Busy Bee!

I have written blog entry after blog entry and I just can never really seem to stay on task to finish them or I just don't have enough time and then I forget to go back and finish them. I have been extremely busy the last several months with a super awesome life. I had the summer of a lifetime in the great state of Alaska, then I vacationed in California with my family and best friend, and now I'm back to normalcy in good old Utah. I'm living in my own apartment with my dogs, and it's adorable and awesome. I have a job at ancestry.com that I'm absolutely in love with. I'm starting up classes again in two days and I have a projected grad date, and if I work hard enough I might be able to move it closer. To me, life is great, always. Sometimes the things IN it aren't great, and sometimes my mood and emotions reflect that...but with that, I find it great that I have the ability to feel. :) I am happy. :) Yesterday was totally one of those "IN it" kind of days though. It was a really rough day with my fibromyalgia, and I had a terrifying experience with one of my sweet dogs and had to take her to the emergency pet hospital. By the end of the day I was nearly beside myself with so many kinds of exhaustion. But I was able to keep things in perspective even so, and today was much better, so that helped too. It also helped that my good friend Donny was able to be there to help me. Life just keeps moving, and it's crazy, but also fun. I'm really glad to be back home with my friends and family and dogs and just everything I know and am used to. I missed everyone and everything in Utah so much, but it was really good that I was able to have the experience of legitimately moving away for a while. Alaska for sure found it's way into my heart though. I didn't think it would impact me so deeply, but a part of me will always be in Alaska. I'm sure at some point I'll write one or more posts about my adventures from this past summer, but for now I'm just wanting to touch base and say hello. So until next time...!

A Funny Thing Happened On My Way To Alaska

The last couple weeks before I left for Alaska I spent as much time as possible with my family and my best friend, and it honestly wasn't nearly enough to last me the whole summer, but I'm so glad I spent that much time with them even so. Saturday, May 5th my family and bestie all came up to see me off and we went to the Gateway mall to eat at California Pizza Kitchen and hang out before the airport. After we ate and it was time to go to the airport, I told my parents I was going to ride to the airport with Taylor and they looked like they were going to die... kind of funny...but hey, I needed one last moment with my bestie! So... funny thing, we get in the car and start driving just thinking we know where we're going...well, we got lost on our way to the airport. Then when we finally made it to the airport we took the wrong parking lane and then drove around in the outdoor extended stay parking lot for what seemed like an eternity, but we still had fun. Then we finally made it out of the lot and drove out the airport exit and clear back around into the correct parking. Well, my family is notorious for making relaxing situations really stressful...and they nearly made me late for my flight because they went to the drop-off/pick-up lane and then there was all this confusion with who was actually coming in to see me off and who was staying with the cars. Anyway, getting my ticket and checking my luggage was rough because my parents micromanage and flip out over everything (partly cuz they're old and crazy...love you mom and dad!), haha, and oh boy it just kept getting crazier by the minute! So I ended up stuffing things into another bag and rearranging some things so I would only have to check 2 bags instead of 3...well none of us were thinking clearly and completely spaced that my 3rd bag had all my big bottles of toiletry/hygiene supplies. *facepalm* So I get upstairs to go through security, and by that point I'm getting really frazzled and struggling to keep my mojo at the calm level I wanted it to be at all day, so when I hugged everyone goodbye I was starting to tear up, half because I was going to miss the crap out of everyone and half because I was stressed. So I'm going through security, and it all goes fine......until I get on the other side and they're like "um...you can't take these on the plane, so we'll escort you back to your family so you can give it to them and then you can go through the "express" security line"...so by that point I'm like sweating from stress and frustration and thinking I probably look suspicious to the airline people, so I'm freaking out about that too. So I get things all squared away with my parents and jump in the "express" line and I'm just so upset and totally done with the game and ready to be gone. Next thing I know, my parents are standing next to this lady who has a son in another security line that just happens to be going to Alaska, and just happens to be working for the same company, and just happens to be working on the trains. So they get my attention and the lady's son Steven's attention and introduce us to each other from a distance. By this point I just want to die. Not only had I just got done bickering with my parents about the luggage mishap and still look upset, but I'm all sweaty and tired, and totally not in any condition to be introduced to an attractive young man. Hahaha oh but it gets better yet...my parents somehow got his mom to tell him to look after me in AK...oh geez. OH, and I totally had to pee like niagra falls during all this, so I finally get through security for the SECOND time, and I race to the bathroom and then hurry to my gate which of course had to be one of the LAST and FARTHEST gates. So I get on the plane just in time as they're boarding the last people trickling in. I found my seat and there was a guy on the end of my row, so I sat in the window seat. He was very nice, and we did some talking here and there, and then this lady comes and is like "You're in MY seat." and she's super frazzled and breathing like she's about to have a heart attack or something. So the guy and I get up and let her sit down and then file back into our seats. I'm thinking this could be a pretty good flight, except that the whole 5 hours (the flight took longer than it was supposed to) the guy slept like 80% of the time and kept leaning/sliding into my seat, and the lady kept randomly complaining about things. Needless to say, it was a long flight. Oh, and I totally didn't notice, but that Steven kid totally sad behind me on the plane. Haha,I discovered that and his "assignment" when we saw each other the first day of training. Oh my life. Haha, nothing boring or subtle with me. :p And so began my Alaskan adventure...there is plenty more to come, I've just got to find the time to organize everything in my head and sit down and write it all. :)

Many Much Things!

So holy cow, soooo many things have happened recently.... I've been in a phlebotomy class, that I absolutely LOVE, and I am really amazed at how cool blood is! I have been having so much fun doing draws, it's really cool and makes you feel all professional and awesome. I've been preparing to go to Alaska for the summer, and I leave this saturday May 5th! I'm super excited but pretty dang nervous too! :p My memory is so bad, I'm trying to remember all the things I've been wanting to blog about for the past month, but I'm just not having an easy time with remembering any of it. Yesterday was really fun though, Taylor and I got to hang out all day and had chinese food at the mall and then chilled for a while and then went to Color Me Mine and she made a cute cookie jar and I made a seashell jewelry thing for my mom for mother's day, and then later we went to the store and then back to her house to make an absolutely amazing dinner. I'm going to have a really hard time not being able to see her for 5 months. She and my brother and his fam in pg are the ones I'm going to have the worst kind of withdrawals from. I'm sure it will all be fine though, I'll be so insanely busy that the summer will fly by. Anyway, I know in my gut that there's more that I'm wanting to write about, but I'm just not really able to think right now. So I guess I'll just leave it here for the time being, now that I've at least touched base. Have a good day!

In Memory Of Kaitlyn Stoutsenburger, 08/10/1989 - 03/22/2012

The queen of the Tinker Bell fan club. The talented one that would always try to include me in the choir and drama things even though I was severely lacking in the talent department. Haha, you set me up on my first blind date ever...which turned out to be absolutely terrible. You were one of the first people to befriend me my first year of public school in 9th grade. I remember all the times we would sluff class and make up the most ridiculous excuses. All those times we would practice musical arrangements for various school things or for absolutely no reason at all but just for the pure fun and enjoyment of it. All those fun, random adventures we would have when hanging out. Our many late night conversations. Haha and girl, you sure can move on the dance floor. So much talent for such a small-town "ordinary" girl. Girl, you weren't ordinary at all! You saved my skin so many times and always watched out for my well-being. I'm only sorry I didn't take more advantage of the time I was fortunate enough to have you in my life. But I look forward to the day that I can hug you again and tell you that in person. I love you, Kate Stoutsenberger. Keep developing those 5 Star talents of yours! ;)

One of my dear friends passed away on Thursday, March 22 around 9:30 A.M.
Kaitlyn, affectionately known as Kat, had been one of my best friends since 9th grade (my first year in public school) and was one of the very first people to befriend me. It was during auditions for the play Crazy For You that we met. She took me under her wing and would rehearse with me in the lunch room almost every day after school. We remained really close until the beginning of senior year when I transferred schools. Life kept changing, and we did too...and just grew apart, going in our new paths. We talked from time to time over the past few years, but I foolishly stopped talking to her at a time in my life when I was trying to eliminate stress and drama. I stupidly thought that getting rid of a lot of the people in my life would take care of that for me. Needless to say, that was one of the biggest mistakes I could have made. The guilt and heartache that I feel for making that choice is excruciating...but somehow, through this past week, I've felt her love for me and had the peace that she knows I love her and always did.

Your viewing on Wednesday was absolutely your style, Kat. There was a playlist of your favorite songs going on, bright and cheerful flowers everywhere, pictures and posters of most of your performances, blue ballons, even your casket was a pretty blue, and you even had on a white top with a cute blue sweater and a blue flower in your hair. :) It was a difficult night for everyone, but everything about it was exactly your style and it was almost as if you were trying to say "Hey guys, I'm okay now, SMILE." There was the most beautiful sunset, and then it started to sprinkle. Very fitting. :)
Your funeral services were yesterday...and boy was it beautiful. Your parents were having a little more of a struggle than the night before, but your sisters seemed to be doing a little better than the night before. I'm sure there will be good days and bad days for quite some time. The entire service was comprised of musical numbers performed by some of your friends, your cousins, and your sisters. Your aunt spoke in the middle of the program and your bishop spoke at the end and bore his testimony. Haha your aunt is hilarious, but mostly because of what she had to say about you and your quick-witted humor. Your aunt told a story of time when you were on your way home from working at Spanish 8 Theater and it was really late, and you got pulled over by one of Spanish Fork's finest. He asked for your license and registration and once you gave it to him he said "Hey, your eyes are kind of red and bloodshot, have you been smoking pot?" and without missing a beat you replied "Hey, your eyes are kind of glazed over, have you been eating doughnuts?" to which he gave you your ID back and said "Get home safely." Hahaha, another story that she told was about this girl that would make fun of you all the time when you were a Jr. in high school and one time she said "You dress like a 7th grader." and you instantly popped off with "Well I guess you would know since you were there for 3 years." Hahaha oh those stories just get me, because that is TOTALLY how you were! You were so kind and so genuine and sweet, but if anybody messed with you or your loved ones...WATCH OUT! ;p A couple of the musical numbers were Jimmy and Chad sang a duet that was sooo good, and Jimmy sang a song that was uh-may-zing! He did his absolute best to keep his composure but completely lost it towards the end...it was so precious. Your grave site was lovely and your father gave a sweet dedicatory prayer. The weather was very beautiful and sunny with a slight breeze. Very peaceful. :)
Anyway, I would go on and on with every little detail if I could. Soooo many people came to both your viewing the night before, and the services the next day. You impacted a TON of lives. :)
It's hard to understand why things happen the way they do...and it's hard to understand death...more-so this time around than with any other losses I've experienced. But I know that you are happy. I know that you are healthy and not in pain anymore. You were ill for as long as I knew you. I bet you're putting together the best choir ever up there. ;)

Rest In Peace, my dear Kat. You will forever be in my heart.

Some Rain, Some Shine, Some Stuff...

Okay so story of my life: I fall in "like" or "lust" or "love" and it always backfires and explodes in my face. This cycle happens over and over and over and over, the falling into whatever, the exploding in my face, lather, rinse, repeat. That aspect of my life has just been one big broken record. SO...as you have probably guessed...Matt and I broke up, surprise, surprise. Heh, actually, it really was a surprise...to both of us...and everyone else...to say the least. Am I absolutely heartbroken and crushed? Yeh basically, in a nutshell. But am I going to keep living? Hahaha well I certainly hope so! Nah but seriously, I'll be just fine once some solid time passes. Until then, I just gotta keep on keepin on. Roll with the ups and downs of the "breakup blues". ;p
I have a second interview this Saturday up in Salt Lake with one of the employers from that Alaska summer job, so I'm SUPER excited about that and I really REALLY hope I get it!! If I don't get the job, for whatever reason, I'm still going to leave Utah for the summer...it will just be a question of where and what kind of self-fulfilling, self-reflective experiences could I have at the destination of choice.
In other news, I finally took the ECG (Electrocardiogram) Certification last night. It was a 3 hour test (instead of a 4 hour one like I had thought), I finished it with 91 minutes to spare, and I am now a certified ECG Tech! Booyeah!! GOOOO MEEEEE!!!!! Haha okay, bragging and boasting OVER. :p It felt really good though to finally get it done. I felt so "unsure" about myself at the end of my ECG class when I was supposed to certify, so I did some talking and question asking, and arranged to take the certification the next month with the next set of students to certify. Knowing what I know now, the next time I feel "unsure" like that, I need to just suck it up and take the certification at the time of my actually having the class. It's just easier and less agonizing and stuff. Anyway, today was the last week of another module, and I'm soooo glad because one of my classes was just...not my favorite. This next module that starts on Monday should be pretty cool, and I've got teachers I like (which always helps). I managed to squeeze an A out of one of my classes this mod, and I should be able to squeeze an okay grade out of the other one. I was sick and missed a lot of days, which happened to be a big deal for that particular class. But, oh well. :p Um, let's see, what else can I bore my potential readers with...well, nothing right now. That is my gift of the day to you. ;p

Sniffles, Flowers, and Love

This past weekend I went with my friend Austen to volunteer at this thing called Friday's Kids. It's a thing put on in different locations in Utah every Friday where parents bring their special needs children to be babysat while they go out on a date night -- what a WONDERFUL idea and SPECTACULAR blessing to be had by everyone involved! I got assigned to an adorable 2 (maybe 3) year old named Joslin, and she was just super cute with blond-brown hair and pretty blue eyes. Joslin is the youngest of 3 (her brother Bryton 12 and her sister Avery about 7), and they all have something called Fragile X Syndrome...which is kind of like a neighbor to Autism. All the kids that were there that night were just so adorable and precious. I look forward to volunteering more. Anyway, I started to feel yucky towards the latter part of the night and though I thought it was just my blood sugar and/or this new medication I'm taking for endometriosis, I must have caught a bug or something. So over the weekend I had been feeling yucky with a cold/wannabe flu type thing that carried through the weekend. Then Monday and today (Tuesday) I stayed home from school, eating lots of soup and drinking lots of herbal tea. Well, my amazing, cute, sweet, boyfriend Matt had some flowers and a card sent to me. What a thoughtful person he is. :) The flowers just hit the spot so perfectly because being under the weather makes you feel lousy in a few ways anyway, but I had also been kind of stressed and a little down about some things. The flowers are just so happy in looks, smell, everything...and the card is really sweet. Gah, I am so lucky. :)

Hoodeedoo!!

So many things have happened since I wrote last. Christmas was just sooo nice even though it was only my parents and I this year, so it was slightly depressing in some ways, but it still turned out to just be very nice. For Christmas Eve we went to the Riverwoods Mall and walked around a bit and then ate at The Macaroni Grill -- YUM! Christmas Day we got to Skype with my brother and his fam in Ohio, and we heard from my other brother and his fam on vacation in Washington, so that was nice. :) I unexpectedly got spoiled by everyone this year, I have such wonderful friends and family. They're far beyond what I deserve. :)
The last two weeks of my EKG class after the break went really well and I ended it with an A, so hooray!! I was going to certify as an EKG tech at the end of the class, but I didn't quite feel ready, so I'm taking another month to study more so I can feel more confident taking the certification. My teacher thought I could have done it just fine but agreed with my thoughts because confidence is like 80% of anything we do. I started my new classes on Tuesday because of Monday being a holiday and all -- thank you Mister King. Haha. My classes now are Pharmacy Technology Applications, and Medical Records and Communications. They're somewhat of a snooze, kind of an equal half and half I think. But still cool. I love what I'm doing, so I don't mind the boring classes. :)
In other news, I'm dating my best friend (guy of course), as of January 15th 2012, and I am very happy. He seems to be very happy too. Which is as it should be. :) We've been friends since we were 14 years old and have always had that spark. We have fun together. It'll be fun to see where this goes. :)
Life has just been really good and I don't really have much more to say except that it's awesome. Um, I did get to go on a couple dates with a really good friend before I started dating Matt, and both times we just had a lot of fun catching up and enjoying good company. Nothing else has really happened that I can think of at the moment. So I'll leave it at this for now. :)