Blink

Life can change so fast. 6 months ago I would have never guessed that I would be where I am today. I want to have the story written out that lead me to this point, so I guess this is where it is going to be.

Two years ago, my mom and Wyatt called me up in Provo one Sunday evening and told me that this guy spoke in their ward and I needed to go out with him. His name was Jarom Walker. I recognized his name from high school, but that was it. And I was living in Provo at the time, so I told them it wasn't going to happen and I don't think it was ever brought up again.

Fast forward to this past January. I was living at home in Gilbert and going to the singles ward. I had been asked to give a talk on missionary work. After I gave the talk, a guy told me that I had given a good talk, I said thanks and kept right on walking. I wasn't very social at church. That evening my parents asked how my talk had gone. Kaitlyn piped up and informed my family that Jarom Walker had commented on it. My mom and Wyatt jumped right on that one and said that was the guy they had wanted me to go out with when I lived in Provo. Again, I didn't do anything about it.

Well the next night was FHE and it was salsa dancing. Now, I was not an FHE goer. But dancing?? Salsa dancing?? Do you know me? How could I say no?! So I went! It wasn't too long before Jarom had asked me to dance. And after that, every time the instructors said to switch partners Jarom would respond with a "It's ok. We can stay together." By the end of the night, he had gotten my number!

That Wednesday he called me. I was dressed and getting ready to head out the door to a Zumba class. But we got to talking and it came up that he was going to institute and it just so happened to be the class I went to the previous semester, so he invited me to go with him. I accepted and he said he would be there in 5 minutes. I had 5 minutes to get dressed, do my hair, and put makeup on! And I did it. 

After institute that night, he asked me out for Friday night. Of course I accepted. So our first date was on February 1, 2013. And we have been together ever since. He kissed me the next night. By the next week I was invited on his family trip to Colorado. I went with them the first weekend in March, where his Grandma told me we could stay at her house in Montana for our honeymoon! We were engaged March 29, 2013 and sealed for eternity on May 24, 2013. 

We own a house and have been oh so happily married for two months. Life throws you for a loop sometimes, but I love roller coasters and this has been the best ride ever! 

Neither of us ever wanted to be the typical Mormon couple that is manufactured out of the singles ward. But we are as stereotypical as they come and we have never been happier!

Laughing in My Face

Sometimes I can't help but think someone really gets a kick out of messing with my plans. I have learned that the minute I make a decision to lead my life one direction, I get a big kick in the pants to go a complete opposite direction. As someone once told me, I tend to get "the mother of all wrenches thrown into my engine of life". So I have slowly stopped being a planner. I don't look too far into the future because I have learned how quickly things can change.

 But sometimes I get stuck in a rut and I NEED to plan. I need some big goals in my life.

Well take that into consideration with my previous post. And the fact that I said I was accepting applications for a boyfriend.

Life likes to throw me for a loop. But I am far from complaining!

Life Lately

This past weekend I played mom for 5 days for 2 little girls (3 and 18 months). New respect for working moms. And single moms. And moms in general. Go all of you. I need another couple years. And a husband. Maybe a boyfriend would be a good start. Guess I should start accepting applications.

Speaking of applications, I didn't get accepted with Teach For America. But I seem to have a very promising possibility with one of my MBA schools. And I am enrolled in a class to get my teaching certificate to just teach in the fall if I decide to hold off on grad school. Unfortunately that just adds choices to my future and choices are not my forte. Sometimes I secretly wish that our world was like The Giver and we were just assigned our job/family/life and told exactly what to do. But then I remember that I voted against that a long time ago and the whole reason I am here is to make choices. I just don't like making them.

One thing I do like doing is teaching dance. Especially my super awesome 6-7 year old class that is dancing to My Boyfriend's Back and they look freakin' adorable doing it. Oh my word. I love it. One of these days I may just have to record their dance and put it on here because I am slightly obsessed with how awesome they are.

The other day one of my dancers was driving me up a wall. Actually two of them were. And there were only two girls in the class. It was one of those days. Anywho. I was about two seconds from losing it - which has never happened before contrary to what my family may think - when she so sweetly looked up at me and told me that when she grows up she wants to be a dance teacher at Dance Element with me. I melted a little and never lost it that day. 

In case you couldn't tell, I am procrastinating right now. Rambling on about the little things in life so I can avoid writing my talk for church on Sunday. I have to speak on missionary work. And I have no clue what to say. Speaking of missions, Wyatt leaves in less than 2 months!! I'm gonna miss that kid. But when he leaves I get his room. My own room! For the first time EVER. His departure will be a bittersweet day.

New Additions

*This was written a couple weeks ago and I completely forgot to post it. Whoops.

As a final wrap up to 2012, there were a couple new additions to our family! The first was this cute little boy:

I have wanted a chocolate/black lab for awhile and two days after Christmas I found Jazz for a super good deal and so I bought him! My mom was with me when I got him, but my dad had no clue until I sent him this picture with the caption "Merry Christmas to me!" He responded by calling my mom asking what that was and who it belonged to. 

The second addition is my new cousin Madison Kay. She is Jolyn and Chris' little girl. She is so awesome. I have already decided I am going to be her favorite. And she is adorable. Last week I spent two afternoons just holding her. I need  a baby in my immediate family.

Farewell 2012

2012 had it's ups and downs as every year does. But I feel like overall, it was an up year. Here are the highlights (and lowlights) of 2012:

-Finger painted a mural on 3 bedroom walls
-First real broken heart
-Skiied in Utah
-Certified ZUMBA instructor
-Graduated BYU
-Said goodbye to living with my awesome roommates and friends
-Moved to Arizona
-Went to Disneyland/California Adventures
-Wyatt graduated high school
-Went to Magic Mountain
-Started teaching dance again (YAY!)
-Certified kids ZUMBA instructor
-Started watching the best 2 little munchkins
-Started looking for a grown up job
-Roadtripped to Cali with my dad
-Roadtripped to Cali with my dad (again) and Wyatt
-Visited 18 states in 15 days. Some of our highlights were:

Independence, Missouri. 

St Louis

Santa Claus, Indiana (and Holiday World)

Kirtland, Ohio 

Cedar Point Amusement Park

Sheetz (restaurant/gas station back east) 

Chicago

Wisconsin Dells

Mall of America

The Badlands

Scariest wind/thunder/rainstorm of life while sleeping in a tent. In the middle of nowhere South Dakota.

Mount Rushmore

The Cherry Cricket (best hamburger ever is found in Denver)

-Kept looking for a real job

-3 of my best friends got married within 3 weeks of each other

-Went skydiving (again!)

-Got a second and third job teaching dance

-Got a real job! (that made job #4)

-Began the process of putting 10,000 miles on my car in a matter of 4 months

-Saw Les Mis at Gammage

-Bought an iPad

-Got super stressed with my schedule. Result was shingles.

-Went to Provo!

-Applied for and got an internship with the Susan G. Komen Foundation

-Decided to take the GMAT and apply to MBA programs

-Started training for my first marathon

-Happy Thanksgiving!

-Kicked the GMAT's butt

-Became obsessed with the Walking Dead

-Got a much needed break from work

-Made an awesome Les Mis t-shirt

-Celebrated Christmas with family

-Saw Les Mis the movie (obsessed much?)

-Rang in the New Year babysitting my favorite 2 little munchkins!

As far as my goals for 2012 went (made back here) I did decently on them. While I didn't do all of them exactly, I did what was best for me and I feel accomplished.

Now I need to decide on my goals for 2013!