Gratitude

After spending last week in San Diego and witnessing the widespread devastation, I was indeed grateful to be able to come home. Jeff and I were staying in a large hotel in La Jolla, a suburb of San Diego just down the street from the San Diego LDS Temple. We were there due to Jeff needing to train employees of the Avastra lab in San Diego. As many of you know, when we travel there's usually something interesting that happens, ie: fire at our hotel in Chicago this past summer! This trip was no different. First of all, as I was stepping down the shuttle bus steps to go into the hotel, my heel slid and I followed, hitting my back on all three steps as I slid down and landed at the feet of the shuttle bus driver and hotel concierge! I quickly jumped up, trying to shrug it off with a smile while in major pain and embarrassment. The next day we begin to hear about fires on the outskirts of San Diego and as time went by they became progressively worse until it seemed most of La Jolla was evacuated and checking in to our hotel-with kids, pets and remnants of their life in tow. Tuesday morning as I went down to breakfast in the atrium, I noticed that most of the people had that " dear in the headlights" look and seemd to be in shock. Many people were having conversations with each other or by cell phone about where they would go and what they would do now that their home/ livelihood/children's schools were gone. Really heartbreaking! The air quality was so poor people were wearing masks, businesses were closed and people were asked to stay inside if possible. The day we were leaving, I dropped Jeff off at the sleep lab he was visiting and I had decided to try to find something to do while waiting for him (original plans included attending the temple and shopping for the kids-both the temple and the mall were closed). As I was driving away a lady in the lane next to me impulsively decided to change lanes and hit me on the side of my brand new rental car which knocked me into the other lane and tore up the metal on both passenger side doors! She was very apologetic and a witness stopped to give his statement so it went as smoothly as something like that can go. As we flew over the fires surrounding San Diego, up through the dense layer of smoke and haze I felt greatful, greatful to be returning home to my family, greatful for children that pull together when we're gone to keep things running smoothly so we don't have to worry, greatful for people that are so willing to give of themselves and serve those that are sufffering (there was such an outpouring of help in San Diego, especially at the stadium that they had to request that doantions stop for a while until they had time to distribute them), greatful for my faith as I thought about what I would do if this were to happen to my family and realized how unimportant "things" are compared to those you love. (see quote at the bottom)

Football Frenzy

Ahhhh, the the smell of Fall, Football and Fun is in the air. I love this time of year and thoroughly enjoy watching my boys play football. Never did I think that I would enjoy it so much. Even though life is chaotic with both Jeff and Dean helping to coach Jordan's little league football team this year I wouldn't trade it. I loved watching Dean play football through the years and bonus- it kept him totally occupied and worn out so he wasn't driving the family crazy!! And in one more year Jordan will be playing at the high school level-Friday night lights! Anyway, hopefully I'll learn how to upload pictures soon so I can add to my blog. Anyway, I've got to go, I'm off to my first football game of the year- GO GRIZZLIES!!!

Rollercoaster of emotion

Well, after being strongly encouraged by my neice and sister in law, I will update my blog. This was actually one of the reasons I put off having a blog for a long time-the knowledge that my time is limited and that I wouldn't take the time needed to update. But I'll try to be more current from now on. (although you may all regret this after the amount of detail I put in here!) What a week I've had. I've turned 43-whoo hoo!! (said sarcastically). I began a new career path that I've always wanted- school counseling. I've finally painted my bedroom-purple of course!! And I've had some very extreme events to put my life and relationships into perspective. First, my career path: While on vacation earlier this summer, I was called and interviewed by a supervisor from the Granite school district, with whom I interned, and she offered me a job the day I got back from vacation. I was thrilled, the setting I love, good benefits, decent pay (It will never be "good pay" when you are a social worker!!), etc. Anyway, the dilemma was how to give notice to my other job that I enjoy, with a boss I adore, and clients I have really come to enjoy. It wasn't difficult to quit really but the emotional pull I felt to people I cared about was really hard. Though I am still seeing two clients in the Magna office every other week, I am basically done. I began my job as a school counselor this week on Tuesday. I will be working at an elementary 3 days per week and a Jr. high 2 days per week. So I walk into the elementary school on my first day and ask for the principal. The office tracks her down for me and she informs me she's leaving for a training and she'd love me to go with her since I'll be on the "team"! I say ok-I can be a spur of the moment kind of girl (sometimes!!). When run off to the day long training and then I find out it's also the next day. So still had not seen my office and then Thursday, I needed to attend a training to Special ED which was great, I saw many of my friends there from working at The Chidlren's Center and various other jobs. So by Friday I actually was able to got ot the elementary and see my office, which I share with the psychologist, although we're there different days, and is maybe 8x12 feet-cozy!! Next, my birthday. while I'm not one to make a big deal out of my birthday, unless it's to get some extra work out of family members, I do hope next year's is less eventful and back to boring. I attended a training with some of the teachers and principal from my elementary school and they had told me there was a free lunch so I didn't bother bringing any money, especially since I'm broke, having gone without a paycheck for the last month during job transition. Anyway, my team decided they didn't want the free lunch and wanted to go out, after trying to beg off with excuses, I finally had to admit I was broke and then of course they offered very graciously to pay. Embarrassing since I don't know these people well yet. After the training, I checked my cell phone and had numerous messages so I checked them and I heard words like, Life Flight, fire engines, ambulances, our street blocked off, hospital. My boys did quite a lovely job of freaking me out with either mumbled messages or incomplete messages. Anyway, after calling everyone I knew I found out that Jordan's best friend across the street had found his younger brother (12) hanging from a rope, had to lift him up and cut him down and then call his mom and 911. Lifeflight flew him to Primary Children's hospital and he ended up being ok. Jordan went with his friend and a neighbor who drove them up to the hospital. Let me digress here a moment, I just want to say how proud of my son I am. He has had two friends now that ahve had a traumatic experience in the last couple of weeks and he has handled things so incredibly well, being thoughtful and caring. He had a friend who's uncle died suddenly and Jordan found out, baked the family a cake and then had Dean drive him over there, stayed with his friend and comforted him while he and his family were grieving. The friend's parents related to Jeff and I how much that meant to them and their son. With the recent events, he was able to offer comfort to his friend and the friend's brothers, invite them to stay at our house for a couple days while this family dealt with the son in the hospital and was a true friend. He's such a great example to me. So, back to my birthday. After finding all of this out about the neighbors, I then needed to go to the church and help out with the Young WOmen Personal Progress Celebration we had planned and of which Lysette (Being the Laurels President) was in charge of presenting. We get through most of the program and then the Bishop shows up from the hospital where they took our neighbor and it is evident the toll it had taken on him. The Life of a Bishop- it made me really think about how much he loves us and what a heavy burden he has on his shoulders!! He announced to everyone what had happened and how much we need to value life. By this time I'm an emotional wreck, in the kitchen cutting brownies and realized how much this had affected me. I work with kids and teenagers every day that are in pain and don't know how to deal with it. I remember feeling that way as a Senior in High school, not suicidal but confused and lost. Fortunately I had some wonderful people in my life that helped me-Jeffrey and my friend Pat who was older and helped me immensely. Between all of this and other events that have surfaced with people that I love, I feel as though I have been an emotional rollercoaster, but thankfully I have aloving Heavenly Father that I can turn to comfot me and put things into perspective. My appreciation for life is IMMENSE! I Value life and the experiences I have that help me to grow. Tomorrow I will be teaching a lesson to all of the Young Women and have been asked to speak to them about recent events. This will be my message to them: Value Life. Felicia

I can't believe I'm actually going to be a blogger!

As I have resisted the blogging mania and always thought, "I don't have time for that", or "I don't have much to say", I've realized recently how much I enjoy reading my neice's and sister in law's blog. Due to this and the desire to express myself (and the fact I just can't seem to write in my journal consistently) I've decided to embark on a blogging quest. I'm hoping in writing some of my thoughts down and getting feedback from others, I will learn more about myself and enjoy the process of sharing. So here goes........ Felicia