TAG

My dear, dear friend Sharkbait (give name? no) tagged me.  And yes, I like to pretend I'm 12 and respond to chain letters/tagging, "All About Me" posts, and other things of the sort.  Here you go!

Rules:
1)) Each person tagged must post 11 random facts about themselves
2)) They must answer the 11 questions posted by the previous blogger
3)) They must create 11 more questions to ask their tagged bloggers
4)) They must tag blogs with less than 200 followers
5)) No tag backs

11 facts about me:

1. I can't smell.  At all.  Nothing.  Nada.  Don't ask me if I miss it because you have to have something to miss it, right??
2. I made my own "club" (Oakies and former roommates know what this means) and I re-joined it yesterday.  Twice.  Yup.  I'm 24 and am still an active member of "my club".
3.  I'm borderline obsessed with Diet Coke.  The more diet-y the better.
4. My dog runs away a lot.  I'm beginning to take it personally.
5. I still want to hike Timp.  Any takers??
6.  Right now I'm eating Pad Thai.  I'm wishing I had ordered yellow curry instead.
7. I prefer Vaseline to chapstick.  And I'll take you on in that argument any day, any time, anywhere.
8. I'm so not good at sports.  But I pretend to be!
9. I used to be able to wake up with the sun.  But after a summer full of mornings being woken up by my dear, dear roommate Goldie I've gotten really good at ignoring everything that is trying to rouse me.
10. I'm done with school!  Undergrad and grad school.  Yay.  BUT I may or may not be going back.
11. Single!!!

My answers for Sharkbait: 

1. If you could re-live any moment of your life what would it be? Going to Israel.  I totally missed out on really experiencing the country, people, and culture.

2. What is the first thing you notice about a guy? Smile? No, no way.  Jaw for sure.

3. Biggest pet peeve? Bad grammar.  Or people leaving drawers/cupboards open.

4. What is your favorite movie of all time? Transformers.  Surprised??

5. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? Working as an awesome SLP.  Maybe married.  Maybe kids.  Maybe not working.  Who knows??

6. What's the best piece of advice you have ever received? Let it be. 

7. If you could have a super power, what would it be? To transform into a red and blue semi-truck.  And then save the planet from Decepticons.

8. Can you iggle, can you wiggle, can you jump back and giggle? Not anymore!

9. Would you rather go without junk food for a year or TV? Junk food!!! I love TV.

10. What's the first thing you do in the morning? I wish I could say pray or read my scriptures, but usually it's decide if I really need to get up or not.

11. If you could be a celebrity for a day who would you be? Gwenyth Paltrow.  She's married to Chris Martin, lead singer in Coldplay.  MMMm I'd love to love on that man!

My questions for Brooke, G-man/Alphabet, Chelsea, and Cindy:

1.  Paper or plastic??

2.  What kind ("per cent") of milk do you drink??

3.  How do you like your eggs??

4.  Favorite dish??

5.  Vaseline or chapstick??

6.  How much do you miss me??

7.  Where do you want to live forever??

8.  Pen or pencil??

9.  Do you prefer the morning or the night??

10.  Tell me one of your greatest fears.

11.  Why do you blog??

calm before the storm

I'm finally feeling like I have my feet back on the ground.  Maybe.  Despite the addition of six new kids to my caseload just last week and four IEP meetings this week, plus testing for three of my kiddos, I'm feeling okay about life (life meaning my job).  Perhaps I'm getting into my groove??  And hey, I still have time to write a post.

GOOD MEMORIES OF THE WEEK
-Cindy bringing me Thai food on Saturday night before the big game
-BYU nearly beating the Utah??  Definitely made for an exciting game
-Getting a new phone
-Sitting on temple grounds, even though I didn't make it inside
-Planning my next escape plan (Ohio, Seattle, Alaska...you name it, it's being planned)

shout out

I started a new job a few weeks ago as a speech-language pathologist in the public schools.  It has been absolute craziness!!  Combine the stress of a new job (and all of the lovely things that go along with new jobs) with a personal life that is more up in the air than it has ever been and you get this: a Katrina who is more overwhelmed than ever before with seemingly no one to turn to or hold her.  In other words, last week was especially rough.

Then Friday morning came.  I woke up to the most brilliant idea I have ever had: GO VISIT BROOKE IN SEATTLE.  Simple as that. 

I looked up flights, found some for a very reasonable price that worked perfectly with my schedule.  Then I texted and called Brooke.  I don't think I've ever heard her so excited.  She practically demanded that I come, and of course I couldn't let her down.  After work, I quickly showered and packed my bags for a weekend getaway.

A weekend in Seattle visiting one of my best friends was exactly what I needed.  I met some really great, down-to-earth people, did some adventurous and somewhat outrageous things, and laughed...a lot.  But the new friends I made, the things I did, and the insight on life I gained weren't what made the weekend so great.  It was the fact that I had a friend, a really good friend, who was willing to let me barge into her life for three days completely unexpectedly and nearly unannounced.

The Lord has this really great way of allowing specific people in and out of our lives at specific times and for specific reasons.  Some are there to help us grow, some to comfort, some to challenge, some to hurt and leave us, and some to stay forever.  No matter what the purpose is, we have the amazing opportunity to learn from each and every person that crosses our paths.  But that's just it, it's up to us.  What we do with what the Lord gives us is our choice, no one else's.  And I believe that rings the most true with the people He places in our lives, no matter how long they may be there. 

Don't take anyone for granted.  Don't let the opportunity for amazing friendships and growth pass you by.  I can almost guarantee you'll regret it.

overwhelmed

If I had to pick one word, just one, to describe how I'm feeling right now, it would be this:

OVERWHELMED

I'm feeling like I hit the ground with both feet running, but then a hurdle came and I completely wiped out.  I don't know how to jump over hurdles!  Between endless trainings, faculty meetings, mentor meetings, and all other meetings that come to mind, I've barely had time to mentally or physically prepare for what's coming in six short days.  That's all...SIX!

Wish me luck, pray for me, send positive and/or reinforcing vibes my way, whatever you can think of.

the real world: part two

First week at a real, adult, big-kid job.  (I mean, I get benefits, a pension, some other sort of retirement plan, paid vacation, and real money.  This is a real, adult, big-kid job.)

Monday: Go to a (paid) special-ed training at one of the junior highs in the district.  Get a little overwhelmed, but not too much.  Also find out that I can work an extra 3.5 days outside of contract and get paid! 

Tuesday: Go to the elementary school I'm assigned to, meet and greet a few faculty members, get my keys and find my room (which is HUGE), look at files.  However, I don't have access to the computer yet or any of the files online (which is where I need to look at some things for my kiddos that aren't under my case managing-ness).  Go the high school I'm assigned to (yup, high school...where the kids are taller, wider, stronger, and cooler than I am), meet and greet a few faculty members, find my room, but do not find my files or anything of the sort that can give me info on my caseload there.  Hm.  Enter predicament.

Wednesday: Day 1 of (paid) new teacher orientation at the district.  Most of it applies, but just not in the way it applies to general ed teachers, or even special ed teachers.  Fun.  Pick up some of my supplies for SLPing.

Thursday: Day 2 of (paid) new teacher orientation.  Um...SLPs don't have to be there but they'll still pay me since no one knew I didn't need to be there.  Okay...  Pick up the rest of my supplies for SLPing and head out to the elementary school to set up.  Set up.  Set up.  And set up some more.  Look at my files more closely.  Feeling much better about life at the elementary school.  Now if only I could get access to my files at the high school.

Friday: Go back to the elementary school, set up some of my own personal things, get my files organized and ready to go, take note of key things I need to be able to plan.  Eat a bagel.  Head to the district offices for more (paid) training.

So concludes my first week of my real, adult, big-kid job.  A little rough, but not too bad.  I'm exhausted from working so consistently (because we all know I can't leave my work at work) and being trained on so many new things.  I find that I never have time to eat (unless it's provided for me), so I've taken to drinking plenty of water and Diet Coke again.  I also find that I don't have time to work out like I had hoped, so I've taken to not working out again (nevermind the half-marathon I have coming up in three weeks).  I think I'm going to like this job.  :)

the real world

So...I did it!  I completed my second summer at Oakcrest and my fifth summer at an LDS youth camp.  Who would have ever thought I'd be able to say that??  I sure didn't. 

To say just a few words, the summer was amazing.  I met incredible women and young women, formed wonderful friendships, was able to get my spirituality back in order, and (as posted earlier) received some great revelation and insight concerning my personal life.  The journey was long and at times difficult, some days I just wanted camp to be over and for me to be back home, but the rewards and blessings far outweigh the sacrifices I made. 

As I was driving home Saturday morning, I realized how Oakcrest had become my "safe place"--the place I went to so I could escape from real life. It was so easy to feel at peace with and unafraid of life when I didn't have to deal with it. But that's what's so great (and scary) about mortal life: it's always changing. Sometimes life changes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Sometimes change can be the best thing to happen, sometimes it can be the most terrifying. Regardless, change always happens, change is the only constant variable.

So what's next?  What awaits me in the real world?  Tomorrow, two days after camp has ended, I start my full-time "big kid job" as an SLP in Granite School District.  And to say the least, I am absolutely terrified.  I also start studying for the GMAT so I can apply to the PMBA program at the University of Utah in Spring 2014.  I'm hoping to find a great place and move out by the end of October.  I'm also hoping to find a great Pomsky puppy and name him Hercules. 

I go back and forth between absolute elation and absolute fear when I think about the immediate future.  I know that so many good and wonderful things are coming my way, but I also know that some not-so-good-and-wonderful things are headed my way as well.  However, it is my reaction to those not-so-good-and-wonderful things (and the good and wonderful things too) that determines the outcome.  Pres. Uchtdorf said, "It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life's story is going to develop."

No matter what life brings, what curve balls I'm pitched, what rollercoaster I ride, I'm going to be okay.  My life is in the Lord's hands.  He's got my back, He always does. 

the last month

Working at Oakcrest has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life.  I have been blessed beyond belief with revelation regarding my personal life and the rollercoaster it has been. Time and time again I have received answers to questions (some I didn't even ask), comfort and feelings of peace, direction and guidance, spiritual promptings, and other things of the sort.  I have re-learned many truths that I once knew and re-trained myself to make habits out of the small and simple things.  Scripture study, personal prayer, fasting, and serving others are the four things that make me happiest and give me the most strength.  It's crazy what happens when you put the Lord first.

This morning during my scripture study, I flipped open to D&C 58.  (Yes, this is one of those "random flipping open of scriptures" stories.)  Verses 2-6 were already circled and highlighted, so I figured I should read them.  I have no idea what prompted me to mark these verses the first time around, but I am so grateful I was able to read them again and be reminded of the promises they contain.

"For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.
"Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.
"For after much tribulation come the blessings.  Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but nigh at hand.
"Remember this, which I tell you before, that you may lay it to heart, and receive that which is to follow.
"Behond, verily I say unto you, for this cause I have sent you-that you might be obedient, and that your hearts might be prepared to bear testimony of the things which are to come."

For the past month (especially), I have been trying so hard to do what the Lord has asked of me.  It hasn't been easy and I could easily blame the Lord for the tribulation and sorrow I have been wading through, but I know that these trials are for my benefit and for my good.  I know that if I remain faithful to the covenants I have made, the commands I have been given, and the truths that I know, I will be blessed.  I don't know how things are going to play out, I don't know what the Lord has in store for my future, but I know it will be amazing.  His plan always is.