Girls Getaway

Last weekend one of my best girlfriends and I went away for three nights to Houston, and had a fabulous time. This was our second trip (last year we went to San Antonio), and we are planning on making this an annual thing. We stayed near the Johnson Space Center, so that we could easily get to things to do in Houston, as well as to be able to get to Galveston. The first day we were there we went to the Galleria, which was fun and spent the day walking around, doing some shopping, going to the Cheesecake Factory and just having fun, and drove around Rice University (where my friend's sister graduated college), and looked at some of the beautiful campus, and also the houses nearby. That evening we went to the Kemah Boardwalk, walked around and has dinner at the Kemah Aquarium which was so much fun. By the end of the night we were tired, but it was good. The next day we drove down to Galveston, and drove along the Seawall, and walked around historic downtown Galveston, and visited some fun little beach shops which was fun. We then went over to the Rainforest Café, where we did there River Adventure Ride, which is supposed to be like going through the Amazon River or a river in Africa, and then had lunch there. We went to the Rainforest Café in San Antonio last year, and decided to go there each year if there is one. We then went over to a little French bakery in Rice Village and met up with a friend of ours and had coffee and dessert which was fun. Then we just spent the evening back at the hotel and watched movies. We left on Monday, walked around the outlet mall outside of Houston for a bit, and then of course had to stop at Bucees on the way back home (we also stopped there on our way to Houston).
      We had an amazing time and it was so nice to get away for three nights, and to just be able to relax and have fun with an awesome friend. With everything I am going through right now, a little getaway was definitely needed. I am so  glad that I have a friend, that despite all the challenges I have, and the difficulty I have with being able to travel, that she is still willing and wanting to go away with me, and just to help me feel like a normal 22 year old. I am so blessed to have the close friends that I do, and going on this Girls Getaway is just another reminder of that. I think that its important for everyone, especially those with chronic illnesses, to getaway a bit at least once a year, if at all possible. It helps to be able to leave the stress that you have behind, and to just relax , recharge, and get refreshed. It was something that I definitely needed, and I think we all need.


Joyful Love
         &
Blessings In The Lord
Alexandra K. Acosta

Finding My Purpose

I know it has been quite awhile since I last blogged, but there has been a lot going on. While dealing with various different stressors in my life, and also seeing my friends graduate from college and start new chapters of their lives, I have been wondering what my purpose is in life. My illness has taken away my ability to do many things, yet I still have the heart and desire to do the same things I have always wanted to do, maybe even more so, yet I don't have the physical ability to do it. This has caused me to have queestions about, what is it that I can do, not only physically, but that can also include the things that I love. Finding this balance is not an easy thing to do. My ultimate dream has been to work as a child-life specialist at a children's hospital, but that is something that right now is not possible. I love working with kids, but that is not something I am able to do with my weakened immune system. I know that God has a wonderful and miraculous plan for my life, but while experiencing so many difficulties, it can be hard to remember that.
      Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. " This is one of my favorite verses, because it helps me to know that God only has good and wonderful things planned for me, and that as His daughter, He wants me to have a life that is prosperous and filled with hope. But when going through difficult times, it can be a challenge to remember this. We beging to think, that how could God let us go through these difficulties if He wants us to have good things? He doesn't do it to spite us, but so that we can trust and rely on Him. We have to, because if we don't, we will not be able to live that prosperous life. Only trusting and relying on Him completely will enable us to have that prosperity. So when I start to wonder what my purrpose is in life, I think of Jeremiah 29:11. When I read that verse, I know that I do have a purpose in life, we all do. And even though I may not know at times what my purpose in life may be, I know that because of my faith in God, my future will be bright and filled with so many blessings. And that, gives me comfort.




Joyful Love
         &
Blessings In The Lord
Alexandra K. Acosta