Back from Texas!

So I spent the past few days in Texas, a state I had never visited before. I went to visit my friend Amanda Hardman (now Lynn), a friend that I have known since the first grade, who now lives in Austin. We lived two houses away from each other all growing up. Our lives have taken different paths, but we have remained good friends. It was so good to see her and catch up on life. It was so weird to see her pregnant! Anyway, so Texas was fun, but very humid and hot. I ate some yummy Mexican food, saw some awesome caves by San Antonio, saw a minor league baseball game, and even watched the new Indian Jones movie! But the most treasured day was Sunday. I went to church with Dave and Amanda, and do you know what I loved? The fact that no matter where you go, the church is the same. I love that it doesn't change, that the people make you feel welcome, and the spirit that is felt! After, I made them dinner (my spaghetti and chocolate eclair..yummage to my tummage!) And then they drove me to Killeen, Texas, a little over an hour away from Austin. My sister Michelle is buried there. See, I have had a desire to see her grave since the day I found out I had an older sister that I didn't know. She only lived 25 days. She would be 32. I've always kind of felt her presence in my life, in a personal sort of way. So seeing her grave was something I wanted to do. We found her gravesite pretty quick, and I laid some daisies (my favorite) by her grave. It was very peaceful, and I am so grateful I got to be there. It was something I will not forget. This is just a quick summary because I'm super tired, but I'm so glad I took this little vacation for myself. In a way, it really helped me feel ready for this next big adventure in my life, and it made me excited to move and do something different with my life. I'm excited to meet new people that will become my friends, I'm excited to go alone, I'm excited for the new adventures that await me!

Grateful

I'm having a hard time sleeping tonight for some reason, my heart is full I guess. So I decided, "Hey, why not write on my blog page!" So here I am! I've had a lot of good thoughts tonight, and feel that maybe I should share a few of them. I had the chance to go to dinner tonight with a good friend. You know, I love food. I think the reason I love food so much is that we all have to eat, and so it's the chance to get together and do something we all have to do anyway, but what makes it great is spending time with people I love. And Tonya is definitely a woman that I respect, admire, and love. I always love how I feel when I leave her, like I'm a renewed, better person. So on the drive home after, I thought a lot about my life, and I started thinking of all the things I am grateful for. So I'm going to list them. Bear with me, the list could get long!

• I am so grateful for my dad. Today I took my students on a walking field trip to some local stores in the Tremonton community. On the way, we stopped at Midland Square, a cute little "park" that honors those who have served in the Military. I found his name listed under the Vietnam War, and showed my students, and talked to them a bit about him fighting. Then, I found this article that was written about him, and I just realize every time I see something like that, how grateful I am that he is my dad, and that I chose to be his daughter. He has been my example throughout my life of hard work, dedication to the Lord's work, and serving those around him. He has led a life of strength and courage, and has supported me in all that I have chosen to do.
  
• I am grateful for children. Not just my students, but children in general. The other day I was out jogging around my neighborhood, and this little boy was on his toy bike and I ran past him, and he said, "Are you getting your exercise in?" I laughed so hard! He was probably 4. Made my day! Kids make me so happy. They have a way of bringing out the best in me, and I truly feel like my genuine self when I'm around them. They love so easily, are so forgiving, and so good at making you feel so good about yourself. Some of the best compliments I have ever received have come from children.
• I am grateful for my nieces and nephews, and the pure joy they bring into my life. I can't help but be happy when I'm around them. And they love me! And I love them, with a love that is so different from any other type of love..hard to explain, but I think you understand.
• I am grateful for the strength I have gained within me this past year. Different challenges that have been placed before me have caused me to question, change, and grow for the better. I never realized how strong I was until I was faced with trials that I had never faced before. I am a much stronger person today than I was a year ago...and that's a good thing!
• I am grateful for the temple, for the source of peace and comfort it is in my life. I love the way I feel when I'm there, and the way it makes me want to do better.
  
• I am grateful for the girls that I work with. They are so fun! I have enjoyed getting to know them better. I love my babies!!

There's a lot more I'm grateful for, but that's where my thoughts are today!
Tawna

My first blog experience

So this is a totally new experience for me, having my own blog page. But I felt that with upcoming changes in my life, it will be a great way for me to update what is happening. So here I am! I am about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime! Well, for me it is. I have been teaching the past four years, something that has been the most life changing, wonderful, demanding, emotional, crazy, and greatest learning experience that I have had. I have put my heart and soul into my job. I have loved all of my students, and gave everything that I had to help them. And I don't regret one second of it. But I'm feeling a need for a change..I've been in a bit of a rut the last little bit. Don't get me wrong: I love Logan, Utah. It's what I consider my home now, a place that I know and feel comfortable with. So I began thinking about how I could change my life. A new apartment? Change my job? Move? I chose D, all of the above. So then I started thinking about where I wanted to move to. At first I thought Washington, D.C. because my sisters, Tabbi and LIsa, live in that area, and I went for a visit in February and loved every second of it. But then I went to visit Brady and Kristy Anderson for my spring break to Colorado, and absolutely loved it! I felt like it was a place I could see myself living in, a place where I could find a good job, and a place where I think I would be okay living alone. So that's where I'm heading. For some reason, I feel like this has been the biggest decision I have had to make in my life, up to this point. See, I have always been one of those people who has known what they have wanted to do with their lives. In first grade, I was the student of the week, and my mom had written my teacher a letter about me. My teacher read it to the class. And when she said what I wanted to be when I grew up was a teacher, it was destined to be that way. Every day I thought about that goal, and imagined myself being a wonderful teacher! This is cool: Since I'm moving, I've been looking through all my stuff, and I found a book about me that I created in 3rd grade (which so happens to be the grade that I am currently teaching), and I found where I had written that I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up because I wanted to help kids learn and let them share their feelings about school. So I took it to school and shared it with my students. They loved it! Anywho, back to what I was saying. So I knew I wanted to be a teacher, I knew I wanted to go to Utah State because that's where my brother Mick went and I idolized everything he did (Hence the reason why I am a Michael Jordan, Chicago Cubs, sports lover). I went straight to college, straight through the education program, straight to a job, and straight through 4 years of teaching, before I realized that I needed something different. I love my life, I love the choices and decisions I have made that have led me to where I am today, but it's time that Tawna Perkins do something different! So I'm moving without a clue of where I'm going to live, what job I am going to have, no one going with me. How exciting, random, and awesome is that?!