Let the Madness Begin!

Can my life become any more busy? Yes it can, I've decided. I have less than a month until I start grad school! Woot woot! Yes, you heard correctly. I am starting grad school, a MA in Mental Health Counseling, in the middle of January at the University of Phoenix. Along with attending one night a week for four hours, I will continue to teach full time plus some, (I say that because I average 50+ hours a week) tutoring struggling students part time at a learning center in Riverton, and all the wonderful grading I have to do. I am actually quite excited to begin school again. I've always loved going to school, but hated the massive amounts of work, but by the time I turn 29, I will have my Masters! How many people can say that? On the downside though, let's just say not much time to be social or date. Oh well. :) I am on the downclimb of the school year which means TESTING! I have to prep the kids for numerous standardized tests, so now my stress level will reach an all time high. I'm waiting for things to just get back to normal, but what exactly is normal?

I recently moved back to Orem and currently share an apartment with two fun-loving girls. It is a much better living situation than my last residence and now I actually enjoy coming home; whereas, before, I would dread going to a place I didn't really consider home. As for the social life, I think everyone and their dog is trying to set me up. Not too stoked on the idea because I don't particularly enjoy socializing with people I don't know very well. I tend to be on the shy side at first. But here's the best part: they're trying to set me up with balding, nerdy, younger guys. Heaven help me. I just smile and say, I'll think about it" and then never mention it again.

One of my good friends Chelci and her friend Nykell came up about a week and a half ago and we all went to PF Changs and to temple square in SLC to see the lights. Here are some pictures from our little escapades.

Chelci, Nykell, and me in front of
tree at JSM building.

Yup, I took this picture. :)

At the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Nykell and I waiting for Clint
and Chelci to meet us.

Candid shot in front of the tree at the JSM building

As the Year Comes to a Close....

It's hard for me to believe that once again another year has flown by. The last six to seven months have been some of the most difficult of my life. My life has changed dramatically as most of you know but yet it still seems to keep going when sometimes all I want is for the world to stop for just a moment. I express gratitude to all those who have supported me and my family and have spent countless hours praying for the welfare of our family. I feel as though I have become a completely different person because of the trials I have endured this past year. My priorities have shifted and have taken on a whole new level. My mom gave each of us kids plus Lori (Jeremy's girlfriend) a Thankful Book so to speak on Thanksgiving. I have misplaced it, somewhere in my room, but in each of our books, she wrote why she was grateful for us. I decided that I was going to make myself some new goals (I'm way ahead of the New Year's resolution deal :) ) and make some changes in my life; things I feel need perfecting. Some of those goals included making scripture study more personal to my life, writing down two things I was grateful for each day (I misplaced my book though), writing in my journal once a week (still working on that one), and writing down memories of Dad before they begin to fade so my children will know their grandfather, and others. Oh and updating my blog once a month. Sometimes I forget I have these things such as journals and blogs that I need to use more to my benefit. So far I'm up to getting about half of the things done but some need a little more time to get into the perfecting mode.

Each year, for the past four years or so, I have attended The Forgotten Carols. I am in love with the production and it is one of the highlights of my Christmas holiday, alongside my Christmas break from school. :) The first two years, I went with Mom and Dad, and actually met Michael McLean and his wife in the east side of Vegas the year I came home from myin a McDonald's in gas station. Funny, I know. Last year I took Tawny as a Christmas present and she loved it and this year I took Meghan for her birthday present. She told me it was the best birthday present she had gotten this year. Kudos to me. I think I've decided that each year for Christmas I want to continue to go to this and eventually get the DVD, because obviously it will stop being produced and watch it each year with my future family (cross your fingers for that one). It's always a great way to start off the Christmas holiday season!