I have a new blog!

I poured so many personal feelings and thoughts into my Japan blog that I wanted to make a new one for this new phase of my life. Here is the link: http://thankfulin.blogspot.com/

See you there. XOXO, A

I remembered!

First of all, tonight was awesome. I went to dinner at the Bombay House and I love that place.

Second of all I REMEMBERED the thing I forgot yesterday! It wasn't so much funny as cringe worthy. A funny situation. So on Wednesday when I went to the gym with Jean-Mi, I wore socks that didn't quite cover my heels completely. As I was doing my cardio, the scraping started. I knew I was going to get a blister, but the cardio was more important to me so I pressed forward. Sure enough I had a small blister. Then it just got bigger! Kinda funny, right? lol

Here it is this morning (I went to the gym again but wore proper socks, no bandaids or anything):

Here it is after the workout:

Oops - it got a little bigger, but it deflated a little. LOL

More good things

• I have been going through my books with a "Good, Better, Best" attitude and only keeping the best. I've been through two shelves and already pulled over 60 books to sell. Hopefully I can make a nice profit selling them once I am able to go through everything and have a yard/book sale. 
• The paperwork for my new job is being drawn up and I expect to sign it/fill it out on Monday.
• I got to email Shan on her birthday. :) Love and miss that girl!
• I am really enjoying my work outs. 
• Phil is sending me a memorial book for Momma. <3
• I finished altering all my t shirts and they look great! :)
• I've had an opportunity to spend time with my younger brothers and it's been awesome. In fact, Jean-Mi and I were able to go to the gym together yesterday. We did our own thing, but it was nice to be there together. :)

 I have another funny story but I can't remember it... I'll type it up when it comes to me. All my best to you and your efforts. :) XOXO, A

Looking onward and upward

Happy birthday Itnaaka!! :D Love you!!

So I should have updated last week - but I got an offer for my dream job! I was offered salary within the range I wanted and now I just have to get ready! I'm glad I have the summer to do that.

A couple funny stories from last week: I went to donate plasma and as part of that they check your hematocrit via a prick on the finger. Well my finger was a fountain! It squirted up four inches and sort of sprayed my hand and the counter. It surprised me so much I failed on pulse and had to retest (did fine the second time). Crazy day!

A couple days after that, ok sorry I have to back up. I have a queen-sized bed (that is mine) that I'm currently sharing with my sister before she marries in a couple weeks. She's a crazy sleeper like Jerod was so I'm used to staying in a small space. Well, I had been doing well avoiding her kicking and so on until one night she slid her finger tips under the bottom of my shirt and started to lift it. She got a few inches (I was in shock) before I cried out, "Simone you perv! What are you doing!?" She snatched her hand back and mumbled something (she was asleep - and hahaha to her future husband). An hour or so later she started speaking aloud. I couldn't understand what she said, so I remarked, "Whatever you perv. You tried to lift up my shirt!" She responded, "MMMM HMMM!" (Yes it was loudly.) I laughed so hard I almost woke her up. Good luck Andy (her fiancé)!

Well this isn't funny but it's part of my life. I've gotten sick and been throwing up, consistently, the past four or five days. I don't like it! However, each day that passes I'm able to keep more food down. I think I caught my mom's bug. :/ Thanks mom! ;)

My best to you and I hope you're all doing well. XOXO, A

Good Things

Just wanted to post about the good things in my life since I got home (even though I miss Japan and my friends there and my job there like CRAZY ~ oh and the food!).

• I am looking at getting the job of my dreams. The charter school at which I taught before I went to Japan is trying to open a position for me teaching French, Spanish, and ASL. (That is my dream - teaching languages.)
• I have a jar of REAL pickles. (What Japanese people called pickles are just brined veggies - they're delicious, but they're not pickles.)
• I have a membership at a local gym and I love being back in one. (I went to one in Japan, but now I have a cheaper one here!)
• General Conference was this weekend and it was awesome.
• I have been able to go out with Dre and that was wonderful!
• In my downtime I have watched a season of Project Runway and it reminds me of why I have a degree in fashion design. I LOVE FASHION!
• I was able to go back to the plasma center where I used to donate and I still have a few friends there. ALSO my hematocrit was 45! (Before that the highest I ever got was 41!)
•  I want to go through my stuff and streamline my life (haven't been able to really get started yet as my sister who is getting married is stashing her stuff in my room atm - BUT), I was able to go through some drawers and get rid of a bunch of stuff. I feel good about simplifying my life. My life in Japan was very simple and it was really nice. I miss having a tiny place that is easy to keep clean! 
• I am waiting to hear on my salary officially, BUT I am townhouse and condo shopping. I am very much looking forward to buying my own place AND NOT MOVING. LOL But seriously... I moved in 2011. Then in 2012. Then again in 2013. THEN IN 2014! And this year I moved around to a couple hotels before I landed home. So YA... I want there to be one last move for a WHILE. I am looking forward to an end of moving. Very much so.
• I had a movie night last night with a brother and sister of mine. We watched a horror flick. Oh how I have missed those scary movie nights!
• Oh man I wish I had video, but I brought home a bunch of Japanese foods that I love for my family to try. ... Ya they did not love what I brought. They especially disliked the umeboshi (sour plum - 梅干). However, that is my favorite Japanese food so I wasn't just torturing them!
• My days are quiet and that's nice. It's nice to have some thinking and regathering and visualizing time. (I haven't quite decided yet what I want for my future - other than that job and my own place - but I want to move forward and not stagnate.)
• I have 13 bullet points on this list! (And a good thing for this one: I have cracked pepper sunflower seeds and they are amazing!)

I hope that you are all finding happiness and joy in the small things in life. My love to you all! XOXO, A