Great Quote

Sorry, my life the past few weeks has been pretty boring. I don't have much to update you on. Except I finished this great book called Criss Cross, and it had a great quote in it that hit close to home for me. It says, "I think that it's a good thing to get out of your usual, you know, surroundings. Because you find things out about yourself that you didn't know, or you forgot. And then you go back to your regular life and you're changed, you're a little bit different because you take those new things with you. Like a Hindu, except all in one life; you sort of get reincarnated depending on what happened and what you figured out. And any one place can make you go forward, or backward, or neither, but gradually you find all your pieces, your important pieces, and they stay with you, so that you're your whole self no matter where you go. Your Buddha self. That's my theory, anyway."
As I was reading this, I thought that this is the reason why I'm moving, why I'm leaving what I'm comfortable and used to, and what I hope to gain in the next year of my life. I felt so at peace about my decision after reading that! Not much new wit that by the way. I've been looking at a ton of apartments to rent online, and been looking at jobs on craigslist. I plan on going out for a few days in July to find a place hopefully, and then officially move August 3rd? But we'll see what happens until then, especially with my recovery process.

Good News!

So I have a few things that I have felt happy about the past few days that I wanted to share, because shouldn't happiness be shared? :)

• First off, I found the missing piece to my puzzle party extravaganza from Friday! Woo-hoo! It was on the floor by where I did the puzzle, hiding underneath a book. So no more missing piece. And for those of you that couldn't find the missing piece (Monica, this is for you) it is by the rabbit.
• For some reason, I was in an 80's music mood today, so I went to itunes to find some goodies to put on my ipod. I found some great ones! But I forgot all about Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere"..ummm...LOVE that song! Not sure exactly why, I remember hearing it when I was little and loving to dance to it! That and "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" are my all time favorite 80's songs. They make me happy everytime I hear them!
• My amazon.com purchases of One Tree Hill Seasons 3 and 4 came in the mail! I don't know what it is about that show that I love so much..I think I feel connected to different characters at different times. And it's cool because in almost every show there is a quote given that has really helped me to reflect on my life. I should write them down and share them with you sometime. Words are so powerful!
• I went back to the doctor again today. He said I'm healing slowly but the way I should be. That's great news for me because I really don't want to go through this surgery again. It's been seriously so hard for me to not be able to go out and do what I would like. I told my friend this other day, you don't realize how much you take good health for advantage until it's actually taken away. I hope to be up and about more in the coming weeks. I am happy to go to Logan tomorrow and eat lunch with my friends from work. I have missed my babies so much!
• Last week, my parents and little sister, Katrina, went to see Indiana Jones. And of course I couldn't go because of my "wonderful" surgery, so I was home alone feeling sorry for myself and craving a brownie earthquake from Dairy Queen. Well, yesterday, my mom made me the yummiest brownies ever. That made my day!
• As hard as it has been to move back home, it's been good for me. I've reflected a lot on my experiences growing up in Tremonton, and even more specifically the neighborhood that I grew up in. I feel really blessed when I think about that. I could go into more detail about that, but I won't bore you.
  

This will probably sound cheesy, but if you know me, I kind of am a cheeseball, and love cheesy things. I've been thinking a lot about life in general. And yes, life is hard, but if you take time everyday to really think about what life is, and what you are blessed with, you will come to realize how wonderful it is to be here, and to experience all we get to experience. I love every moment!

One Missing Piece!

Can you find the missing piece?

I did something tonight that I've wanted to do FOREVER, and no one ever wants to do with me. So I did it alone....can you guess what it is? A puzzle!! I absolutely love to put puzzles together. I love the way two pieces will fit perfectly together, and the sound it makes when the pieces connect. I love sorting for the flat edges first, and then chunking the pictures section by section until you have the final masterpiece. I remember going to my Grandma and Grandpa Perkins every summer in Cour D'Lane Idaho, they lived on the lake, and doing puzzles. I think that's where my love for them started. It took me 4 and a 1/2 hours to do this puzzle, a 550 piece one. It wasn't too difficult considering all the different animals and plants. But I'm a little bugged because there is one missing piece! I hate that! Anyway, here is my masterpiece. What more fun could I have on a Friday night alone?!

One Week Later...

Okay, so this past week has been a very different and trying one for me. I had surgery a week ago, something I have never experienced before. I went to the doctor last Wednesday, and when he told me I had to have surgery, I was so scared I threw up right in his office. Talk about embarrassing! The next morning, bright and early, I was at the hospital, prepping for it. I was surprisingly calm. The last thing I remember is the guy telling me I would feel a funny feeling, and me saying, "Funny?" and then looking up at the lights, thinking they looked like the lights on ER or Grey's Anatomy. Then the next thing I knew I was in a strange room, feeling some serious pain in my butt. That's what I had to have surgery on by the way. I had a cyst at the end of my tailbone that had to be removed, so I basically had butt surgery. More people have seen my butt in the past week then I would have cared to have shown in a lifetime. not fun! The medicine they gave me (Percoset) totally knocked me out, so I got home at about 4 that day. And the next few days were a blur...lots of sleeping, popping pills, and struggling to get up to go to the bathroom. By Monday, I could sit up for about 5 minutes. I could barely stand in the shower for 10 minutes before feeling extremely nauseous! By Tuesday, I could stand up and walk for a bit, I actually walked upstairs! I was so tired of being cooped up in the basement, even though I did get to watch the whole second season of One Tree Hill, and ordered the next two seasons, because I think I am officially addicted to that show! Absolutely love it! Yesterday, I went to the doctor again, hoping to hear that I would be able to leave for DC on Sunday. See, my sister's boss needed a nanny for 2 weeks, and I was so excited to go! I love that city, and I love being with kids and would get paid to do it! Well, it turns out I'm not healed enough to go and take care of kids and myself at the same time. So I was pretty bummed about that yesterday. It was a low day for me in the surgery recovery process. I think because I'm slowly taking less meds, I'm tired of not being able to get out, and not being able to go to DC. But today was a change! I have felt so ugly all week for obvious reasons, and I had scheduled a hair appointment a while ago, and I told myself I was going to go, I needed a boost! So I spent the past two hours with Jessica, and it was such a lift to my week! I love my new haircut. Here's a picture of it. And I'm not too sore for sitting for so long! So one week later, I'm still healing but I'm getting better. This too shall pass! ;)

The people who inspire me most

The boys and I. They sure knew how to have fun!! These boys taught me a lot, one in particular. About not worrying about the small things in life, and just being happy, and letting others in, even when it's hard. I'm amazed at what some of my students were faced with in their life, and how they dealt with those hard challenges. It made my problems seem so small in comparison. Teaching is a job that will definitely change your life for the better. It doesn't come easy, but it's so worth it. Each child that has ever entered my classroom, has made me a better person. And isn't that what life is about? Becoming better, learning from those around you? I love that we aren't here alone, even though at times it feels that way.
Here's a picture of me with my girls! Aren't they so cute? Don't let them fool you though, sometimes they could be the biggest drama queens I have ever dealt with. But I sure did love them. My students were my saving grace this year.
Here is the pictures I wanted to include last time. This is on the last day of school with all my students, doing a silly face. Something I started in my first year of teaching, every silly picture, I always pretend to eat my student's arm that is standing by me. A little weird, huh?! The last day of school was a very difficult one for me. I was distant all day with my students, and even saying goodbye I held in my emotions (it was tough!), but after school, I cried and cried. It hit me so hard that I wouldn't be doing what I loved for a year. But I know it will make me appreciate teaching so much more, and be so ready to come back to it.

A Little Lost...

I was going to have pictures with this blog, but I packed my camera stuff in a box, and it's at my storage unit, so I will have to find it and update with pics. later. I am now officially moved out of my apartment, and school, all done with teaching. And needless to say, I am feeling a little lost at the moment, unsure of where my life is now going to head. I don't have a place to live (moved back in with my parents for a bit), and I am unemployed. Scary! The past few days have been emotionally draining for me, saying goodbye to my students and to teaching, a job I love sooo much. Also moving out was hard because I have lived with the same girls for years! But also, it's been hard because I now have no idea what to do with myself. Yes, that's so exciting that I get to choose my future, but it's so scary! I've been having a hard time putting into words what it is that I am feeling. So lost and confused are probably the best that I can come up with right now...