Home again

The last five years have brought a lot of change. I've lived in three different states, been unemployed for a year, suffered from a "broken foot," and come to all sorts of conclusions about life and myself. Some even dare to say I've learned to "go with the flow." *GASP*

I left teaching because I had to leave Colorado. I couldn't breathe and it was killing me - somewhat literally, but mostly figuratively/emotionally.

I spent a year living with my parents, during which time I suffered from major depression (even worse than when I was in Colorado). Thank God for my parents though. I wouldn't have been able to restart my life without their love and support.

I'm back in MN and I'm surrounded by old friends and new. I can breathe, mostly. I'm employed and have found joy in my new life as an Advising Coordinator. I'm helping college students to become teachers. It's fulfilling and there's a built-in filter between the traumatic lives of little kids and myself. One of the things I struggled with in Colorado was not being able to keep an emotional wall between myself and the crappy things that my students were going through. I felt for them and it tore me up inside.

I've survived my first semester back in college. Next semester I'm taking on a couple of new roles; student teacher supervisor and returning college student. I'll be supervising two student teachers working in 3rd grade. They'll be working in their own classrooms, with their cooperating teachers, AND together teaching joint lessons. It's something new the University is trying out. I'm excited to be in on the experiment.

Shortly after returning to Minnesota, I discovered I am 27 credits shy of a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative & Professional Writing. So... I'm taking a class I need to fulfill that degree and another one which is an experimental course.

I've found a doctor who knows what's wrong with my foot and is treating it effectively. Apparently it was a neuroma, not a stress fracture. I'm receiving a series of injections into the nerve. (It feels about as horrible as it sounds, but it's working).

I'm getting ready to go home for the holidays. I just saw my parents a few weeks ago when I surprised them for their anniversary and Thanksgiving by driving 24 hours to the Alpaca Ranch in NM. I won't get to see all of my family - it seems I never do these days - but I should be able to see the majority.

I'm a two-time godmother.

...

Things have changed a lot, but there's a level of familiarity and comfort in being back in MN. It's like coming home after a very long journey. I've changed. The University has changed. My friends have changed. But we all still fit together.

Suitcase + Broken Foot = Knit + Purl

Last October, at the Taos Wool Festival, I broke my foot. I got up in the middle of the night to go to the restroom and on my way back to my bed I tripped over Mom's suitcase.

To shorten the story... 3 doctors, 2 sets of x-rays, 1 MRI, 2 different foot tapings/strappings, 1 cortisone injection, 5 weeks in a boot... and now I'm working on 6 weeks in a cast with a knee scooter - non-weight bearing. The only positive things I can say are that I've got some cute artwork:

I'm getting some crocheting done:

And I think I've finally gotten the hang of this knit and purl stuff:

The blue line is a "Life Line" - so when I mess up I can pull it back to the closest life line instead of having to rip the entire thing out or rip to a spot and try to pick all my stitches back up. Genius idea!

I've also gotten into Ravelry. Now I just need to update my Etsy store with all the new stuff I've made :)

Matchbox 20

It's hard to make myself write these days... but I've had a really great day so I'm seizing the moment :)

Yesterday I called the radio station and won 2 spots at a VIP concert with two members of Matchbox 20 (Rob Thomas and Paul Doucette).

Mom and I went to a swanky hotel in Dallas and lived the high life for a short while (valet parking and all).

We were up close and personal with the band and the acoustic performance was AMAZING! I'm ruined for life!