That wasn't even three months ago...Well, the foreshadowing was right about on par. To say I've found my old self again is an understatement... I've had quite the summer, and the most hilarious of times. I guess I didn't quite realize it until one of my best friends came over to hang out and quoted one of her friends, an acquaintance of mine, saying, "Amanda Barry is living like she's dying." ...Aren't we all?
May started off with a bang. Three of my close friends and I travelled to Las Vegas, NV to vacation for a couple days before Amanda's older brother got married at Caesar's Palace that Friday afternoon. We lived quite the life, enjoyed the pool, met new friends, and hung out of the top of limousines cruising the strip. It was an eye-opening experience of sorts, although I had been there before at the mere age of 21, vegas was an entirely new and wild ride.
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| Outside the taxi circle of our hotel, The Flamingo |
After I got home from Vegas, another speed bump hit- and like always, unplanned and quite jolting.
My puppy Max, who had already been through a lot before I rescued him, then the break-up, the housing changes and the minimal socialization, had the most severe anxiety disorder. He was antsy when I wasn't around, down trodden when I left him, and completely unpredictable. I started paying an "arm and a leg" to take him to a canine behavioral therapist, who prescribed Zoloft, observed him, and assured me he would absolutely never turn on me, being that I was the only human she was sure was 200% safe with him at all times.
Well, like always, in times of need, my parents saved the day. I had taken Max over to their house a couple times, and he absolutely loved their dog Ben, played, rolled and ran everywhere with him. Naturally, when I left for Vegas, this was the best option for leaving him, since they were aware of his condition, and quite honestly- wouldn't sue me if something went terribly wrong. (Max's anxiety led to aggression towards people. As his doctor quoted, he was always "scared out of his mind.")
Well Max had found quite the home on Earhart and ended up staying even longer than my trip because he seemed to have molded so well. But then, an incident happened, and Max ended up biting a family friend of my parent's. The therapist explained it like this... There's a bite to warn, and a bite to harm, and this most definitely was a bite to harm. Once again Max had proved to regress in what we thought was a long road to recovery. So in talking with several animal professionals, my parents and his therapist, it was decided either my life, or Max's life was going to be inhibited. I would have to stay home (at a newly single 26 yrs old) to keep my dog feeling safe each day and night, or Max would live his life in a cage and with a muzzle due to incessant, unexplainable fear he experienced each day.
Because of this, I made the decision to put Max down, and bring him the peace and tranquility he deserved.
I just looked at my family and friends after that day and said, "If 2012 doesn't kill me, I'm not sure I'm ever going to die." Saying it was a hard day is putting it mildly. Here is this tiny, lovable creature who was always at my side when I needed him, snuggled up when he heard tears, and loved to give me a run for my money when he got loose of the leash. He'd been there every day of the hardest months of my life, and we were pals.... I held him when he went, and covered him in a blanket with his favorite stuffed animal and buried him underneath a big shady tree in the back of my parent's pasture with my dad.
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| Max and Ben rolling around during my lunch hour on Earhart |
So naturally, as it has become a theme, when something bad happens, I just put that much more positive efforts into loving, laughing and enjoying the moment.
June came, and like the weather, my schedule heated up- rapidly.There was weddings, parties, lake days, movie nights, Tigers games, LOADS of bachelorette parties, GR weekends, softball games and last, but certainly not least, the annual Love Shack weekend in Hale, MI. This is the weekend where our high school group of friends, and adopted stragglers along the way, spend a long weekend on the lake in Ryan's mom's cottage. It's one of the best weekends of the entire year, for the mere purpose of lack in technology, outer stimuli and work distractions. Four days catching up on life, laughing, swimming, boating and most definitely- frequenting the greatest 'Small Town U.S.A.' bar in history. It consists of good, clean fun, unbreakable, pure friendships, and hearty laughs that make you smile just thinking about them. It will forever be an annual tradition that has already begun to include future significant others and one day, as scary as it is, maybe our children.
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| Frank, Passage and I aboard the pontoon for a evening cocktail cruise |
July- the even BUSIER season.
July started for me with an unplanned week in Grand Rapids. It was one of the best weeks this summer. Entirely spontaneous, completely unpredictable and wildly fulfilling. I stayed with Passage, just like old times. We managed to bring the house down with karaoke on July 3- to some extent myself more than her, enjoy 4th of July on the beach in Grand Haven and watched the city fireworks from the Blue Bridge downtown that evening, all while in back-to-back 105 degree days. (The record since 1936.) We enjoyed some new company at the Whitecaps game Thursday night, and managed to finally end the streak Friday night with a heavy metal 80s glam band in a sketchy part of town. I'm sure, if you have to give that week a definition, it would be "bender." It was great to be back, miss the ole GR days, and plant enough of a seed to make me secretly want to move back... one day. :)
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| The karaoke Dream Team- Twisted Bull- July 3, 2012 |
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| Grand Rapids Fireworks- Downtown- July 4, 2012 |
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| GlamHammer- The Log Cabin- July 6, 2012 |
After that, there were more bachelorette parties, reconnecting with college friends, weekday hangouts at my house with all of my crazy teaching friends in town for the summer, with no job to report to the next mornings ;), and lots of softball.
Crazily, one Saturday night when I was out, an old family friend got ahold of me via Facebook and asked if I would sub for her friend's co-ed softball team the next night. I reluctantly said yes, in hopes to not botch any big plays, agreeing to play and socialize with complete strangers. I'm pretty sure that invitation, game and night changed my summer. I met some of the funniest, coolest, most down-to-earth individuals in SE Michigan. And, since I was kinda funny, and would play wherever they wanted, they asked me to play on their women's league on Thursday nights too... which I stand corrected, is the team that changed my summer.
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| Some of the team taking shelter in the pavilion during the storm |
These girls are hysterical. Everyone different in age, occupation, lifestyle and body type. Yet somehow, an uncontrollable, happy group of misfits. We all share an interest in ball, obviously, but aside from that, we stick around after the games to socialize, hear about one another's lives, and consume a few beverages. (Not to mention a couple of them date/are engaged/married to some of the nicest men that have a team that usually play after us.)
This team has just proven all of the lessons of life for me, bringing my self-healing light years up to speed.
"Give someone a chance and they might surprise you. Put a little bit of energy into that person, and it could turn out to be something you never expected. Expect the unexpected and you might find yourself with a new friend." ...Or in my case, two dozen of them. :)
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| Part of the team at 59 West- August 9, 2012 |
The tail-end of July brought on a trip to Rockford, Illinois to visit one of my most favorite friends, Tara Bells, who lives and works there as a high school Spanish teacher. She, like myself, joined a softball league that opened her eyes to an entirely new circle of genuine people, and saved her from the boring depths of books and video gaming this summer. These women, their friends and families are quality people, and went out of their way for us strangers, to make sure we enjoyed ourselves and were comfortable. And, might I add, throw a helluva party. Passage and I were invited back down in October for their "End of Season" lobster broil, and cannot WAIT to re-attempt our seed in the Kan Jam tournament. (Bring it.)
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| Jodi, Tara, Myself and Passage at the team party |
So August is finally here, and has sang to the tune of family. An incredible vacation, visits from both grandparents and several family events will keep me busy with another novel-long post here soon... but until then, there's a point to all this jargon, despite cataloging my incredible summer.
A simple thank you. Thank you to those of you who picked me up when I was down. A thank you to those who believed in me when I had a hard time believing in myself. Thank you to those who don't ask questions, and also the ones who know exactly what to say, and when to say it. Thank you to those who never treated me any differently when I was pitiful, emotional or just plain sucked on a certain day. Thank you to those who have made my skin tougher, my cheeks pinker and boosted my standards higher. Thank you to those who constantly make me laugh, dance, sing and love on a weekly basis. Thank you for being you, and loving me.
"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly. "
