So long 2012

This is more of a personal entry..

Recently I've been doing a lot of reflecting upon this year. It's been a rather eventful one, and I'm pleased to say that 2012 has been one of the best years to date---even though some of the worst things have happened. 

So...lets start from the beginning..

Grad School: This year I began my special education masters through Grand Canyon University, and so far so good! I have maintained a solid 4.0 gpa and I'm really accomplishing my goals! I've never been great in school, and graduated from Mansfield with a 2.7 gpa...so as you can see, this a very big improvement. 

Surgery: In February/March I had my gallbladder removed. Not a very serious surgery, but one i had to be put out for nonetheless. It went well, no complications, but it really helped effect my eating habits...which leads me to..

Exercise: I have always made resolutions to lose weight..but last year I didnt. Last year, i made the resolution to just be happier with myself. In February, my good friend Riat talked me into going to the gym. I began the Couch to 5K program, and I really started noticing that my affect was really improving. I loved the feeling after i finished working out, and I was proud to say I turned into a runner. Summer and early fall, I started falling behind with going to the gym, but I'm happy to say I'm back into it have been going
consistently for the past 5 weeks. I'm also pleased to say that I've lost 32 lbs in the last year :) 

Diet: The gallbladder surgery really helped me with my eating habits. I'm finding that my appetite has really changed since surgery, and I get full much quicker. I also give credit to being active--and having my metabolism speed up. 
With the help of my boyfriend, I'm also trying a lot of new foods, which are often healthier options. Although I still love the occasional burger and fries, I'm cutting out a lot of fast foods, and drinking much less regular sodas. Baby-steps are proving to be a lot more effective than anticipated!

                                                         Feb 2012                         Dec 2012

Job: Last year, i was an instructional assistant, and pretty unhappy about it. I applied and got rejected from about 4 jobs I interviewed. I was in a pretty vulnerable state. Then..Mosby Woods called, and now I am (obviously) a special education teacher, and I LOVE it. I'm finding that i'm actually a natural at it, and I'm having so much fun doing it! I'm in a very good situation, at a very supportive school which is extremely close to where I live (4 min drive?? Can't beat it!). 

Loss of Family Members: This year, both of my grandmothers passed away within a 3 month span. It was tough..but at the same time very uplifting. Our family grew closer, and I got a ton of support from everyone around me. I stayed positive and grew a lot from the experience, which is something that probably wouldn't have happened a few years ago. 

Loss of friends: In between the loss of my grandmothers, I also lost a very close friend from a heart condition. It def threw me for a loop, but it was another moment when I was able to lean on friends and really treasure the moments I had with them, just as Ronnel would have wanted. 

Growing friendships:  This year, one of my closest friends got married. The events that lead up to that day, and the day of the wedding were probably some of the biggest highlights of the year. I was surrounded by girls whom I've known for a million years, and I love! They are responsible for showing me how to stay in good spirits, and that no matter how much I slack in the communication department, they still love me no matter what. I'm so lucky to have them in my life and this year really showed me that! 
I was so happy to be apart of Allison's wedding, and can't wait for them to be apart of mine! 

I've also grown a lot closer to a good friend of mine: Riat. I can honestly say he has turned into one of my best friends. He has motivated me to be happier and healthier, and has continued to give me advice which has really motivated my outlook on life. 

Traveling: This year I got to travel to two new and exciting places: Costa Rica and Las Vegas! The trips were amazing, as well as the company. I sure do love traveling :)

Big Purchases: This year, I also moved out of my house, and bought my very first car. Pretty big milestones that have only made me happier :) 

Family: I'm happy to say that since I've moved out, I've gotten a lot closer to my immediate family! I think that without me being there to annoy them, we are all very happy to talk freely to each other about our lives and the people in it. 

Love: And of course, I have grown deeper in love with my boyfriend-Chris. Our future is looking very bright, and I'm so happy I get to spend our 3rd New Years together! Our relationship is incredibly strong and I'm just so happy with him. We've learned to grow and adapt to each other, and we've found that we are very happy together! We still are excited to see each other every day, and are willing to do anything to make each other happy! 


So all-in-all...not a bad year. I think it's mainly because I'm just in such a good place emotionally, that I'm growing a lot from all these experiences! I'm one very happy girl, and I'm excited to see what the new year has in store!