here's to the future!

here! here!
I have a sense of excitement about what the future holds for me. there are several things that I'd love to do in my life.
Travel. You can see my Places to go list...if you want. that list is definitely not complete but I'm working on it. Matt and I went to Hawaii on our honeymoon, which was definitely a check off of my bucket list. I definitely agree with tropical and warm places like Hawaii. I absolutely loathe being cold! I need to feel the sun on my face and I feel like a complete version of myself when I am outside and feeling warm and adventurous.

Have a family. I am so excited to start a family with Matt. I feel like that is something we were MEANT to do. That will need to wait until we are finished with school, because we feel that getting school over with is a wise decision...take one thing at a time! 
Do passionate things. I really champion doing things that I LOVE. I really feel like my life can be filled with things that I'm passionate about...I just need to stick to what those things are and develop them into skills and talents. I'm thinking of becoming a teacher as a career...it would provide a great schedule for me (summer's off...I mean, seriously...) and not only that, I'd get to influence kids for the better. That just sounds like such an awesome responsibility.  
I feel like having a family contributes to our community here in Utah. I feel that I am investing in the future, wanting to have children. Also, moving into a place where we feel safe raising a family will contribute to our own sense of community. 
I'd like to volunteer and continue to help people as a part of society. I'd feel successful if I were to help people on a regular basis.
Teach.
I want to teach my kids about the moments in my life that have changed me.

no time like the present

present day.
I got married to my best friend in May 2010. We moved into a little basement apartment in Salt Lake, combined lives and everything. That summer was incredibly stressful because we were working about 60-70 hours a week. Not only that but we were robbed in June, and it really threw me into a weird fit of not feeling SAFE in my own home. We also had no tv or internet for that whole summer, making us feel really disconnected from everything. It was a huge adjustment!
I have supported myself through school without help from my parents. My great husband loaned my some money before we got married to help with school as well. Right now, I have an EMT certification and a CNA certification, as well as being tantalizingly close to being done with my Associate's Transfer degree (next fall!) in Family and Human Studies. I am thinking right now of starting my own business teaching CPR/First Aid. Right now I work in an elementary school as a para-pro, basically teaching kids in small groups throughout the day. It is a stressful job and has it's good moments, but next semester I don't think I'll be able to work there while taking 6 classes!
My husband has a visionary mind and he has big dreams. He wants to own his own venue, specializing in local artists, musicians, chefs, filmmakers,etc. 
We really enjoy camping and being outside. We both run a Cub Scout camp in the summer (that's where we met!). I'm a hardcore night owl (thanks, dad) so I prefer hanging out all night and sleeping in. I try to do that whenever possible :)
I definitely can see things in the way that I act now that are results of the way I was raised. I am opinionated, outgoing, and I think deeply a lot. My parents were great at telling me how they felt about things, if they were proud of me and their opinions on things. I am assertive in that way and I feel that being upfront and honest is a good way to go. My husband it pretty laid back and he is definitely not as assertive...I think sometimes I am a little too much for him but he'll never admit that. He tends to think about things before talking about them...which makes me really impatient. 
My goals right now include saving money so we can live somewhere nice...finishing school, keeping myself healthy...and just being spontaneous and enjoying life and experiencing the most that I can!
Community.
I definitely do not feel connected to the community here in Salt Lake in the same way that I did growing up. I actually have a slightly less social demeanor right now because we have had cars vandalized, things stolen from us, and people go through our garbage on a weekly basis. I've developed an attitude of questioning people's intentions. I know that it's bad, but I feel that my experiences have made me a bit more curious in what people are up to. The church we attend is a lot less social than the one I went to growing up. This is difficult because we go to church not only to worship but to be a part of the religion and collaborate with people. 
Society.
I feel that I could contribute to society more than I am right now. My mistrust in people would probably get better if I was out helping people more often. I feel like this is something that I should be doing.

Roots

"every journey begins with a single step"
Roots.
I'm lucky to have an amazing family. I'm the oldest child of 6. My parents are full of expression, intelligence, humor, music, and expectations. I was raised doing things I love. I have a finickiness when it comes to doing the things I LOVE. I won't settle. Childhood memories include:

Swings. lots of swings. 










Being outdoors. I LOVE being outside, and I have my whole life. Although my parents aren't the most enthusiastic outdoorsmen, I still spent a lot of time at parks, hiking, swimming, and in my backyard.

I also learned the value of education and music as a young child. I was the type of kid who was grounded for reading past my bedtime. I LOVE READING. I also learned to play the piano beginning at age 6. I LOVE MUSIC. These two passions have contributed to my abilities as an adult to obtain my education and be creative. 
Don't forget my religion. I am lucky to have parents who are converted and passionate about being Latter-Day Saints. Both of my parents served missions for the church before they were married. The LDS church has been a base for everything in my life. 

Community.

I grew up on the East bench of Sandy...among a ton of friends and neighbors who were really a part of our community. My neighborhood always felt safe growing up, which is such a luxury. I know that I developed a great sense of adventure because I felt safe growing up so I used that as a jumping off point. I definitely connected to my community growing up. It was the culture of that community that I felt comfortable in...friendly and safe.

Take Away.

From my childhood, I took away the importance of being myself, having a sense of community and being social, being expressive in music and having hobbies like reading. Also, the value of an education, religion, and working together in a family.