A New Year

I have to say that I really enjoyed 2014.

I got to go on a cruise with my man and had a blast!

I drank a bunch of Iced Mocha's; probably too many.

I celebrated on year with this guy below!

I got to show one of my besties around Seattle.

 And I made a career change!

I cannot even tell you the goals I made for this past year.

I can tell you my goals for this upcoming year.

1.) To walk more. I just need to be active and walking is an easy way. Maybe I'll do something else as well, but I definitely want to commit to walking more.

2.) Drink less iced mocha's or at least stop buying so many from Starbucks. My lovely sister got me an espresso maker for Christmas so I will now be my own Barista and produce my own iced mocha's.

3.) Save more. 2013-2014 was the first time learning how to live on my own and pay for my expenses. Luckily, I tracked my income and expenses for the past year and see where my weak spots are. I've got to cut back on clothes shopping and Starbuck's along with miscellaneous purchases. I would like to start paying for school out of pocket along with investing into my own retirement.

And I am keeping it at those three goals because life is better when you keep it simple.

Happy 2015 to y'all!

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Time to Reflect and be Grateful

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Today was a great time with my family. After flying all day Tuesday, I was so grateful to be home and get to see all the people I love and continually miss. The celebrating and time together is still to continue and I plan to do it.

I went on a walk this afternoon to walk off some of the delicious food I ate and I was reminded of Christmas 2010. I have talked about this event multiple times on here, but I have a different perspective this year on it.

December 26, 2010 brought some horrible news for our family. My dad was told to pack up his stuff and leave the job he loved. He was asked to leave his passion. It was difficult and hard, but we chose to be positive and see the good.

For me that did not last long. I tried reading the bible, I tried praying, and I tried to see the good to come, but it was hard. Instead, I wrapped myself up in all the hurt and anger I felt. And the hurt was too much for me so I found a way to get away from all that reminded me of the hurt and anger I felt.

My getaway was Washington and it was good for me.

Today I still struggle with the hurt and anger. 

I see the people who we used to consider family and I cannot even think good thoughts of them.

I watch my dad pursue his passion and get angry at God for letting another person take some of that joy away.

I'm human and I am allowed to be human and experience these waves of anger and hurt.

But as I walked today I reminded myself that I can forgive and accept, but I do not have to forget. We grow up hearing we should forgive and forget, but I think that does not always work. If you have to try and forget, can you say you really have forgiven?

I am choosing to forgive and accept. I cannot forget what has happened to my family because it has shaped who we are today. But I do accept that it happened and that it is in the past. 

And I have forgiven. Some days I have to forgive again, but forgiveness is not a one and done process; it's an ongoing process. 

As the new year comes, I see all that I am grateful for and see all the blessings that have been put in place since 2010. I found a refuge place that turned into a home. I've been granted multiple opportunity to grow and change. I had the opportunity to understand the importance of having a family that goes through tough times together and does not fall apart from each other.

There is much to be thankful for and to continue to cherish.

So here's to acceptance and to change and to gratefulness for the future and the past. 

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Spectacular Now

The most spectacular thing happened yesterday.

I walked out of this restaurant:

And I did not look back. I marched on, head held high with happiness.

My itch has been relieved. A change has occurred and I am happy. 

I spent this past week receiving a little taste of what 2015 will bring for me.

Being nanny will have difficult moments, but I think it will be filled with more meaningful and beautiful moments than cheesecake.

The restaurant industry has blessed me in many ways.

It began in 2008. I applied for a job at the YMCA and was accepted, but I wanted to be a hostess at a restaurant so bad that I practically begged for a position.

Thanks to a wonderful woman in my life, she called me up and gave me a chance and hired me after my first day. It became my first job and I have spent many hours, days, and years in this industry.

It has provided me with a way to live and get by, with lessons learned, opportunities to grow and become more assertive. It provided me with friends and a second family. It provided me with joy for a long time. 

But as of lately the joy disappeared so I needed to part ways before I became too bitter to ever look back on the goodness. 

Today starts the day of a new journey and I welcome it with open arms!

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Two Days in of Being Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins, how did you do it?

I'm not singing to birds yet.

My bag hasn't magically turned into something that holds everything.

And that hair style, I cannot even attempt to try you.

Okay, it really is not that bad.

I am in day two of my morning nanny gig and the kids are quite lovely.

Today we played balloon volley ball for ten minutes.

I will take balloon volley ball over serving any day.

Yeah, I got paid for playing with a balloon today.

Be jealous!

But that hard part is waking up to the horrendous noise at 5:50 in the morning.

I am sure that's quite a late start to some of you, but for me that's almost like death.

I do not know what it is about being up before 6 a.m. but my body is hating me for waking up before 6 the last two days. I expect to be fully awake around 11 and instead my body says "No, you suck. Get some Starbucks"

And so I get some Starbucks and my body decides to be somewhat nice to me, but it still slightly angry. 

Someone please tell me early mornings get easier the longer you do it.

Despite the morning, it really is quite fun to be able to wear my own clothes (no uniform!) and help little kids get ready for their day.

The little boy loves to count. Today he babbled on about how he has to wait 765 days for Christmas even though it's 9 days away. I have no idea what he meant, but he was set in his ways. And the little girl is so sweet. She loves to help her brother and tried to teach him division today even though he is only learning how to add right now. They're geniuses, I tell ya!

Okay, just thought I should let you into the Mary Poppins world a little bit and show you how happy I am despite the early wake-up call. Having breakfast with my man in the morning makes it pretty perfect too. 

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The Itch

Anybody remember this post from a few weeks ago?

Basically, I talked about how I had an itch for change.

I have been talking about this itch for a while.

As I told a friend at school about my itch, I said "it's either my job or my hair."

And while it is always fun to change your hair, I really need to stop taking out my need for change on my hair. And yes, my hair thanked me for this by deciding to go back to its perfect waves out of the shower air drying ways.

Well, the good news is that the itch has been relieved. 

It has been scratched and soothed and it is happy.

Ready for the news?

Okay, here we go...

My new movement in life is to be Mary Poppins.

Yep, I am going to walk around with the bag that gives everything, sing about spoon full's of sugar, and jump into sidewalk art.

Okay, so maybe I won't be doing all that, but I am going to be a nanny.

After taking my human growth and development class this year, I feel I have a better understanding of the child development process and how important it is build healthy relationships at all points in life. Because of this class it made me realize I could be in a happier place by making my job to pay my bills almost like my future job in a way.

No, I won't be counseling these kids although I am sure it will come out unconsciously or consciously, but I will be practicing the building of relationships with children, teens, and families.

I am very excited for this new opportunity and cannot wait to share the stories and the learning that will come. I appreciate those who have thought of me during this time of need for change and for the ideas given to me. I never thought being a nanny would be something I would put on my resume, but I am excited for the change and the adventure ahead. 

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3 years ago

3 years ago I made a Facebook status that said this:

"I keep dreaming about Washington. I need to be where my heart is!"

I had no idea that my heart was being prepared for man that I met by chance or maybe fate.

3 years ago I was trying to fill my loneliness with guys I was not really interested in. 

I was doing everything to find love, but I had no idea a love was being cultivated in my heart for this guy:

(Yes, he went as my number one fan and fulfilled my dream of being Taylor Swift for Halloween.)

Everyday he makes me smile, pushes me towards a better life, and constantly encourages me.

He won the heart of my family and I am so excited to continue life together.

We may not be on the express train to the alter, but he is the one man I would wait years for to pop that question I have been waiting for forever. 

I know it's cheesy to make so many posts about him, but I cannot help it.

He has been my cheerman through this journey of living in the Pacific North West and I am so blessed to have him in my life.

I love you Bradley!

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