ReCap

CLEAR!!!! BZZZZZZZZZ --- CLEAR!!!!!! BZZZZZZZZZ ---- CLEAR!!!! BZZZZZZZZZ

Beep..... Beep....... Beep...... Beep............

Oh thank goodness!!!! I would feel SO bad if my posting caused you to have a heart attack.... but I guess I can't be shocked if your heart skips a beat. I mean, come on... it HAS been over a year!!!!

I decided that this year has been full of SO many ups and downs that I couldn't possibly do a "synopsis" justice, so here come some bullet points until I get the time/energy/desire to elaborate on them (for my own records, not to bore you to tears!) I'm kinda thinking that if I AT LEAST bullet point some stuff, then I'll free myself to be able to start with right now, and go forward with all the new stuff!

So, prepare for 2009... in FAST FORWARD!!!

January: Went home to be with my dad and my family. Current weight... 200lbs.

February: 10 days after I got there, dad passed away from a heart attack (surrounded by my sisters and I). Beautiful service fitting him, and buried him next to our mom. Decided to stay in California for a while to help around the house with decisions... and to be with my sisters!

March: Happy Birthday to me... First birthday of mine that wasn't "shared" with my dad (kinda weird). Drove back to Utah for a job interview at a small LDS private school. Spent my days working in my friends formal wear shop (www.hisandhersformalwear.com) and LOVED every minute of it... and increased my black wardrobe for the dress code.... (still working at re-incorporating color into my daily wardrobe). Got to help run a high school prom fashion show AND a country club bridal show (both in 2 days!!) Learned the fine art of "fashion show hems" and the thrills of "sniffing" for odors! UGH!

April: Came back to CA by way of Las Vegas, Mohave, and Bakersfield (MUCH prettier drive!) Still working at the shop. Hello PROM season!!! No word from the school yet about the job. Realization that I have lost 10 pounds, and 1 pants size since getting to CA. (down to 190)

May: Promised my friend that I would attend the NEXT social singles activity I heard about (cause I chickened out on the dance thing). Phone call from acquaintance in Utah asking is I'd cover her nanny job while she was on maternity leave... beginning the end of May. Well, turned into early May, and I left to go back to Utah on the 7-8th. Drive BACK to Utah.... en route, got a text about a hike to the Timp caves that Saturday.... WELL, a promise is a promise! 3 days after getting to Utah, I hiked to the caves with a group of people I DID NOT know. Altitude sickness on the way up... met a guy on the way down. Went out a few times.... too many red flags to make it a lasting thing. 8 days after I got back to Utah, I was contacted by the school, and was offered the job as their 4-5th grade teacher. Um... DUH!!! Of course I'll take it!!! Invited to the last day of school for "Field Day".

June: Couple more dates with other guys: online gamer, "my ex wives became Wiccan" (YES, one guy... more than ONE wife!!), and a few other "winners" in the mix. I'm guessing singlehood isnt' THAT bad!! Spent the month as a nanny for a 5 year old boy and a 19 month old girl. I also spent alot of time working on setting my classroom up. School open house/carnival (recruiting for new families). Met some great people that I'll be working with!!!

July: Still a nanny for the first week... then on to a temp job for a week before returning back to CA for a REAL vacation!!! Drive back to CA (for those keeping track... that's 4 legs... 750 miles each!) Worked in the shop again!! :-) LOVE IT THERE!!! Lots of time spent with friends, family and just relaxing!!

August: More relaxing, and more shop!!! Annual sisters trip to Santa Cruz (my favorite place on earth)!!! Drove back to Utah (yep... 5) the day before "Meet Your Teacher" Day. Met my students and their parents (one of which... no idea... but would become my best friend in just a few short weeks!!!). Moved into new apartment in Pleasant Grove. Lost another 10 pounds... and another size... (down to 180)

September: First day as an official teacher, with my own classroom. 11 kids... 8 boys, 3 girls!! ColdStone with the coolest girls EVER! Kept pretty busy... surprised by the red flags I'm already getting about the school/job... hoping it's par for the "new job" course! Met a new guy... cute... but quickly nicknamed "Captain STAND-UP" after he stood me up 3 out of 4 times! Although... in my circles, he'll always be "SPIKE"!!! :-)

October: Um... pretty much the same as September... keeping busy. Enjoying spending time with my new girlfriends! First field trip with my kids. WHO in their right mind takes elementary school kids to a pumpkin patch, corn maze, petting zoo and outdoor play area in 20 degree weather... with SNOW on the ground?!?!?!? Crazy people!!!! Began a truly amazing spiritual journey that I'm hoping will lead me to my greatest potential!!! (Feel free to ask about it... I'm pretty open about it!!)

November: Still working... still hanging with the girls! Spent the last 2 weeks at my BFF's house while her husband travelled for work. St. George with T for Thanksgiving (ah... WARMTH). Still working on the journey (with the bishop's support)... and LOVING every moment of it.

December: Gotta love 2 weeks of school before a 3 week break!!!! Having... um... creative differences with the school director. Seriously thinking about getting a different job when the quarter's over!!! Learned that I had to move out of my apartment by the end of the year. 18 hour Train ride back to Antioch (NO WAY was I driving AGAIN!!). Battling a cold over Christmas break. First Christmas with neither parent... but we all had a great time anyway! Down another 10 pounds (yep... 170).... I have GOT to get some new clothes... cause this "alterations" thing can ONLY go so far!!! (Got really giddy during my trip home... with everyone mentioning my weight loss, and my obvious spiritual shift). 10 days in CA... before returning to UT. Spent the last 48 hours of 2009 packing my stuff back into storage (ironic... I know).

January: School's back in... Week one... WEIRD! Got "asked" for my resignation on the first Friday back... so... by the 22nd, I was unemployed yet again! I'm going with it being a budget move, a personal conflict due to who I associate with, and a conflict regarding my current spiritual situation. Oh well... their loss!!! Moved into a new place.... only 1 mile from my BFF, and a lot less expensive than the last place... WIN WIN! Attended the most AMAZING workshop (self esteem).... and cannot wait to return. Got re-introduced to rock climbing... BRING IT ON!!! Also set up a schedule to work out 3 times a week... enjoying the weight loss trend, and am WAY motivated to keep it going. (Down another 5... to 165....and from a size 18 last year to a 11/13 now)!!!

February: Yep... Now! Well, let's see... First weeks of unemployment, not horrible. Helped homeschool friends kids. Spent a lot of time doing some seriously DEEP self reflection... and making some choices for myself! Started my bucket list (see the next blog entry), started a gratitude journal, began to accept things about myself that I have been in denial about for WAY too long!!! Visited my former class today for their Valentine's day party. It was nice to see everyone!!! Down another 5 pounds... Now... at 160... HOW THE HECK does that even happen!!?!?

Okay... now that you have been effectively bored to tears.... I can feel "off the hook" and begin to start posting new entries!!! YAY!!!!! Here's to hoping that in 2010, I'll be slightly less spacey in the blog posting capacity!!!! Like I said, I've been working on the bucket list thing... so I'm hoping that a lot of my posts will be devoted to the COOL things I'm doing this year!!!!

Let the moral support commence....NOW!!!!