The Inevitible Change?

I do agree with the statement that "change is inevitable", but is it always, or do we just subject ourselves to change as a way to force ourselves to grow. It is usually uncomfortable and terrifying and most definitely extremely difficult. For me it comes with many fears; the fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of loss, fear of rejection, etc. etc. etc. Change is about conquering those fears and realizing the true potential that lies within what I perceive sometimes as a troubled undeserving soul. The greatest change within myself is in realizing that I am deserving of great things and that I do have potential beyond what I have ever given myself allowance to believe in.

So the change I face today is one that I have wanted to make for years now, but because of those fears I have never sought out the opportunity for it. It will be a grand adventure. Moving to a place where I know very few people and me, always feeling like I am no one without my friends and family, will have to learn how to be "okay" with me, myself and I. So Arizona, here I come!! Away from the cold and pain that comes along with winter for me. Starting a new chapter. I really have nothing to lose. I have my job, my family and friend's support, my best friend only lives a couple hours away. I am ready...finally ready for the inevitable change that has been a long time coming.

The best of times with the best of friends!

15 years! Holy smokes...I can't believe I have had the privilege of being friends with her for so long. There are many amazing things about Judy; her sense of humor, her even keel personality, she is as loyal as life is long, and she has put up with me for over 15 years!

The thing that I love most about her though is that she has never changed over all those years. I have always been able to count on knowing that no matter what I can call her and she never seems to miss a step. She tells me all about her family, I about mine. When time and money permit we take vacations to visit each other. In fact...I am sitting at the Tucson, AZ airport waiting for my flight to head back to Salt Lake after a long weekend with Judy and her family. What an amazing family! It is such a privilege and a blessing to be able to associate with them and to feel a part of it all. For them to disrupt their lives and let me come and spend some time with them is so amazing. I flew in on Thursday afternoon and spent that evening with Judy and the boys (J, G, and T). Being a single woman it is so fun for me to be able to participate with her and her family. It is a completely different world and though I am sure I would be no good at it, it is nice to leave my life behind for a few days to be with family...they aren't blood, but they are my family. In fact...everywhere we go, people ask us if we are sisters. I don't know if it is that we really do look alike or that we have known each other for so long that it just seems that we are related to those who don't know us. In any case...she is my sister.

Friday night Judy and I had a girl's night out and went to the Texas Roadhouse for some ribs and rolls! YUMMMM! I know it was a treat for Judy because it is very rare that she can get out

without the family to a more expensive restaurant. She seemed to enjoy it and the food was AMAZING! After 15 years of being friends, there is an awful lot of reminiscing to do whenever we get together. What a JOY to be able to spend one-on-one time with your best friend!

After dinner we went to a movie and to the mall to do some shopping. Honestly the movie wasn't that great, but no matter what...it was just fun to spend time with my friend.

We also had a bit of time before the movie so we browsed the mall and found a good deal on sunglasses...buy 2 get one free. So we each bought a pair of sunglasses. The picture is of us in front of the Texas Roadhouse Trailer trying to take a self-portrait. It didn't turn out too bad...but did I mention yet that I get my braces off in December!! (can't wait)!

Saturday J and G had soccer games, so we all got up bright and early headed to the fields. J was up first and MAN IS HE GOOD!! He scored 4 of the 5 points that his team put up and probably would have scored more if he hadn't tried

to get his teammates involved. It was really fun to watch him in action. J is very smart and loves sports. He is such a good kid and a good example to all of his friends. Everyone loves Jensen!

G was next and his team was 4-5/6 year olds. He

was the oldest on his team, but definitely the best and was able to score 3 goals! He did such a great job! G is a lot like his mom when it comes to sports. He is so easy going and usually doesn't really care too much about what is going on, but he really got aggressive and played really hard. He is such a loving sweet kid! Always helpful and fun to be around. He also is a great swimmer.

This is T. He is my buddy! I mean look at that face!

How can you NOT love this kid?!? Plus, he loves me so that makes it easy. He is my little man! I am a sucker for men who ask to snuggle and like their backs scratched and who gives great squeezes around the neck and kisses on the cheeks. Heck, if I could find one that was my age and did all those things, he would be my dream man!

After the soccer games and lunch and swimming in the pool, Judy and I were able to go to the nail salon to get pedicures. It was her treat for an early birthday gift! It was just perfect! Massage chairs, warm foot baths, foot scrubs and leg and foot massages. It was HEAVEN! Thanks for my birthday gift Judy Lynn! I loved it!

Sunday was a great day of relaxing and enjoying time with the family. I got to chill with G and play games on my iPhone with him, just me and him while T was taking a nap and J was reading his books. I love these kids like they are my own nieces and nephews.

Most of all I am just blessed to have Judy as a friend. I seriously can't believe we have been friends for 15 years! Judy, you are a saint for putting up with me for so long. I know I haven't always been deserving of it, but you stuck with me and have always been there for me.

I also have to give a big shout out for Jason. You are so great to welcome me into your home and let me steal some time away with Judy for girl stuff. I appreciate it so much. Thank you for our football chats and letting me beat you in Settlers (it was pure skillz, bro!!)

I have put together a few collages from my trip. Hope you enjoy.

Judy and Callie

Mr. T.

G Man

J Dawg

Nearly one year later...

So my good friend Tawny gave me her blog address today and it made me think about my own long forgotten and neglected blog. So I logged in for the first time in nearly a year and read the couple of posts that I had made before I had given up on it. Whether or not anyone else has ever read it, it was fun to go back and remember what was going on in my life. So I have decided to give it another shot.

There is an awful lot that has happened in the last year, there is no way to tell all, so I will just give a few highlights and milestones.

November 19th, 2008 I started my job with Mountain America CU. I must say for the first few months it was extremely challenging. I started with a manager that didn't really give me much direction or impart any knowledge on my behalf, but after a few (what felt like eternal) months management decided to roll a few heads and we ended up with a very good situation. Me still with a job and a new manager that is GREAT! I've learned so much and have become actually pretty darn good at my job if I do say so myself!! Lesson learned: change is hard and scary, but there is but necessary and rewarding.

Next milestone...I got braces on at the end of January! YIKES!! I have always wanted braces, but really...c'mon people! They are a pain!! Luckily I have an amazing Orthodontist in my brother-in-law Rod and he has been great! In fact...he had originally said that I would have to have them on for 14-18 months and now he is amazed at how quickly my teeth have moved and cooperated so I am sure I will be breaking a record of some type by being able to get my braces off in less than one year! Yes, that's right...I will no longer be brace face by December! That is all the Christmas present I will need. Lesson Learned: It pays to keep your appointments with your Orthodontist. 11 months baby!!

This is a picture of me, my braces, and my mom on Mother's day. I wasn't planning on going home, but that morning I just really needed to see my mom, so I got in my car and took off. I got home right after she got home from church and she was working on dinner for dad, grandpa, and herself. I walked in and she had the most surprised, beautiful look on her face! It was so much fun to be able to surprise her and spend that day with her! As, I was giving her a hug, it brought a tear to my dad's eyes...awe what a softy! I loved that day! It was a perfect day!

Lesson learned: When you need your mom...you need your mom! Don't take for granted any moment you get to spend with those you love.

My Grandpa turned 90 in April! He is such an amazing man! I love him! What a Legacy of faith, longevity, compassion, love, sacrifice and devotion he has been to me! I know that he misses Grandma so much and yet he continues to live his

life and bless us all with his presence and wisdom.

He amazes me! I love going home and going out to his Green House to look at his garden and being able to get fresh peas and green beans. I don't know of another person that can grow such a beautiful garden from the seat of his Jazzy. What do I ever have to complain of? 90 years seems like an extremely long time, but in the whole scheme of things that is merely a wink and he has lived life every day! No complaining, no question.

Lesson Learned: Life is hard, but it is so much harder if you don't live it and find the joy in it. Every moment spent growing presents more moments of joy.

Well, that pretty much does it....Oh wait...one last thing...

I get to go to Tucson to see my best friend Judy Lynn and I leave in 2 days. I am so excited! This will be the 3rd time I will have been able to go visit her and her family since they moved to Tucson. I am so blessed to have such good friends. I look at the friends that I have in my life and believe that they are most definitely an extension of my family. Each one makes me stronger, each one brings joy to my life and each one has such a special place in my life. I wouldn't be who I am without the friends that I have been blessed with along the way. There are no words to express how much I appreciate my friends! Lesson Learned: Good friends are like a baby's blanky...once you find one you like you don't want to let it go. They bring comfort, joy, guidance and when you need it...tough love.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Almost Paradise? Nope, actual Paradise!!

Okay...so I am really not good at this blogging thing yet. I went to Hawaii at the beginning of November and am just getting around to posting about it. I guess it really doesn't matter to anyone but me anyway, right ;)

So, here I was...in paradise with some great friends. Kelly, Lynn, Mark and Shannon. We went stayed on the beautiful "Garden Island" of Kauai. It is such a beautiful place!! I have been there before, but this trip was completely different from the first time I went. It was so relaxing, and boy did I need to relax!! We stayed in a condo called Pono Kai in Kapaa. The grounds were so beautiful and it we were very close to the beach on the East side of the island. So each morning...since my bed was so hard...I was able to go for a walk along the beach and watch the sun rise. I also got to observe the living habits of sand crabs. They were so fascinating!!

Kelly, Mark and I arrived on October 29th and picked up our Mustang Convertable from the Airport. We drove to our condo and got checked in then went to the grocery store and did some shopping. Lynn was flying in later that night and was picking up another car so we would have two cars so we had the freedom we needed to go and come as we pleased. If you ever go to Hawaii with a small group of friends I highly recommend getting two cars!! Shannon was flying in the next evening, so Kelly and I planned to catch a luau and the guys picked Shannon up from the airport. But that morning Mark and Lynn wanted to go on a hike. It was a hike that according to the guide book would "most definitely end in failure". Kelly and I were willing to see what it was all about so we followed Mark and Lynn to the trail head. This is what we found when we got there...

So there we were...knowing that in the end it would most certainly end in failure, so Kelly and I decided to go up the road where we had seen an actual trail and Mark and Lynn went on their merry little way. And of course it later ended in failure...they met up with the river again and there was no way around or across it. We are all happy that they know when to quit while they are ahead!!

That night was the night of the Luau. It was at the Hilton in Poi Pu. So Kelly and I made our way to Poi Pu...after only a few wrong turns we made it. It was a beautiful drive! We arrived a little early and while we were waiting to get in we were served the most delicious fruit punch I had ever tasted. It looks pretty amazing too! I also ran into an old roommate of mine...It was crazy!! Alyce was married in May I believe. I hadn't seen her for YEARS and I ran into her in Hawaii!!

Our host had quite the amazing mulet going on. I had to get a picture of it. Of course the food was great and the dancers were a lot of fun!

We went back to Poi Pu the next day with the guys. We saw things like the Spouting Horn (a blow hole that would spout water into the air when waves came in). The guys wanted to go snorkeling, so we went to the beach for a while. Kelly and I didn't stay long we had seen a botanical garden that we wanted to go see, so we went to the garden and saw some pretty amazing plants and flowers, and humoungous spiders!! They were pretty cool though. Their webs were so strong they were bending branches. It was crazy! After the garden, Kelly and I went back to town and did some shopping and played some tennis. It was a perfect day!

That day was Halloween and I'm guessing that is why the restaurant we went to that night was completely empty besides us. We met up with the guys for dinner and caught up on the day's events. I was teasing Shannon about something and he said, "You're as bad as Mark and Lynn teasing me about hiking with my umbrella today." WHAT?!?!? Who hikes with umbrellas I ask you. Well we all got a great laugh out of that one...per the pictures I am sure you can see why. Lynn was laughing so hard he actually rolled on the floor of the restaurant. It was very funny, and quite odd, but like I said we were the only ones there so what they hay! Right?

The next day we hiked the Napali coast to Hanakapiai beach and then went on farther to the waterfall. It was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. It is hard to explain exactly how beautiful it is. Even the pictures don't do it justice. The drive there itself was breathtaking. We drove through Hanalei (the town where Pete and his dragon lived). We saw the lighthouse, Hanalei, the coast, the beach, the waterfall...everything about it was amazing! The hike was a little over 8 miles round trip. It was a difficult and slippery hike, but it was so worth it! I was starting to get cramps in my feet on the way back so I practically ran the whole way back because I knew if I stopped someone would have to carry me out and I being the big girl I am...that was not going to happen. Like I said the trail was really slippery and poor Kelly fell about 6 times. I had to get a picture of her wounds. Shannon took a fall into the river as we were crossing right before the beach. Poor guy was freezing! When we got to the waterfall, I was even brave enough to go into the water. I was freezing, but I quickly got used to it and once I got out I felt much warmer than before. So the trip back was great because I felt nice and toasty. At the end of the hike I was so sore I could barely walk. But like I said...it was worth every bit of the pain.

“I’m a school boy full of joy” ;)

The next day was Sunday and it was also my birthday! We went to church (conveniently right across the street from our condo). The guys wanted to go to the "Grand Canyon of Hawaii" and go on another hike. My foot was still not feeling well from the hike the day before, so Kelly and I decided we would like to go back to Hanalei and do some shopping and get a closer look at the lighthouse (it was closed when we went through the day before). It was such a nice relaxing day! I couldn't have asked for more. We shopped in the cute shops, ate at a little cafe, and on our way back we stopped at the beach to walk in the water. We then went drove up to the scenic views of two water falls...the Wiamea and one that started with an "O" (I can't remember the name of it). Then we went back to the condo and just chilled for a while.

Halalei Lighthouse

overlook from the lighthouse

Hanalei church

Wiamea Falls

That night the guys barbequed steaks and made dinner for my birthday! They were so sweet. They made sure that I didn't do anything towards the dinner. It was all very sweet. I felt so pampered! Dinner was delicious! They also had bought me a cake the night before and it was in our fridge! I was so clueless. I didn't even notice it! It was a nice treat!!

For another great surprise, Kelly handed me a card that said that for my birthday they had all chipped in to go on a kayak tour the next day! I was so excited!!! I have always wanted to do that!!!

After the kayaking portion of the trip, we went on a hike to two different waterfalls. The guys decided to take a dip and test the waters out for themselves. We had a lady and her husband in our group that was driving us crazy. From the get go she was throwing a fit because she didn’t want to go. It was a surprise from her husband. She had perfect white tennis shoes on and her husband had boat shoes. They were not prepared for the hiking…it was very muddy and slippery. She delayed us at every turn. Ugh! She was probably in her 20s and her husband was probably in his 50s or 60s. Can you say “Sugar Daddy”. Maybe she found him on SugarDaddy.com! I had to take a picture of her because just looking at her you would know that she wasn’t meant to be in the outdoors.

So, there you have it...my very long blog about my trip to paradise. If all of my blogs take this long...I am sure this will be my last. I better start making them short and sweet.