Taking it day by day...

School has started again and fall is in the air... it's good to be back on a schedule, although it is a little intense at points. I'm so glad to have Fridays off of school this semester though! I'm also enjoying my Pilates class and am hoping it can help me get in better shape.

Since the last entry, my job has changed yet again. The Journal called me randomly about a month ago and offered me my job back and so I put in my 2 weeks with New York Burrito and have been doing graphic design again. I don't get paid very well, but at least I get to set my own schedule.

I'm glad I've been able to spend more time with my friends lately, my roommates especially. It's a good stress reliever. I'm also blessed to have a great bishopric and have been working hard to further my knowledge in the gospel and creating a better bond with my Heavenly Father.

Simple pleasures...

I've had the opportunity to go walking/jogging almost everyday this past week and a half. The weather has been nice and it feels good to be able to clear my mind through exercise and to just get out of the house. I'm hoping to continue as long as the weather and my schedule allow it.

Work has been... somewhat trying. It's a lot more physical than I remember and I'm exhausted by the time I get home. Right now I'm working about 4 shifts a week, but once school starts I'll only take 2 shifts a week to allow more time for homework. I just keep telling myself that I need the money and it's only until I graduate in December. After that, Amy and I are hoping to move out of town somewhere and get new jobs. I pray the time goes quickly.

Daily changes...

Tuesday I went to lunch with my family at New York Burrito, one of my favorite restaurants and also the first place I ever worked. While we were there, I spoke to Carla Rigby, who happens to be the mother of a girl I used to work with there, who now ironically owns the place. I asked her if they were hiring at all. She said she'd call Lindsey (her daughter) and check it out. Later that day Carla called me and asked when I could start work. So, next week I'll return to my first job to work part time. I'm not sure how much I'll be making, but even if it's minimum wage, it'll be over $2 more per hour than I was making there before. I plan on working a couple nights a week during school, just to keep a little extra money coming in. It's not the most exciting job in the world, but I don't think it'll be too stressful so that's nice. Today I also got another call... the manager of Vanity called to check if I had found employment yet. After three months of sending out applications and resumes, I get two job offers in one week! I turned down Vanity, but feel so blessed to have received both offers.

I'm starting to feel the pressure of school starting soon. I still have so many things I want to get done before it starts. I know that once it does, I won't have time for much else. I need to learn how to manage my time better, especially if I'm going to pass my classes this semester. More things to work on to better myself!!!

Tough times... make you stronger?

Its been a rough couple of months. I'm still currently unemployed, with no prospects despite an incredible amount of applications I've filled out. School starts in 6 weeks and with 15 upper-division classes, I don't think I'll have time to work a whole lot, if at all. So I'm currently living off savings, grants, and student loans and thankfully have not run out of money yet. I'm hoping to get a good job after I graduate in December and can work full-time to start paying off my debts and replenishing my savings. I admit, it has been nice not having to work and being able to do what I like, when I like. It does leave a lot of time for boredom to creep in though.

My brother also left, for the Army, and entered basic training in Oklahoma. He'll be there for like 10 weeks or so and then head to his medical training in Texas. Its weird having him gone. He's pretty homesick and missing his daughter. I hope the four years pass quickly.

I'm so very grateful for friends and family who are constantly there for me and help to lift me when I've fallen. They are my grief councilors and shoulders to cry on. Without them, I fear I'd be lost. The gospel has also been a great comfort during this time. I'm so grateful for my Savior and for everything he's done for me. He is the ultimate councilor. What a comfort to know that He knows what I'm feeling and wants me to be happy. Here's hoping that things start looking up!

Good days...

The last month or so has been very interesting and eventful. At the end of February, my position at the newspaper was eliminated, due to the bad economy. I was extremely upset, not only because I didn't know how I was going to provide for myself, but because I had finally found a job I liked. I was blessed to be given a severance pay and to have my tax returns come in, and also to have previously put money into savings. So the last month and a half, I've had the opportunity to focus on school and other things. There is a position I'm hoping to get at ISU, doing graphic design, so hopefully things work out there.

I've also been given several opportunities to be grateful for my friends over the past couple months. I'm grateful to have Amy as a roommate and friend. She's always there to listen and give good advice. She cares so much for other people... always such a great example. One specific situation where I realized my thankfulness for my friends happened a couple weeks ago. Malarie, Kayla, David, Dak, and I drove down to Spanish Fork, UT for the Festival of Colors. We had a great time and it's definitely something I'll remember for a long time. On the way home, we had a bit of car trouble with my car. I hit a curb pulling into a gas station and it ripped a hole in my transmission pan. So we were stranded. Malarie and Kayla kept me calm and tried to keep my spirits up. Dak and David set out to find a way to fix my car and/or get us home safely. We ended up leaving my car at the repair shop across the street and David's family was kind enough to lend us a car to get home. I'm so grateful that they were all with me.

Finally February?!

It's been a while since I've had the chance to update this... too much of my time has been devoted to my school work the past few weeks.  So, I figured while I had a small break in homework, I'd get an entry in.  First off, I'm so grateful that my teachers have been so understanding when it's come to my health problems.  They've been very accommodating and considerate, which has been a major blessing (it's good to know that I won't be flunking out of school because of my attendance record!)  This semester is going to be a tough one, mostly due to the amount of homework.  I really enjoy my Advanced Creative Writing class, as well as my Literary Magazine Production class.  I feel like I'm learning a lot and being very productive.

I'm once again thankful for Malarie and the friendship we've formed.  Our friendship continues to grow and it's good to have someone to talk to, as well as someone to force me to get out of the house and be social. ;)  The plan, as of right now, is that she'll be moving into our apartment in May, so that will be fun!

I'm grateful for the knowledge I have of the gospel.  I know that my Heavenly Father knows what's best for me, even if that requires quite a bit of patience on my end.  I know that prayers are answered, and that sometimes the answer is not necessarily "yes" or "no," but sometimes "wait" or "not yet."