Delta

I realized that I forgot to post the information required in our first blog!  Oops.  In class we were asked to give our name (Tracy Ofenloch) and draw a symbol that describes us.  The symbol I chose was the delta symbol.  I am a Pharmacy Technician, not much longer!, and I frequently use the delta symbol as something I picked up from latin shorthand.  The delta is used for the word "change" when we write notes, i.e. "Insurance requests that the Dr. Δ the rx from Nexium to Omeprazole."  Right now my life seems like its full of change whether it be gaining new insights into my marriage relationship to the fact that I am beginning a new job in September!  I have been in Pharmacy for 8 years and I have finally obtained a job in the counseling field at Central Virginia Community Services Board in Child and Family Services at Bedford Intensive In-Home.  What a mouthful!  I'm so nervous and yet so excited.

About the Blogger

This is my first official blog. I blogged in COUN 507 as part of a class blog, but now I am on my own. Whether I will continue on blogging apart from this class, COUN 603, is questionable, depending on how enjoyable I find it. Overall, I feel that I am a good academic writer, but I struggle with creative writing. This could be the outlet I need to gain confidence in more creative or conversational writing!

My husband and I met in high school on a mission trip in Philadelphia. I had a crush on one of his friends, but somehow Ryan, my husband, and I were the ones that maintained communication for over a year before we admitted any feelings for one another. In fact, I probably would not have admitted anything for a while had my friends not sent something I wrote about him TO HIM when I was not around. Luckily it was well received and our long distance relationship began not too long afterwards!

Before I knew it I was dealing with the idea of Ryan transferring colleges to Knoxville, TN where I lived. I went back and forth on my feelings about this. Would we still love each other after being around each other everyday? Was I just compartmentalizing my life by conveniently having a telephone boyfriend as part of my busy life? Would we discover some mortal flaw? What if this didn't work out? During this time, little did I know, Ryan was buying the engagement ring before he even moved out to Knoxville!

Fortunately for Ryan, the following October I said yes to his proposal and we were married 14 months later on December 29, 2007. After nearly 3.5 years of marriage we are still adjusting and learning the true meaning of love. I find this both rewarding and challenging. We are growing as adults and learning the beautiful and ugly parts of ourselves and one another. These things I think are parts you can only know in intimate relationship with another person, because Lord knows I was perfect before he came along! LOL That's a funny comment with some truthful insight, but isn't that sadly the perspective that some people hold? He caused me to be like this, She brought out the worse in me, my life was better before him/her. Perhaps, more accurately, some things are out of our awareness until another dynamic, person, or circumstance enters the picture. I have found that learning about yourself does not have to be scary, but it can be an opportunity to grow as an individual and increase your dependence on God. For 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (ESV).