Goals

This weekend, I had an epiphany and that was to set goals for myself. I do better when I have I routine or a schedule that I follow on a daily basis. Some may call it OCD...others may call it organized. I kind of sit in between the two interpretations. Looking back on last year, I was at the busiest and most hectic point in my life. I moved to New York City and was adjusting to the stress-packed bustle of existence. I enrolled in graduate school where limitless amounts of paperwork and portfolios loomed over me. I worked 25 hours a week with a very angry boss and 19 happy 4 year olds. I tutored before and after work for 3 hours a day. I went to class for an additional 3 hours. I trained for the Philadelphia marathon. I planned our wedding. And on top of everything else, I shuffled back and forth, making plane connections in between to Mike's home (whether it be Oklahoma or Alabama) and helped him along with his struggles through flight school. It was a CRAZY year...

But yet I think I was at my happiest because I felt proud that I could do so many things and accomplish so much. I could not let myself get overwhelmed and therefore followed a rigourous and demanding routine to get me through each day. I was able to grow more as a professional and as an individual. During that time, I could do the things that I wanted to do and I loved every minute of it. Now, I find that I have an endless amount of time but not enough to make a difference. I am so used to not working or having a demanding schedule that I worry I won't adjust well when that long awaited job does come. I have this yearning to do things that are of value and that are respected.

My mom exemplifies that lifestyle as I have experienced these past two weeks being home. She goes to choir practice once a week with performances on the weekends; she's a girl scout leader; she's a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House; she's a great homework helper to Paul's two young boys....these are all in addition to her 40+ a week job. Above all of that, she still knows how to be a great Mom. Molly is amazing too. Her job is so demanding where she is on her feet all day. She gets up a 5 in the morning and sometimes doesn't get home until late at night! But because of her professionalism, Molly is well respected and all of the top executives personally request her to handle their parties because she does such an amazing job at it. And lets not forget about Mike. His work hours are crazy. Presently speaking, he's out in the woods somewhere eating bark (poor guy) but at least he's doing what he loves. Mike is at the end of the pipeline and is finally going to experience and cherish 9-5 work hours. And then there are my friends, the mothers and the prominent workers. I can't even begin to describe what you must go through but know that you have earned my utmost respect and admiration.

I could go on and on about what my loved ones do for themselves and how they make their world and those around them better to live in. I want to be in that place myself. I do my best with my current situation and shadow my mom with her various activities. I've even been offered the chance to be a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House myself and I am anxious to accept it because I want to do things that are of value. Everyone keeps telling me to cherish this "freedom" that I have because soon I won't have it. But you know, sometimes when it's too quiet, your thoughts overtake the white noise and reveal those goals that have yet to be reached. My goals are do things that make the world a better place like working with children or families of the sick. I want to run again so I started training for the Broad Street 10 mile run in May. I want to cook and clean (silly I know) because it makes me happy to see others happy. After the end of May, I will have new goals because with each new situation comes a new reality.

Back on the east coast!

These past few weeks have been very busy with getting Mike ready for his FINAL phase of training in Washington and last minute paperwork to get ready for our move. Our drive across the country was quite interesting because we actually drove through a very bad snow storm. Memphis, TN got hit pretty bad and we were fortunate enough to get stuck in five hours of traffic trying to find a way out of that mess. We pretty much saw snow the whole way back to NC. 

Here are a few videos of our trip! 

Sometimes I wonder about him...

After four days of driving, Mike and I finally arrived at his parent's house in Fayetteville, NC. It was so nice to see a kitchen again : ) Sparky (the family dog) was happy to see us as were his family...although I think by the end of the week, they were ready for us to move on! Besides staying at home, we also visited the UNC campus where his brother Steve is a junior. I went up twice, Mike went three times. I also visited my dear friend Ari in Wilmington for dinner on Sunday and Mike visited his sister Liz at UNC Pembroke. We celebrated Mike's birthday at a Japanese steakhouse on Monday early since he would still be at his training on his real birthday. Then on Tuesday, we packed up the truck again and headed north to D.C. Mike flew out of there the next morning and I continued on to NJ. Now I'm back at home (still living out of a suitcase) and shuffling between my mom's house and Molly & Ben's place in Brooklyn. I will be here for the next few months but I'm trying to find ways to keep me busy. I was thinking about going out to California to see my relatives and am trying to save some extra money since it will cost a lot for us to move to Japan. I was also thinking of substitute teaching but it takes a while to get all of the paperwork together so who knows if that will be an option. Since getting our wedding photos, I've also be going through all 3000 of them and writing down the numbers so that our photographer will make us a photo album. 

So now I have you caught up on what I've been doing. It's mid-March and I can't believe the school year is almost over...that means I haven't been working for almost a year! But I have a feeling God is going to bless me with a teaching position when we get to Japan and this will make all of my waiting and boredom worthwhile. I already got word from a fellow friend of mine that one of the principals in Japan is considering me for a position because they contacted her for an additional reference! Cross your fingers that everything works out!