The Future-Mrs. Jason Rooper!!!!!!!

Seriously? It has really been almost 5 months since my last blog... first of all I apologize for what appears to be laziness. SO much has happened in these past 5 months that I am gonna have to give you guys a run-down and vow to be better at updating this thing more often!!! Lucky for me most of you have facebook and can keep up with what's going on through status updates & pictures I post! Ok, still unacceptable. What appears to be "laziness" is actually quite the opposite. I've been busy planning MY WEDDING!!!!! Ahhh, there, I said it! I am getting married!!!!!! *breathe* -okay, I will come back to that (trust me, I will come back to that often in this post) and back up to update you on other things first.....

I guess I left off with VEGAS: The Dave & Tim show exceeded my expectations... I even cried at one point (they were THAT good). It was just the 2 of them with their guitars, and I couldn't have enjoyed the show more. That was such a fun trip -just what I needed before getting to go HOME at Christmas time. The holidays were so incredible, and I got spoiled being home and spending 3 whole weeks with Jason. I love him more and more every day, and being with him only confirms that feeling (in my heart and my mind). Spending that time together with our friends and families was just the drive I needed to finish out these last few months on the West Coast. Jason and I thoroughly enjoyed our ski trip for New Year's, and I must say I did pretty damn good! Skiing is definitely something that we will be able to enjoy together... especially now that I got all that new ski gear! :) Saying goodbye and having to fly back to CA sucked some major butt! I cried like a baby and was sad to leave, but I got to come back home again a month and a half later for Valentine's weekend!





Speaking of Valentine's weekend: WE GOT ENGAGED!!!!!!!! Jason asked me to marry him, and, of course, I said, "YES!!!!!" :)

How did he do it? Well, I flew into the Huntington airport on Saturday morning (the day of Melissa and Dave's wedding reception) after an overnight flight. Keep in mind that I was wearing sweats, no makeup, had a bad cold, and little sleep. When I got off of the plane & started to walk up the flight pad to the terminal door, out comes Jason with a single red rose and a piece of paper in his hand. I was SO happy to see him that I didn't pay any mind to the fact that normally people picking you up are not allowed to be there (past security much less on the flight pad, haha)... so I hugged & kissed him, ALL SMILES!!! He handed me the rose (I thought for Valentine's Day) and the letter and told me to read it. Contents of the letter:

"I’ve brought you one rose because it represents my one whole heart. For too long pieces of it were missing, pieces I didn’t even realize weren’t there. Since you came into my life on June twenty fifth my life and my heart have become fuller by the moment. You have filled my heart with so much joy and love I feel as if it could burst from my chest at any moment. No one else who has ever lived, or ever will, could experience the feelings I feel for you. As you’re the source of this love will you have my heart?..."

When I told him, "Of course, I already have your heart." He proceeded by saying, "I want you to have it forever." as he got down on one knee, pulled the ring out with the rose and asked me, "Melissa Rae Stillwell, will you marry me?" with a HUGE smile!!!!! I didn't realize at the time, but the security guard (who let Jason outside after he told him he was going to propose to his girlfriend) was taking pictures while all of this was going on! I'm so thankful that he was able to capture this amazing moment. When we walked into the airport, a large crowd of people stood up and cheered -congratulating us! They were waiting for the next flight. That was just the icing on the cake. Ahh, it was absolutely perfect in every way. I couldn't have asked for anything more special, meaningful, or genuinely perfect for us. He is my prince charming, and I love him. I cannot wait to become THE Mrs. Jason Rooper! That whole day (weekend) was great. We drove up to Dayton to the reception and celebrated LOVE that day. Not only our love but the love of another happy couple who have also had to do the long-distance thing. Valentine's Day was great too. Jason surprised me and took the day off of work so that we could spend the entire day together. AWESOME!!!!! He had made us a reservation at Savannah's Restaurant in Huntington (I had never been), so we got all dressed up & had the most romantic dinner. Again, very special. <3 I was sad to leave, again, but this time I actually left him feeling like we just started our FOREVER. I was more focused on that positive and had no room for the negative. We will SOON be together. I love the sounds of that!





I'm happy to announce that we have set a very special wedding date which will take place August 27, 2011 -in about 4 months!!!! This was the same day my parents got married almost 29 years ago. And now that day will not go another year without celebration which makes me happy beyond words. I feel honored. That day happens to fall on a Saturday this year, so Jason and I couldn't think of a better time to unite as one. He knows how much this means to me, and I am blessed to have his love and understanding. Gosh, I can't stop smiling. :)

Before I jump into any more wedding stuff (although I won't spill all of the details on here -as much as I want to, haha), I will update you on some other stuff. I got to take a trip to San Francisco and finally see the Golden Gate Bridge... another item checked off of my bucket list! Okay so maybe I'll talk "wedding" along the way, haha, because I can't help it! I actually went to SF to go shopping and found my wedding dress! I am absolutely in love with my wedding gown and can't wait to wear it! I also took a trip to Long Beach and went to Disneyland in L.A. for Layla's birthday weekend -another item checked off of bucket list! I've done quite a bit of wine tasting and spread my mom's ashes in the vineyards on her birthday. It was a beautiful day. I've been collecting wine from many of the wineries out here in Wine Country! I have 51 bottles of wine for the wedding so far! :P





I am interviewing for a job at KDMC in a few days. I was really banking on that job because it is in Ashland where I will be living, and it is primarily with peds... which we all know is what I do. It is not as promising now because they took the position down to only part-time, and I need a full-time job. However, I am still hoping and trying to make it work. I have been playing email-tag with a lady from WV Birth-to-Three, and she is supposed to call me this week to talk about job possibilities. They supposedly have a need, and that is EXACTLY the job I want to be doing. I am really hoping that I could work part-time at KDMC to get full benefits and part-time through BTT. Gosh, talk about an ideal job for me. I think that might be as close as I could get to satisfactory. Hoping & praying & crossing every part of my body. Please do the same for me.

It is officially Spring Break, and I've gone 2 months without seeing my friends, family, & FIANCE' in person. Skype is wonderful (except when it decides to be poop & get all messy), but there's nothing like being home. I'm on my way there right now! Only a couple more hours in the L.A. airport before my 6 hour flight to Charlotte, then to Charleston, West By God Virginia! :) YAY!!! It's gonna be a full week of wedding planning, cuddling, and simply enjoying time with my honey. We are going to register for gifts, pick out Jason's wedding band (I already have mine -it's gorgeous!), get our engagement pictures taken, pick up invitations which are ready, pick out my veil & jewelry, meet with the florist, view the ceremony & reception sites (haven't seen them yet), and look for some decorations. You'd be surprised (NOT) to know that I pretty much have most of the wedding already planned! HAH! What can I say, I'm a planner! LOL We have everything booked, and I've even got a lot of the little details done. I've been ordering a lot of stuff online & having it shipped directly to our house in Ashland. I even have a carry-on suitcase solely filled with wedding items, HAHAHAHA!!!!!! My checked bag weighed 49.0 lbs (had to be less than 50, lol)! :)



Let me say, though, that I have the most amazing friends and family who are helping me so much. I am incredibly blessed to have these people in my life who are so willing to lend a hand or even a thought... I couldn't do this without them.

Have I said how much I love my life? I do. I always believed that the "unknown" would leave room for possibilities.... but who knew this much happiness was possible? Really. Possibilities are Good. Happiness is Good. Love is Good. Life is good.

Thanksgiving in CA

Hey, Y'all! :)

Another amazing week down, and only three more to go before I finally get to go HOME for Christmas! It feels like I've been away forever and ever. In two weeks, I'll be living it up DMB & Tim style in Las Vegas then will be home a week later. It'll fly right by, and I can't wait! I get to spend three whole weeks at home. Then, when I come back I'll be half way through my contract here in CA!!!! Holy cow, time sure does fly. I'm a fan!

So this past week was nothing short of a blessing. My dad, sister, and boyfriend all took the same flight out here Saturday night and stayed til the following Saturday morning. A whole week, yay! We had such an amazing, fun, eventful time together -touring, sightseeing, wine tasting, relaxing, and of course eating. My friend Gabby and her boyfriend M.J. joined us out for dinner one evening and again for Thanksgiving dinner at my apartment. It was such a nice holiday, and I couldn't have asked for anything better being away from home. I cooked a turkey, and it actually turned out great! My first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner was a complete success! The rest of the week was, of course, a success as well. I believe everyone enjoyed themselves and our time together. We toured the Hearst Castle which was GORGEOUS! I had no idea it was such an attraction for this area, but boy was I wrong. I highly recommend it to anyone. We spent a day at the beaches and even went to Splash Cafe' and tried their famous clam chowder (bread bowl) that Rachel Ray always talks about. Now I know why -YUM! A day in Los Angeles was also one of the highlights of our week since we got to see and do lots of fun things there. We drove up to see the Hollywood sign and then Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame. Then we got to tour the wax museum and car museum which I had never done before. We walked around the shops at The Grove and ate dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. Oh, and I tried my first In-and-Out Burger! How could I forget that?!? We didn't make it to the Lakers/Bulls game like we had initially planned, but we thoroughly enjoyed our day anyway. Jason and I got to spend an evening on a DATE! That was the highlight of my week by far. We went to the Sycamore Hot Springs Resort & Spa where we ate dinner, soaked in the natural springs mineral water, & had an hour-long couples massage. It was relaxing and romantic. It was perfect. The whole week was perfect. I was sad to say goodbye, but I know I'll see them all again very soon.

Jason and I are trying to plan a ski trip with a couple of friends for New Years weekend. I'm hoping that it pans out cuz I've never been skiing, and I've always wanted to! My fingers are crossed.

Now I shall begin the transition into another busy work week, but I'll leave you guys with some pics to highlight my wonderful Thanksgiving Break. Enjoy:

~Thanks~

Wow, is it really November already? I thoroughly enjoy the holidays, and this year I have even more to look forward to. I am lucky enough to get an entire week off for Thanksgiving and then three whole weeks off for Christmas & New Year's. That's one of the major benefits of working in the schools. Yay!

Should I even begin to list the things which I am thankful for? I don't think there is enough time or words to truly be able to depict the life I am thankful for and everything that goes with it. It's overwhelming.

Here are a few that come to mind:
(I'm not going to number them but instead use symbols because these cannot be in any particular order.)
* I am thankful for, of course, my family. We have been through a lot and overcome even more together. My family, as dysfunctional as it may seem, is my root, my anchor, my support, and a major source of motivation.
* I am thankful for my dog because he loves me unconditionally. Other than treats, I am the most important thing in his world. It's a good world, I might add. A spoiled world. haha!
* I am thankful for my health. Seeing what my mother had to suffer through makes me appreciate the healthy mind and body God has given to me. Even though I have had my share of issues, I am as healthy as ever.
* I am thankful for my job and the kids who make me smile every day. They give me a whole new appreciation for the little things in life that we sometimes take for granted. A scraped knee wasn't so bad after all.....
* I am thankful for my life-long friends I have made and kept throughout the years. I am also thankful for my ability to make new friends no matter where I go. God has surrounded me with some amazing people, and I'm blessed to have made friends to help me along this journey I have taken.
* I am thankful for opportunity. When I stop to think about where I have been or what all I have done in my 26 years, I actually break down into tears. Joyful tears, of course, but nevertheless tears. I honestly do not know what I have done to deserve the opportunities I have gotten, but I could never be more grateful for this life.
* I am thankful for pictures. I love to look back at the photos I or my friends have taken and reminisce about the wonderful memories we have made. There are so many things I forget about, but when I see a picture and am reminded of these things I get to smile and enjoy it all over again. It's a great feeling.
* I am thankful for confidence. I honestly never felt completely confident about myself until this year. My lack of confidence was not handicapping but was enough to make me realize now how it can change your whole attitude about life. Confidence can either hinder you, drive you, or simply give you a little push. I've gained confidence in many aspects of my life, and I feel that it has given me that little push that I didn't know I needed.
* I am thankful for challenges. I'll admit that I am a competitor, so I'm always up for a good challenge. A good challenge has made me a better person, clinician, daughter, sister, friend, and girlfriend. If life was easy, we'd all be bored. ;)
* I am thankful for my Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. You all know the obvious reasons, so I'll talk about what he has done for me lately. He has allowed me to figure life out on my own. He has allowed me to sleep in on Sunday mornings yet still prove my faith, to feel his spirit through the ocean breeze or a breath of fresh air, and to take selfish steps while still following his lead. I trust that He will lead me where my life is supposed to go, but I am thankful that I can take detours along the way to learn about myself. It's a lovely journey, I must say.
* I am thankful for Unconditional Love. I have never experienced such a miraculous feeling such as this. I don't know which is better -being in love or being loved in return. I like both. Having someone that adores me and makes me feel like the most special thing in the world -what can be better than that? I'll tell you what: Having that someone be as astonishing, loving, caring, genuine, handsome, inspiring, motivating, supportive, thoughtful, funny, charming, and PERFECT for me. What more could a girl want, honestly? I am more than grateful and blessed.
* I am thankful for who I am. To some of you, this may sound vein; however, I have learned how important it is to love yourself and appreciate who you are as a person. I have done just that.
* I am thankful for rest. I get caught up in the excitement of this busy world, and it is SO good to be able to rest easily at the end of every day.... even the tougher days.
* I am thankful for the ability to see. There is beauty all around me, everywhere I go, so it would be a shame not to be able to see it.
* I am thankful for technology. I'm sure you can all figure out why. ;)


Okay, so maybe that was more than a few. I just couldn't stop because I am thankful for SO very much. My life is beautiful. I can hardly wait until Thanksgiving. My life will be even more beautiful. Awww, yay!

Thanks!

Borderline Insomnia

I'm having trouble sleeping at night which is quite unusual. I think I've thrown off my sleep schedule by staying up too late and sleeping in on the weekends. This makes for some tiring week days, that's for sure. Thank you, caffeine.

I hate it when I can't sleep because my mind wonders in a thousand circles per minute. It's exhausting. I'm starting to become dizzy. You would think that, because so, after 5 minutes I would be able to fall asleep, lol. Nope. It just doesn't work that way. As I lie here awake in bed, I am thinking of a rather large to-do list I have subconsciously developed outside of my already established weekly to-do lists. Didn't I just recently blog about not trying to plan out anything... lol... who was I kidding!?!? I am a planner! :) My innateness comes and bites me in the butt when I least expect it to, I guess.

I'm still trying to find my fast-forward button............

Thoughts to ponder:
1. The city limit signs here in Santa Maria say "An All-American City" -bahaha I find this to be quite contradicting. I want to add "or Lack Thereof" to the end!

2. Why does "caregiver" and "caretaker" mean the same thing????

3. Why do we sing "Rock a bye baby" to lull a baby to sleep when the song is about putting your baby in a tree and letting the wind crash the cradle onto the ground? OUCH!

4. Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning around and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

Well, the Jack Johnson concert was phenomenal. He sounded exactly like his album -very talented. Layla and I both wore boots with heels which looked fabulous but was not such a great idea once our feet had to endure the many blocks, hills, and stairs between my car and our seats, LOL. Ya win some, ya lose some. :) Our seats were at the very top, but I don't think there was a bad seat there. The outside venue was beautiful. I'd love to attend another concert there someday, only next time I will wear flats! The Damian Marley & Nas concert at Avila Beach was also a lot of fun. Layla's cousin, Suzanne, went with us. The three of us danced the night away in the rain and loved every minute of it. Music makes me happy. Oh, and we saw a double rainbow in the sky which made me think of my mom! :)

Memories are good.

I miss my boyfriend and my family. Is it Thanksgiving yet???????

It Only Gets Better....

Need an update on my wonderful and exciting life in California?!?! Of course you do! Here we go:

I'm enjoying my job and the kids I work with more and more each day. I'm challenged. I'm learning. I'm making a difference. I'm smiling. I'm remembering why it is that I do what I do and why I love doing it. The kids remind me why it's important not to take the little things in life for granted. I thank God every day for leading me down this path to the career I chose. Yes, even though 7 years of college was pretty much Hell at times! :) All worth it.

I've stopped being a hermit crab & been out enjoying my weekends. Layla and I have made a CA Bucket List which we are currently beginning to explore. This should be a fun and exciting year to say the least! It's a rather large list (DUH), so we gotta pretty much make plans every single weekend from this point on if we want to even come close to giving it a high five in June, lol. I am taking advantage of every opportunity possible.

A few of our upcoming plans: This Thursday, Layla and I are going to see Jack Johnson in concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl. This Sunday, we are going to Avila Beach to see Damian Marley and Nas in concert. We're also going to go back to the apple orchard to pick apples and make caramel apples. We're also going to pick pumpkins from the patch & carve them -something I have not done since I was a kid (discounting the fact that I am still a big kid). We're both going on The Price is Right next week. Hopefully, one of us will win something! Woooo, fun times! Oh, and speaking of concerts.... we are going to see The Dave Matthews Band & Tim Reynolds in Las Vegas on December 10th and 11th!!!! My world doesn't get any better than that! :)

Or does it???

Prince Jason and I are doing fabulous. HAHA! This long-distance thing isn't as bad as I anticipated. Number one: Time is flying by. Number two: Skype is awesome. Number three: He is awesome. Number four: I get to see him in less than a month and a half! I can't wait for Thanksgiving break, seriously. I have planned a date night for the two of us (Dad and Jenn will spend the evening together doing something fun too -I'll make sure of it). I've got extra special plans for the two of us, and I know we're gonna love it. <3 His birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks, and I'm pretty sure he's gonna love his gifts too. At least I hope so. We're happy. I'm happy. It only gets better from here. :)

MY LIFE IS GOOD.

Familiar Faces

How is it that I can move all the way across the country, to a place where I can feel so lonely at times, and manage to run into someone I already know? A familiar face!!! Along my drive out West, I kept saying (aloud) how big this world is & how it's unfortunate that someone can go his or her whole life without seeing and experiencing the beauty of this gigantuous world. On the other hand, how can this world be so big and yet so small at the same time? I'm realizing more & more each day that I am truly a small town girl. I love being around people I know & love. Of course, I love meeting new people as well. I just thoroughly enjoy going to the grocery store or the post office & running into someone I know & can talk to. I enjoy having conversations with people about more than just where I'm from or what I do for a living. I really miss getting to talk to people. It's way different now being in the real world, where all of my friends (including myself) have busy lives & have to make time to talk to one another. It's tough being away and not knowing what is going on in everyones' lives back home. It's tough going months without talking to my closest friends and then having to "catch up" in a matter of 30 minutes. Thank God for facebook stalking, lol. I think one thing I struggle with living far away is that I'm not around to see my friends, so I have to depend on being able to talk over the phone or internet. Nobody is a phone person. These days, I feel like I am a bother to call some people. I always get the messages of "I'll call you soon" which usually means when they have time to talk. I totally get it, though, because we are all busy. Everyone has husbands and families at home. Trust me, when I am with Jason I typically silence my phone and don't really care to talk to anybody else either. I understand, I really do. I just have to remember to keep putting myself in their shoes and not take it personally. It's still tough missing my friends. It's crazy to realize how times change. Life changes. People change (not for the worst, just change). Change is good. Life has changed me. I'm a fan of change. I sometimes, however, seem to have a slow adjustment to it. Maybe I should write some transition goals for myself.... maybe a picture schedule would help!?!? lol

Oh yeah.... in all that rambling, I forgot to mention the familiar face I ran into. Well, Layla and I decided to drive down to Huntington Beach (I wish Huntington, WV) on Friday to meet up with a fellow MUCD graduate student, Jenny Brown. She lives around L.A. and invited me to come down to a bonfire with her and some of her friends. I jumped on that opportunity, & luckily Layla was free and willing to make the trip with me. It was about a 4 1/2 hour drive (with Santa Barbara & L.A. traffic), but it was worth it. I'd never been to a bonfire on the beach, so this was a fun experience. Jenny introduced me to her friend, Pete, who was there visiting. Turns out, I already know Pete because he lived in my apartment complex my freshman year of college -right below me. Small world, indeed! We all ended up going out dancing after the bonfire. Good times.

In other events, we previously had a surprise mini housewarming party for our friend, Elizabeth. She moved here from Puerto Rico with nothing but a bag of clothes. Layla, Gabby, and I all have furnished apartments, but Elizabeth has been eating off of paper plates & slowly trying to buy furniture & things for her apartment. We thought we could help by getting her some of the little things she needs. She was grateful. We were happy to help. Also, it was a fun time with friends, tacos, & drinks at Layla's apartment in Shell Beach.

Oddly enough, in all this venting about how I miss seeing people I know... as I am sitting here in Starbucks writing, a lady I work with comes in. She is the IEP chair person (previously SLP) and already a mentor for me. I got to have a face-to-face conversation with someone today, yay! lol

I'm a little homesick today. I miss my boyfriend. I miss my family. I miss my friends. It kinda sucks knowing all of the things I'm missing out on back at home. I'll admit that I get a little jealous to see all of my friends or family get together, and I'm not there to join them. Boo! I get to do all kinds of new & fun things out here, I know, but it's not as enjoyable without the people I love to share it with. This traveling thing continues to be an eye-opening experience for me. I'm realizing more & more each day what the important things in life are. This is good for me. Life is good. Love is good. God is good. <3

Is it Thanksgiving yet??????? :)

A-Typical Me

I'm finding it very difficult to come up anything to blog about these days. What is happening to me?!? Typically, I have more than enough thoughts bottled up in my head to jot down in a single post by the time I am able to sit down and do so. Typically, I have so much to vent about. Typically, I have SO many plans (again, I'm a planner) that I am always sharing in letting you all know what is "next" on my list of things to do. Typically, I have to find time to sit down and post. However, these days are not typical for me. I have sat down with NUMEROUS opportunities to write, but my mind just drifted off....

Side note: Who says we have to be typical, and who defines what typical really even means?

I guess my thoughts seem to be occupied by a special someone in a place other than here. I am here in sunny California, but my whole heart and soul are across the country. When I sit down to try and write, he is all I can seem to think about. I'm trying to give you all something to read other than how perfect Jason is, but I'm sorry folks... that's all I got for ya at the moment! lol I could totally sit here and write about how I wish I was there instead of here, but that's not entirely true. Clearly, I wish I was there. However, I am enjoying my time here. Don't get me wrong... I'm not regretting my move out here AT ALL. This is the opportunity of a lifetime that I've always dreamed of, and I am truly proud of myself (so far) for making that dream reality. Nothing can hold me back -not even love. I've said this a hundred times already: I'm so thankful that Jason is incredibly understanding and supportive. He's become the driving force of my motivation these days. For the mornings I've left that coffee cup empty (referencing back to a prior post "Top 10 Life Lessons" about self-motivation), he has kept me motivated. These past few weeks at work have been rough, and he has been there to encourage me, listen to me vent & cry about how much I hate my job, to remind me that I am not a quitter, and to remind me of what I have to look forward to after I stick this out. I've not only found the love of my life -I've also found my best friend. It's nice to have him to lean on. Besides, we don't always have to stand up straight, right!?!?

For the first time in my life, I am not sitting here trying to plan out my future. I'm not trying to figure out where to go or what to do next. Again, I'm referencing back to earlier posts about how I get to one road stop in my life and immediately start mapping out the next route. I guess this is probably the first time in my life that I actually know what I want and where I want to be. I'm content, even though I have to wait for it. Hopefully, the next few Life Lessons I write about will be on patience & how I've mastered it. HAH! That's stretching it a bit, don't ya think!?

I am officially counting down the days til Thanksgiving break. Jason, my dad, & my sister will all be flying out to CA on November 20th and are staying until the 27th. We will be celebrating the holiday here at my apartment (Jenn and I will be cooking, yeah!), and I absolutely cannot wait! This will be new and exciting for all of us. I'm, of course, planning an adventure-filled week for all of us to enjoy. I'm just happy about an entire week with my favorite three people!!!! It can't come soon enough.

I love my life. It's GOOD! :)

Cloud Nine

With everything good comes something even better.... -This pretty much sums up my entire life.

I am lying here in bed, trying to think of what to write about for once. This is the first time probably EVER that I have not been able to sit here and spit out word vomit consisting of the excitement and chaos that surrounds me week by week. Considering it has been a few weeks since my last post, this is especially odd and surprising. It's been a stressful couple of weeks, with a lot of unethical crap and aggravation going on at work... but for some reason I really don't care to vent about it. None of that matters to me right now. Maybe it's the resilience.... maybe it's the optimism.... maybe it's the sunshine....

In all the stress (and tears) my job has brought thus far, you know what I see? I see joy in a toddler's eyes when she gets pushed on the swing, even though she can't see the smile on my face because she is completely blind. I see her wondering around the playground aimlessly, yet independently, trying to find her way to the stairs and to the top of the slide until she eventually reaches her destination with an accompanying, "WEE." It only took her 15 minutes, until she started the journey all over again. And to think of the small things we for granted. Or how about the boy with Spina Bifida who is paralyzed from the waist down... who sits and watches the other kids climbing on the playground or going down the slide??? I spent about 45 minutes carrying this 3-year old boy up the stairs and going down the slide over & over & over with him on my lap, seeing the smile on his face every single time. Was this speech therapy? Nope. Was this language therapy? Nope. Does the boy speak or understand English? Nope. Was he communicating with me? Yep.... with that simple little smile. I may get frustrated about the job I am doing and how it is different than I expected, but when I see these kids all of that frustration disappears. They are the reason I do what I do... the reason I love what I do... the reason I am determined to be good at what I do.

California is still treating me well. I love my apartment and the friends I have already made. I seem to always find amazing people to add to the overwhelmingly amazing list of friends I already have. How do I end up so lucky? And speaking of lucky.... how have I managed to find the most incredible guy in the world whom I call my boyfriend? We had such an incredible weekend here in CA, filled with beautiful sites, fun activities, and, most importantly, time together. Everything we did, from the Winery & Vineyard tours, walks & talks on the beach, drive up the coast, picnic in the park, drive-in movie, bowling with friends, sushi & smoothies, to cooking dinner together was more than I could have asked for in a weekend. I'm so thankful for a 3-day weekend. It went by surprisingly slower than I anticipated, which was nice. Spending time with Jason just confirmed what I already knew..... I'm happy and in love.













I swear, I'm on cloud 9. I like this cloud. I think I'll stay here a while... in the dream some people keep calling my life....

Life is good. Love is good. God is good.

Top 12 Life Lessons

As I promised in an earlier post, I am posting some things I've learned specifically over the past year. Some of these are random, and they are in random order as well. What the heck, my thoughts are always random! ;)

Life Lessons:
1. There comes a time when you have to stand alone.
2. Dreams are only goals lacking confidence. (I've said this one before, but I believe it to be even more so.)
3. If you truly want to achieve your goals, you must be flexible & willing to rearrange your priorities.
4. To get what you want in life, you have to be willing to make sacrifices. (advice: weigh the pros & cons)
5. You should "settle" for absolutely NOTHING. If there is something you truly want in life, you have to have confidence enough to at least try. Quitters never win, & winners never quit.
6. Everyone has insecurities. Don't let yours get in the way of who you are.
7. Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way.
8. If you have trouble getting out of bed in the mornings, fill your coffee cup with encouragement and self-motivation.
9. Life doesn't have a "rewind" or "fast-forward" button for a reason: live for the present moments without stressing over the past or future.
10. The most powerful communication is prayer.
11. "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans."
12. Stand still, and let God move.

The one last thought I will leave you with is that sometimes things happen unexpectedly. You all know me as a compulsive planner. If anybody is guilty of #9, it is ME! However, you can't always plan everything in life & hope that it turns out exactly as you had mapped it. If you read back through my blog, you will see that where I am living & working right now is not where I had initially planned..... Nor did I expect to trade my car, drive across the country instead of fly.... Nor did I expect to meet such an amazing guy & fall in love in such a short amount of time. <3 "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans." For me, life has turned out way better than I could have ever planned. I must keep reminding myself of #12.

I am completely HAPPY.
I predict there will be quite a few more life lessons learned in the next 10 months. I will keep you posted. :)

Life is good. Love is good. God is good.

West "Word"

Hello East Coasters!

I am, of course, finally blogging from the Western state of California. The weather is currently 60 degrees, and I even turned my heat on this morning, lol. This COLD weather will take some getting used to, but it's overall nice. I can actually breathe which is one perk. I can't wait to start a new running routine next week. My dad is still here until Saturday, so I'm enjoying every minute I have with him before he heads back home. The moving company was supposed to be here this past Saturday, August 7th and still have not shown up. I called yesterday, and they said to expect them on Wednesday.... but they still have not called about a time (supposed to be 24 hour notice). Ugh!!! On a brighter note, the apartment people are painting an accent wall in my living room to match my decorations (woo-hoo) & putting a screen around my patio fence so tiny little Arnie can't fit through (bigger woo-hoo)! They are super nice. I have 2 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms... so plenty of space for visitors, HINT HINT!!!! :)

To sum up the cross-country road trip: BREATHTAKING, PHENOMENAL, ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!! I have always known how blessed I am to live the life I've been given, but WOW have I underestimated the beauty there still is to experience in this life. I honestly don't know how much more I could begin to appreciate what I've been given & the opportunity that is set out in front of me.... but I honestly keep finding more & more possibilities. I say it every single day: I am blessed beyond measure.

Dad & I started our journey by attending our 2nd annual family reunion in Newark, OH. I was lucky enough to have Jason at my side the entire weekend and dreaded the thought of saying goodbye to him and the rest of the family. I hate goodbyes.... even though it was more of a "see ya later" deal. The reunion was a blast, and everyone seemed to have a great time. Last year, we spent more time catching up and getting to know one another since it was distant family that lost touch after many years. This year, we knew almost everyone, with exception of a few, so we spent more time playing & entertaining one another. Fortunately everyone truly fell in love with Jason, and I'm pretty sure he enjoyed the family as well. What's not to love though!?!? ;) I met his parents the day before we left, and they are genuinely great people -just like him. I am lucky that he is so understanding and supportive to try and make this relationship work with such distance between us. So far, it's been okay. I'm learning to become more of a phone person. I can't wait to get internet in my apartment, however!

My cousin Michaela came in for the summer (Jeanetta's granddaughter), so I took her back to Colorado with me. She lives in Colorado Springs, but her mom met us in Denver when we got there. We drove from the reunion Sunday night through Ohio, Indiana, & Illinois & arrived in St. Louis, Missouri early Monday morning. We got to go up in the Gateway Arch & site see around town a bit. We then continued on through Kansas (I never care to step foot in that state again), finally reaching our next stop in Denver, Colorado. After dropping Michaela off, Dad and I went to my friend (from graduate school) Lynsey & her husband Mike's house. We stayed there two nights. While there, Dad and I visited Red Rocks Amphitheater, Coors Brewery, and Coors Field where we (and Lynsey) saw the Rockies play baseball. I love the state of Colorado! The drive westward through the mountains on I-70 was beautiful. We continued through Utah & Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada! We stayed 2 nights in Vegas & went to the Grand Canyon. Just when I thought I couldn't see anything more amazing than I already have..... BAM!!! Welcome to the Grand Canyon! :) It was quite expensive but worth it. We took a bus tour to view the canyon & paid to go on the Skywalk which has a glass bottom -we could see the bottom of the canyon from 4,000 feet in elevation! WOW! We spent a lot of time sitting on the rocks, breathing, & taking it all in. Beauty. I got to spread my mother's ashes at every stop we made. Her wish was to be spread over East Lynn Lake where she loved to go fishing, but little did she know she would be all over the world thanks to her stubborn yet adventurous baby girl. ;) While in Vegas, we took the monorail and walked to several different hotel/casinos & did quite a bit of site seeing. It was my second trip there but Dad's first. The next day, we continued driving back through Arizona to..... drum roll please..... CALIFORNIA!!!!! Finally! We did a little site seeing in Los Angeles & even found a fabulous lookout point where we could see the Hollywood sign! This was a much closer view than the last time I was there. We then drove on up to Santa Barbara, which is a beautiful area, then to Santa Maria. I was skeptical at first about this town, but I am certain I will love it. It's small enough that I will be driving less than 15 minutes to each job location (so far I have 5 schools), and I'm 20 minutes from the beach. My apartment is super nice, and I live next to a dog park. Arnie is in Heaven! Crazy = Dad and I were in 11 states in 1 week! Coolness! :)











I've yet to get internet at my apartment, so I am having to go to Starbucks (oh shoot, lol) to post. Hopefully I will get that hooked up within the next week-ish. Until then.... I will leave you with some photos which you've probably already seen on Facebook. Life is GOOD. God is GOOD.