Cochlear Implant Camp is... over!

Well today I finished a week of Cochlear Implant Camp. I'm kind of glad it's over... but it really ended up being a lot of fun. I was even a little sad when my camper wouldn't hug me at the end of the day! I have a couple of pictures but frankly I'm way too tired to go get my camera and upload the pictures. It's always rewarding working with kids. No matter how much of a difference you make, it feels good at the end of the day to say... "I gave them something."

My camper's mom told me today that "C seems like a normal little boy this week." My response was "Of course he is!" But then I realized that he may not be able to really show his true colors at home. He is from a very untraditionally aged family (his parents are late 50's and mid 60's, he's only 5). I have a feeling that a deaf child was not what his father thought he was getting. However, despite everything, his mother loves him so hard. I say hard because it's like she does everything in the world to make that child happy. Even to the point of giving him a unhealthy but C-friendly lunch filled with goldfish, teddy grahams, chips, marshmallows, and cheetoes. He has so much potential. He is entering kindergarten in the fall and already can write all the numbers and his name (and all the other letters too). C along with my client from this past spring are kiddos I really wish I could keep up with. I want to see them in 10 years and experience how far they have come. Oh well... I did my part... now it's time for the next therapist to get their hands on them!

Senior Year

I've been doing a lot of thinking about William and I and how far we have come. One of the times in our relationship that I was particularly fond of was when we were seniors. William was such an amazing guy back then. I now know how lucky I am, but then I'm not sure I could have seen it. He was a part of this group at our church called Tallowood Players. He was kind of like "THE senior boy" in this group and I feel like he was kind of tasked with leading our youth group. This group preformed interpretations of Christian music. It is kind of hard to explain it unless you see it. I'm trying to find some pictures so you can see what I mean, but currently I have lost all of them between Houston and here. Because William was "THE senior boy", he was always front and center. He took this position so seriously. So seriously in fact that when I expressed interest in trying out for the group, he told me I couldn't. There was a very strict rule that said no two Players could date each other. And since he wanted to continue to date me "legally" I didn't try out. It was funny though, because several other dating couples were a part of Players. They didn't seem to care what the rules were or just thought they were pulling the wool over Randy Kilpatrick's eyes... which they weren't. I remember crying as I watched William perform "World's Apart" by Jars of Clay in front of hundreds of people during our week long mission trip in England. He would always say "I don't know why you would cry." I guess then, I didn't really know either. Except for the fact that I did cry. Everytime. Now when I even listen to the song I cry. He spoke to people with his solo during that piece. That was William's time. I was along for the ride then. He was the one everyone knew, I was just his girlfriend. He got to do all these special things like meet the mayors of small Welsch towns and preform on the huge stage at the Baptist World Convention in front of tens of thousands. And I got to watch. And I fell in love with him.

St. Paul's Cathedral

We also decided that year that we would keep our physical contact completely out of public. Basically, we didn't want to be a stumbling block to any of those younger than us that watched our every move. I'm not sure why, but I have always felt like Tallowood has put off a strong forboding vibe out about dating in highschool. Again, William took that seriously. He was determined to have the most Godly relationship we could. He didn't want to give the church "elders" anything to scoff at. There were several other couples at the time that were having to endure the same scrutiny and criticism that we were. A few of us made it out alive, or with our relationship intact. Several of them are married now!

Exhibit A

I'm not sure about the right and wrong in this situation, but all I know is that I guess we passed the test. The same pastor that gave us the "relationship lecture" over ad over again in high school is marrying us in November. Go figure.

"This is the Big Story, There is a God who is in control"

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

The pathway is broken
And The signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If You want me to

Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will walk through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone

So When the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I go through the valley If You want me to

My wonderful fiance

I love my fiance so much. He loves every inch of me for who I am. Even when I'm being the ultimate worrier. Or being a nagging *$%@#. (That's right I said it.) So, this post is for him.

The reasons I love him:

He's put up with me for more than 6 years. And that's just dating. He has been my best friend for 10.

He is so smart. He kicked my butt on the SAT and never ceases to amaze me with the work load he puts up with.

He is loyal to me. He chooses me over his family and friends continually.

He is a loyal friend. I admire how good of a friend he is. He would do anything for his friends.

When I need him he is there. An example: This is a day I will never forget. I found out my parents marriage was falling apart on a Thursday night. The next day I woke up and took a test and then got back in bed to cry. Soon after there was a knock on my door. Without waiting for my rely he burst into my room and wrapped me up in his arms. I think we stayed there the rest of the day. He would fly to the moon if that's where I was when I needed him.

He is a romantic.

When we are watching movies he lets me fall asleep in his arms... and only occasionally wakes me up.

He supports me in everything I do. He let me travel across

the country to go to Wellesley. He supported my decision to leave Wellesley and come back to Texas. He stood by me the day I graduated from Baylor and moved me to Dallas the SAME day. He wants me to get the highest degree I want to. (But I think I'll be stopping after my master's.)

He is funny.

He loves my family.

He cooks. (Because I don't.)

He loves me!

He is a man of God.

I can't wait for our marriage. I just want to be a good team!

Holy Moly

That is how I feel today... just a overall general feeling of "holy moly". There are two reasons I feel this way... the first being excitement and stress about upcoming events and the passing of time and the second being that sometimes people are just ridiculous!

Small rant... vvv see how small it is

Sometimes People are Just Ridiculous:

1) I know this is a well known debate, but I think if you are going to put up a blog like this it should either begin as private or stay public.

2) Do not be hypocritical... if you want people to pray for you and keep in touch and share themselves with you don't get upset when they tell you the honest truth about something.

3) Do not give out relationship advice that you specifically ignored on multiple occasions.

Excitement and Stress About Upcoming Events and the Passing of Time:

Today was my last day of therapy with my client this semester. It was a little bit of a stressful morning because I was literally about to strangle him our last session due to his lack of motivation. So therefore I had absolutely no motivation to plan our last session for today... so I didn't. That's right... I, Peyton Robey, was actually unprepared for therapy today. Go figure. However I decided to go in this morning with a sort of "If God wills it" sort of mindset. And apparently He did will it. Because as I was going over my client home therapy program (summer break homework) a brilliant therapy activity came to me! My client ended up LOVING it. I guess that goes to show you that letting go of everything sometimes can provide the most successful ends.

Now can someone please tell me why applying this principle to the rest of my life can't be that seamless? Why can't I let go of the fact that William doesn't have a job (for the present or the future)? Why can't I quit stressing about getting enough practicum hours (event hough I know I'm going to have twice what I need in the end)? And why the heck can't I sleep....

I guess somewhere this turns into the excitement part. After being engaged 20 months we have about (exactly) 135 days left of our engagement. I just came to the shocking realization that while we are on vacation with my dad we will roll into the double digits. We will have to have an extra Margarita that day. Along with that realization comes the fact that summer semester will be over for me in less that 48 hours. How did that happen? Where did it go? I feel like only yesterday I was starting grad school. And the day before that I was starting college at Wellesley. Suddenly I'm "about" to get married. WHOA THERE LIFE....slow down... Now with only 9 months left of school I'm suddenly grown up (okay well not yet but you know I'm working on it).

So here is how it pans our

48 hours of school left

11 days until cochlear implant camp

29 days until we go to Cabo San Lucas

Between day 29 and day 135: wedding planning, marriage seminar, 2 showers

5 Fall classes

1 Fall school-aged practicum

135 days until The Stephens

So I guess to conclude I will add....

EEEEEEEEKKK

We really are SOON to be the Stephens!