"It gets better."
It is interesting to me-the thoughts, the images, and even the questions such a simple phrase can evoke.  I find myself wanting to ask the author to elaborate as to why such a comment was made.

I am.

After a very long absence, I would like to say,
 "I am back."
 I would like to say,
 "I commit to writing on a more regular basis."
I would like to say,
"Life has calmed down somewhat. I have the time and energy to put my thoughts and feeling into words".
I guess I COULD say all this. However....it would not be true.
Truth be told, things are crazier than ever.

I am still a mom. Greatest job ever, I must say. All of the kids are living at home, although not for much longer. Gypsy is back from SUU. She only has a class of two left so it was decided for financial reasons, she would move back home, finishing the needed classes online. After 2 years of struggling to find a job in Cedar City, she was able to find one in St. George after only a few days looking. Working almost full-time hours has been somewhat of an adjustment, but she loves her job-working at a daycare with children ranging from newborn to 5 years old. Talon is finishing up his last year at Dixie College. To graduate with a bachelor's degree before turning 20 is quite an accomplishment. I am very proud of him. Sierra is in her senior year of high school. She is juggling 2 jobs, 1 online class, her regular school load and a boyfriend. She has come so far in the last year. I can't wait to see what this school year has in store for her. Sabrina is once again a member of the student council at school-Historian. I love reading her blog. Her positive crazy attitude is infectious. It is easy to see why her friends love her. Jens is much like I was at 12-lost in his books. It probably is partly because there really aren't friends out here within walking distance. His quirky self perplexes me. He is self-described as being Happy Crazy. And then there is Walker, who is definitely the youngest child. He does whatever he can to fly under the radar in an attempt to avoid doing anything. His kindergarten teacher's comment, "Walker will go to an inordinate amount of work to keep from doing any work," still applies.

 I am a wife. Can I brag here for a minute? Odean has lost close to 60 lbs since the first of the year. He looks amazing! People don't even recognize him any more. Even my kids have been heard to say, "wow...Dad's hot!" I would have to agree. He does look good.

I am a dispatcher. I was going to say I am a cab driver, but it goes beyond that. With 5 drivers living at home, 3 running vehicles... occasionally 4, and 8 people needing to be in different places at any given time all the while living 20 miles out of town, it can often be a challenging task to coordinate it all. My phone receives multiple texts throughout the day, reading-I need to be at work by 7. How am I going to get there. Or-Who's taking up to piano lessons today? Or-Can't Gypsy just stay in town tonight so I can use the car? Or my personal favorite-How much longer until you are done so I can go home? I think this week rather than having them give me their schedules, I am going to give them a copy of my schedule along with their dad's and ask them to submit a suggested transportation plan. Life skills. It will be a good thing for them to learn. Maybe will even foster a little gratitude for the little things I do that they take for granted.

I am a rider. Maybe this should say I WAS becoming a rider. In the spring I did some trade labor for a road bike. In the beginning I rode almost every day. I even cut back hours at work so I could ride my bike more. It was awesome! At the first of the summer I over-did it one day, pushing myself on a 50 mile ride. I had to take a hiatus for 6 weeks at my doctor's request. By the time I could ride again, the temp was pushing over a hundred degrees. Not much interest in being hit by a truck and horse trailer, while lying wounded in the road after falling off my bike due to heat stroke. Maybe when the cooler temps come around I will make it more of a priority to ride again.

I am an employee. I am still working at the convenience store in Santa Clara as well as doing the book merchandising at Kmart once a week. Although I have cut my hours back, I probably should consider letting one of the positions go. I have thought long and hard on this and have decided I can't. Ok...probably the more accurate statement would be that I am not willing to at this time. I love them both. I love the social aspects of working at Dutchman's. I get to interact with a lot of people who genuinely seem happy to see me. I know many of them by name. Some have even commented on the fact that I seem to have a fan club-a regular handful of customers who know my schedule and come in to visit because I am there. My book merchandising job fulfills my need to organize.  There is nothing remotely social about it. I haven't ever met my manager even. We communicate thru email and with the very rare phone call. Odd, I know. I am so relaxed when I leave.

I am once again a student of more than just life. 2 weeks ago I started my freshman year at Dixie State College. I am taking 14 credits which include-Human Relations, Interpersonal Communications, Library Science, CIS, English and Freshman Experience. I love my classes. I love my professors. I love being on campus. I even love homework. I thought I was busy before. I didn't know anything.

Ok...so maybe not before Christmas.

After having spent a couple of hrs trying to get new pictures on here, I remember why I quit updating on a regular basis. Who has time? It seems as if I am going to wait until I have an entire day off to be able to post the photos I have and write my thoughts. Hmmm...maybe I will have to hire Sabrina.