goodbye 2011. hello 2012.

well it’s a new year.
2011 was full of changes for me.
big changes.

i quit my job as a flight attendant.
i went back to school to get a teaching credential.
i moved out of a beautiful apartment with my best friend and into my parents house, in a town where i knew no one.
i got a job as a long term sub teaching kindergarten.
i made new friends.
i consistently miss my old friends…

my world has kinda been turned upside down. and as crazy and lonely and hard as it’s been at times, it’s also been fun and exciting and pushed me in ways i wouldn’t trade for anything.

and when i really think about it, my life has kinda always been full of big changes. being still and content has never been my strong suit. there’s always been something in me that wants to keep moving, keep trying new things, find the next adventure… and i don't think that's a bad thing!

i could list a million things that i’ve been learning the last year and i’m still learning now. but mostly, i’m learning to embrace my restless spirit and use it to grow as a person and to serve God more. to take that “what’s next” feeling in me and channel it into ways that matter… because it’s okay to want more (this side of heaven we always will), but it’s not okay to waste today on trivial things or worldly things or stupid things because of it (and i am definitely guilty of doing this!). i want to spend my time doing things that matter, even when i’m not “content” with everything in my life. it’s been fun discovering ways to do this!

i am looking forward to soooo many things in 2012. to list a few:

finishing school, again!
getting a job (hopefully).
moving out of my parents house (no offense mom and dad).
traveling europe with one of my dearest friends!
figuring out where i’m going to live.

and maybe, if the mayans are correct, we’ll all even get to go to heaven this year!

so hello 2012, nice to meet you. i can’t wait to see what adventures you have in store for me this year.

i'm back!!!

i haven't updated my blog in a loooooong time. i know, and i'm sorry. i have no good excuses. but i'm going to try to get back into updating this! so we'll see how that goes ;)

now that i'm looking at the last time i posted i realize a lot has happened.

for starters i am no longer a flight attendant. this was a big change for me, and not an easy one actually. i loved my job. it could be long hours, and stressful, and sometimes people drove you CRAZY, but i really did love it. i count it such a blessing that i got the spend a couple years working as a flight attendant. and i'll never forget it. but ultimately, the lifestyle wasn't what i wanted. and i felt convicted that i could do more and be more and push myself further than i was in that job. (which is definitely not to say anything negative about people who have that job, it's a LOT of work). but the more i thought about it i just knew i needed a change. i actually applied to my two "dream airlines" while i was considering what change i was going to make. one offered me a job and one didn't. ultimately, i said no to it all and walked away from the aviation industry. there are definitely days that i miss it. and of course i miss the flight benefits! but i am confident it was the right decision for me, and i'm excited about where i'm at now.

so where is that?! well, i'm still working on getting my teaching credential. school starts later this month and i'll get right back into student teaching (i'll do another post with more about that later)! so most of my time is spend around lesson planning and schoolwork.

also, i moved. yes, again. i'm actually living in northern california in the south bay area now. it's great! my parents are up here and one of my brothers and his wife and two kids are only 2 hrs away. so i'm loving being near family!

anyways, that's a short version update of a long break from blogging!

 
and just for fun, here's a picture of my siblings and i on vacation in june up at the lake house in montana! :)

miss gudgel

pretty soon that will be me!

in january i will be starting the process of getting my teaching credential and i can't wait! i've wanted to be an elementary teacher for quite a while, but the timing was just never right. but i really feel like it is now and i'm so excited to get started

it will be about a year and a half process, and most likely i will be student teaching all of next school year. then will hopefully have my own classroom the following year! that feels like a long way away right now, but i'm sure it will all go fast.

but for the time being, i'll be working full time still and going to school full time as well. a little intimidating but i can do it!! i have a goal and i'm excited to work towards it! :)

and soon enough i'll have my own one of these!

ohhhh anne.

so the pioneer woman, a close personal friend of mine, gave me a few tips on blogging.

actually i've never met her, i'm just an overly obsessive fan, but she did post some blogging tips. and one of the big points was to blog often, whether you have anything to say or not.

i definitely don't blog often. but maybe i'll work on it! no promises though.


however, i DO have something exciting coming up.

i'm turning 25 on friday. that is not the exciting part. i dislike birthdays. actually, i like birthdays in theory. but in reality, i tend to be disappointed on my birthdays, which leads me to dislike them. particularly this one, 25, because i feel old. and single. and nowhere near the married with children i desire. but that's another post for another day! :)

so, for this birthday, my mom and i are taking a trip.

a trip to prince edward island!!!

now i adore anne of green gables. i have often wanted to be anne of green gables. that first kiss on the bridge between anne and gilbert at the end of anne of avonlea after they talk about marble floors and sunbursts...

(sigh). enough said.

so between being an anne fan, and also a fall fan (fall on prince edward island is supposed to be gorgeous), i am extremely excited for a girls getaway/birthday trip on the island!

3 days an counting...

making moves.

i moved into a new apartment last month. i absolutely love it! once it's all decorated i'll put up some pictures. but it's looking super cute!

i'm living with my best friend since childhood, caitlin. which is great. we each have our own junior suite with our own bathroom and walk-in closet attached to our rooms. there's a fireplace in the living room. a balcony. a dining area. and a great kitchen! i've also been cooking up a storm lately which is fun!

i am also thinking pretty seriously about beginning the process of getting my teaching credential started in january. i'd keep flying while i'm taking classes, which is totally doable. but i really just can't wait to have my own classroom!!!

i've been going through a lot of emotional ups and downs lately, and dealing with some big decisions... but I am excited to see where God is going to take me next! and i'm learning and being challenged more and more everyday to put my trust in Him!