture I got from our time together lol sorry yall

September brought me to another of Jamaal's art shows. Another gathering of great people, minus the "cousin" that was talking shit outside. If you're on my snapchat, that's the dude I was about to swing on lol anyway, I also needed a mental health day IN SEPTEMBER because the kids are not ok. So I went to Agave and Rye and had me some good food, AMAZING SERVICE, and a mediocre drink. 

Miracle brought people together again for a bonfire and chill night in October. There were games, there were drinks, there was food, there was great company! 

The holidays have entered the chat! First we have Friendsgiving with the Ovenseri's and of course I didn't get any pictures except of the girls, Koko and Kenza. Then, Tej convinced me to go to this Story Telling Competition downtown. I brought liquor for a turn up and she said actually, we're going to this event and I'm going to to enter the competition. It was a good time and I have never regretted going to a storytelling event. Then I had Thanksgiving with my sister's other family lol 

Now, here we are in December! We hosted Kiera's baby shower, I had a vision board party with my friend who does not like to be photographed, and no New Year's Eve plans because of my fucked up ankle lol I'm home and resting and I'm becoming increasingly more okay with that as the day goes on! 

That's my year, guys! 

Hey fraaaans! This is a story about how I ended up on bed rest. 

So over the weekend, we took some kids to Get Air. I’ve been to Sky Zone in college a couple of times, but I’d never been to Get Air. I didn’t think I would jump. I’m so scary about my feet not being on the ground lol Anyway, it was a great time! I could’ve cried watching these kids who act so grown all the time, be kids. Running around like five year olds…it was so nice to see! 

It would make sense to go Get Air and hurt your ankle, but that’s not what happened. We got back to school and dismissed a few students to their parents. I went to get my book bag from my classroom, which was super heavy so I decided to put it in my car. I was walking over to my car when I rolled my ankle walking on uneven grass. At first, I thought I could just walk it off, but the more steps I took, the more painful it became to walk. Once I got about two feet from my car, I couldn’t take any more steps. The pain was unbearable. I hopped the rest of the way to my car and just stood there. I was in disbelief. I kept trying to put my foot down and I couldn’t. So I sat in my passenger seat with my foot hanging out of the door. The wind blew hard and even that caused pain. I couldn’t rest it or let the wind blow it. 

We usually have a few kids who get picked up super late after a Saturday field trip, but all of the kids were gone within 15 minutes. If it weren’t for this injury, everyone could’ve been on their way. I called a few people before I got an answer. My coworker friend came to take me to the hospital. She brought an ankle wrap, but I wasn’t going to let anyone touch it lol I didn’t even want the doctor to touch it, but I had to make sure nothing was torn or broken. The pain was so bad. 

My coworker friend drove my car, mostly because there was no way I could make it over to another car. She waited with me for over 6 hours. They did an X-ray in the room and discovered no broken bones. Then they took me for a CAT scan because I still could not take any steps. He even said that it was going to cost 1000 dollars and I still could not walk on it. They did the CAT scan and said nothing was torn, but that the tendons or ligaments (he used both terms at one point…not gonna google the difference lol) were stretched and that was the dangling thing I could feel that was causing the pain. They wanted to put an air boot on it, but the second attempt to put it on hurt like a bitch. I screamed out in pain and that nurse kept on going!!! I had to ask her to stop. I wanted to throw a hissy fit because I was so pissed. There has just been so much going on and the rate at which things are happening needs to slow tf down. I was in so much pain, my coworker friend was stuck with me because she drove my car, we were both hungry, and I was just so annoyed at how the day turned out. When that nurse tried to put that air boot thing on and it hurt like that, I felt a tiny bit defeated. Like shit, I really fucked myself up here…and it’s not going to be a quick thing. 

My coworker friend and I went to dinner. I hopped to a table and sat for an hour and then it was time to go home….which is upstairs. I think I was dreading this because I still couldn’t put any pressure on my foot and yall know what going upstairs is like. My balance already isn’t the greatest, but you want me to balance on crutches and hop forward only using one foot? No. I was terrified of fucking myself up even worse. I had to get on my hands and knees on the ground outside and all the way up the stairs to my apartment. It was a little humiliating, but I had to do what I had to do. 

I’ve been off work for two days, where I’ve tested the limits and pushed myself to get around. My apartment is pretty small and easy to get around, ordinarily. It’s a bit messy at the moment, so there are tripping hazards in the form of clothes, yoga equipment, and cords. If I was having a hard time getting around this place, I can only imagine what getting around my school building would be like. Children in the way, the stairs, everything being so far away…

I’m gonna attempt to drive. It is my driving ankle that I hurt. I’m going to be the slow driver tomorrow. Sorry in advance. If I can’t drive, I’ll have to call Tej to drive me. 

My biggest obstacles have been using the bathroom, bathing, sleeping, and restaurants forgetting my straw!!!! Every drink I ordered….they forgot my straw. I had to get up, after having sat down, and get a straw from my drawer. On top of this, I’m getting reports that my class is terrible from teachers and parents. 

I’m a little nervous about unexpected obstacles at work, but I’m going back tomorrow. The floor is so hard and I’m scared of falling and hurting myself even worse. There are no bathrooms on my floor, either.

I think it’ll be ok and if it’s too much, I’ll go back home. Mostly, I feel ready to test it out. 

So yeah…that’s how I ended up on bed rest for a few days. Fun times!    ​