Be Prepared for the Unexpected

 Hello Fam! 

What a crazy week it has been! I have never really fully understood the 72 hour kit and being prepared. I mean being prepared yes I get but this was a week that changed my whole way of looking at it. 

I had the experience where I had to pack up my life just the essentials of what I was going to need for a week to survive and to get out. Including food, clothes, bathroom belongings, everything needed to be alive. When it happens it is an adrenaline rush like you have never felt the feelings of the unknown the worry of when can I go back. Where am I going to go? What am I going to do? Well let me tell you. It is okay to be scared and nervous but there is NO REASON TO NOT BE PREPARED! I learned that the hard way. I have never been afraid of COVID. I always joked about getting it but when my roommate got it and that meant I might have to quarantine. My world turned upside down.The fear of having nowhere to go the fear of not being able to go back to my house, the fear of leaving my students for 2 weeks. My mind was going so many miles an hour I would have never guessed that I would panic. (I am a panicier so why I thought I would be calm is beyond me.) 

I talked to my boss and she said get out don't go home get out! I went and packed my bags and the car with everything I could think of that I would need and little did I know that I would need more.  I am able to run to my house and grab a few things as long as I am quick. My roommate also leaves it on the porch for me. 

My nurse roommate who doesn't have it is cleaning non stop to make sure it is safe for us to be there. I can't go home because I don't have a place to shower or go to the bathroom. Because the COVID people said that the COVID positive person needs their own bathroom. I ran to the house to get some food last night and it was so gloomy, it was a ghost town. It doesn't look lived in, if you looked super close you could see tumbleweed just tumbling by. 

I talked to my roommate yesterday and we decided in two weeks when we get to come back together and live again that it will be the best day ever. The Eagle will hide, the tree will be up and all the other decorations too. 

I know that Heavenly Father knows what he is doing and he is just preparing us for what is to come. I know that being prepared is a necessity and I will always be ready now. I am so thankful for the love and knowledge that I have of the gospel because without it this week, I would have been so lost and alone with no one on my side. I had my Father in heaven on my side on the dark lonely nights he was the one there protecting me from the demons of the world. He was the one who was listening to my struggles the nights I couldn't sleep. I know that I am loved and thatI am safe. I think of the conference talk that said.."I don't feel safe, but I know I am safe!"

The world we live in is crazy and fast. Sometimes we just need to stop and take a deep breath and remember it may be the new normal but it is possible to live in.

Moral of this post is to be prepared, expect the unexpected and don't lose sight of the end goal. Have a go bag ready to go with everything you will need for a week even if it seems silly you will be glad you did.

I am off to my next adventure. Until next time Peace Out Cub scout. Work hard, Play harder, RUN YOUR HEART OUT! Never lose sight of the end goal. Keep the Faith! Peace and Love! Over and Out!

Find the Simple Things!

Hey Blogger Fam! 

It is me again and I am sure you are thinking what are you going to complain about today. Well, I want to take a different approach. Today I want to tell you some things that I am grateful for and so blessed to have in my life. I know right now this world is hard to live in and hard to survive and sometimes it seems that it is easier to be dead than alive. I want to be the first to tell you that you are loved. You are cared about and you matter to someone and that someone is me! YOU MATTER TO ME! I am so grateful to have you in my life even if it was just for a short while.

I am so grateful for the horrible roommate I had a year ago because it has taught me that not everyone is like that. It has helped me find some amazing roommates who have become my best friends! They celebrated my birthday for a week with me. They let me feel like I mattered and I was worth it. They even had birthday surprises for me. They decorated the house while I was running a half marathon! Even the neighbors wished me a happy birthday.

Here is another reason I am grateful for my roommates: we work different schedules, I am a teacher, one roommate is a nurse, and one works on a computer. My nurse roommate went out of her way when I forgot something to bring it to me at work so I could feel better about the way I looked. She didn't question it or even think twice about it. She almost got caught in the carpool line but she was more than willing to help me out! 

I am grateful for the people I work with the ones that I have become friends with and the ones that I have become enemies with. I am so sad to see how this year has gone from the friendships that were made last year to now how they are like non-existent because of social distancing. I know we can still call and text but it hurts my heart to see how close we were to not being nearly that close. I love the support team I have because I know that I have at least 4 people in my corner.

I am grateful for nature and the natural beauty and the silence of it all. I love to go and just listen to the birds chirp and the wind blow. The peace that fills the soul is so real. I am thankful for the mountains! 

I am grateful for my ability to run and I am so thankful for the foot doctor who has made it possible for me to run again. I am glad he took the time to figure out what was really wrong with it and not just say or it is this and you will have to take medicine forever. 

I am thankful for the simple things because it is the simple things that mean the most in life. Even a simple note to say hi or even a fresh baked loaf of bread. Just the simple things are the things that mean the most. I am so grateful for the people who do little things for me not because they have to but because they want to, they do it because they know that I am about to burst and can't handle it anymore.

I am so grateful for my family, my parents and my brother. I am thankful for them for many reasons. They put up with me even when I am not very nice. My dad fixes my car when it is having problems and he always says it is just a part of life. My mom goes to the fabric store with me and helps me pick out fabric for quilts I am making and even pillow cases. We get kits to work on together okay so mainly me but I wouldn't change it for the world. Josh is my best friend. He comes and helps me hang pictures. He takes my chair back when it is the wrong one to get the right one and then he puts it together for me. I have the best family in the world.

I am thankful for many things. I am done with the negative. I am working on letting go. I am going to work on the positives on my blog from now on. I don't want the world to see the sadden girl who is living in darkness. I want the world to see the girl that I am the one with a smile even when running a half marathon. I want the world to see me as a person who loves others. I want the world to know this life is hard but together we will make it through.

I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and sometimes it is a hard pill to swallow but it is all in his timing. I am so grateful for the plan he has for me even though it is different than my own. 

I am truly blessed to live the life I live and have the wonderful family that I have. I love family. They are the people who remind me that it is okay to be different and to be me. I have some amazing parents and an amazing brother! 

I am off to my next adventure. Until next time Peace Out Cub scout. Work hard, Play harder, RUN YOUR HEART OUT! Never lose sight of the end goal. Keep the Faith! Peace and Love! Over and Out!

Sometimes Life is Rough

Sometimes in life we do things that we want because it seems easy and it will get us out of school the fastest, when in all reality the only person we are hurting is ourselves. I can't pass the silly teacher test. I am going to take it one more time and give it everything I have and then if I don't pass, I will study for a different test and follow my childhood dreams. I will get my law degree and then I will become very successful and then you will see. You will see! You doubted me many times and you know what I am done with the doubters and the haters. Life is hard and right it is hard to do a lot of things. You have to teach with a mask on and hope and pray your glasses don't fog up but then they do so you don't breathe and then all of the sudden you gasp for air. 

COVID has taken over the world. This has been around for a long time. Why is it a big deal now? If I am going to get it I am going to get it. It doesn't matter if I am meant to die and it is my time to go, then it is my time to go. Covid took us out of school for 6 months and all the progress we made with our kiddos went down the drain because some of the parents didn't even care to help their student with work. I get it was hard, it was hard for teachers too. Teachers did everything they could to help them succeed. Some made house calls and others sent mail. I know that right now you are afraid of the world but sometimes you just have to remember it is in the lord's hands and not yours. Never lose sight of the end goal. Everything happens for a reason and right now we need this struggle to help us remember how good life used to be and how good it can be again. I know wearing a face mask is hard. I wear one everyday, usually two. I know that this too shall pass. Just remember patiences is a virtue and we are learning it together. Never give up on your dream, reach them, they are never out of reach. Even if it is taking the silly test 20 times! NEVER GIVE UP! KEEP THE FAITH!
Until next time I am off to my next adventure! Keep the Faith! Work hard, Play harder, RUN your HEART OUT! Peace out cub scout! Over and Out! 

Florida be KIND to my PEOPLE!

 Hello Blogger Fam! 

Life is a crazy thing. The world which we live in is a weird thing. Take me back to February when life was normal or what we like to call normal. The normal we used to know. We had a family dinner that I didn't want to come or did I ever think would come. My cousin is moving because her husband who is history smart is going to school for his Phd. She has a cute little boy name Hamilton. I never thought they would move away. Kirstie has always been one of my best friends and more so since 2008 when Grandma B passed away. She always took me in she made me feel like I mattered. I always wanted to be like her. She was the one that I looked up to and was like I am going to be as amazing as her one day. The day we heard they were moving was that day my heart broke. We all knew it was coming but we all secretly hoped it wouldn't.

On July 23rd, I went over to Grandma Yomer's to have Austin help me with my timeline because he is history smart and I just looked at those 25 pictures for 9 months praying they would just put themselves in order well clearly we all knew that would not happen but I was very hopeful didn't happen so therefore I had to ask for help and I am not one to ask for help because that is a sign of weakness I have always been taught that. I asked Kirstie and she asked Austin and he put them in order in less than 3 minutes and I was just amazed! 

I asked Kirstie before he put my timeline together if they could come to dinner and she said we are moving soon I said I know. My mom wants to have a family dinner before you leave. Everyone came except Uncle Gary who had prior engagements to attend. It was so fun to have one more family dinner before they move. I never knew how much I loved them. I invited myself over to Florida in February I didn't give them a choice I asked if they accept visitors and she said yes always. 

I watched them drive away and my heart hurt. Not because they were leaving but because I knew it would be a long time before I get to see them again. I will miss the random coke runs and the black Friday working. Kirstie and I are the only girls in the mix of the boys. I am going to miss them as they go start their new adventure! Good Luck in Florida my friends. You will be missed but you are always loved and have a place in Brigham! Never forget where you come from and don't ever turn your back on the one who loves you the most! Keep your chin up and Keep the Faith! 

Off to my next adventure. Peace Out Cub Scout. See you soon to some amazing people! Work hard, play harder and RUN YOUR HEART OUT! Keep the Faith! Over and out!   

My APA Journey

Hello Blogger World,

What a crazy 10 months it has been. If you asked me 10 months ago where I would be today it wouldn't be where I am. I would have told you heck to the no! I hated my job and what I was doing with my life. I was angry at the world. I was angry at myself because I had gotten so low that nothing would help me get back up. Then I finally got a job and started it the next day. I had a friend tell me that the school I was going to work for was a terrible place, therefore that is where my mindset was. I counted the fast Sundays because it makes life easier to count. I will never forget the first day of school. I sobbed at my desk, holding my head saying Jill Anne you made a mistake. I didn't just start teaching that day I moved that day too. My instructor's husband came in and was like how are you and I just cried and he said I am so sorry. 

The first day I am not going to lie to you was so HARD! Did I want to quit? HECK TO THE YES! I was ready to run and I mean run on my two feet I was going to run to Rhode Island. For those of you who don't know Rhode Island is a 37 hour drive so just imagine how long it would be to run it would be 748 hours to run without stopping or WPA stops. (water, pee and air)

Looking back on the school year and to now would I change my life. No I have loved my journey, it has been hard for sure, hasn't been a cake walk! It has been an uphill marathon. I mean straight up hill. The journey got easier in January and that was when my mindset changed. Why? Because I looked at the world in a different way. I tried to find the positives everyday and not the negatives. I was finding the negatives in everything I did. I was the most negative Nancy you have ever met. I woke up one morning and said Jill you are done and no one wants to be around you because you are bringing everyone down. But once I started to find the positives life got better I made a few friends. I made some amazing friends that I hope to be friends with for a long time! LIfe is more fun with friends and easier because you can share the workload. 

When you start to find the positives in life you start to get the adventure of a lifetime. The way you see the world changes and the happier you are. Look for the positives even when life gives you lemons, there is still a positive to be found. 

Working for APA has changed my life for the better! It may have been the worst thing of my life for the longest time but now it is truly a blessing in my life. There is a quote that I think about when I think about my life in APA. Sometimes your biggest struggle is your greatest strength. Something like that. Working for APA isn't for the weak! Yes, there are things I don't like of course because everywhere you go there is. I am so blessed to be a part of the APA family, I have met some amazing people and made some amazing friends. 

I am off to my next adventure until next time! Peace Out Cub Scout! Work hard, play harder, Run your hardest! Don't lose sight of the end goal. Keep the Faith! 

I Will Protect You...

Hello Blogger World,

Today I come to you with a heart full of gratitude to one kind sir. For the last day of school we had a no missing work party for the students who didn't have any missing work from online school. Their reward for no missing work was throwing water balloons at the teachers they could bring their own or earn up to three. Ms. Mad Hatter and I filled up 840 water balloons for this. We had a blast filling them up. As teachers we lined up waiting for students to come and throw them from their cars. I walk up and down the line of people because we all know I can't be in one spot for a long time. I was standing by Ms. Mad Hatter and Mr. Kind Sir because they are my favorite people, I love them! I went and got some balloons so we could have a secret stash of water balloons to throw at admin or each other. As we were getting balloons thrown at us Mr. Kind Sir said Ms. Dallon is that Harvey (name changed)  and I didn't even register he was talking to me yet again he said the same thing, Ms. Dallon is that Harvey, all of the sudden it was Jill is the Harvey. I said where and he said right there. I was shocked it was Harvey. I gulped and was like yes yes it is. Mr. Kind Sir didn't even think twice he said I will protect you! Stand behind me I will protect you. He stood in front of me and said, I won't let them hurt you, stay behind me I will protect you. Standing behind him was the safest I have felt in a long time. He took a pounding of water balloons for me that day.I know that sounds so silly to you but no one has ever done that for me before. I saw a different side of that man that day. It was the protective side he was going to keep me safe no matter what. He wasn't going to let anything hurt me as he did many times before. He listened the day I told him that I was afraid of that parent he didn't even think twice about protecting me from this student and the parent. I told Mr. Kind Sir one day about this student and the parent and how I was afraid and I am not afraid of many people but this man I am afraid. I will always remember the kindness of Mr. Kind Sir. He is an amazing person and I am so lucky to have him as friend. I am so thankful for the love and kindness he showed me that day. There are still good people in this world. Mr. Kind Sir thank you for all you do for me and thank you for protecting me from the water balloons from Harvey and the parent. You are incredible! 

I am off to my next adventure! Peace out cub scout. Until next time, Work hard, play harder, Run the hardest. Follow your heart! Never lose sight of the end goal! Keep the Faith! 

Bryce Canyon Adventures

Hello Blogger Fam! 

I am coming today to tell you about my weekend adventures! I was able to go to Bryce Canyon with my friend and her family. It was an adventure! It was so much fun to get away and do some soul searching. Did I get any answers to my problems or questions yes and no. I want to start by telling you about the sunset. We went into the National Park and went to Sunset Point. It was beautiful there, the clouds were black and the sun shined through and it was incredible! It was so peaceful and the quietness you felt was so real. Fast forward to the next day, we wake up and go on a nice little run. Then we showered, got ready, went to breakfast and found out when we were going horseback riding. Yes I am terrified of animals. We got to the horse back ride. I get the horse Benny. I didn't have a melt down getting on the horse. I specifically told the guide I was afraid and he said you got the best horse you will be fine. I was fine until it started moving and then the tears came and the meltdown came. The guide stopped and said what is your name. I'm crying at this point and can barely get Jill out. Okay Jill it's okay let it out. Do you need some water or a treat? Everyone is nervous, the other guide comes up to me and says she is terrified of animals. Frank the guide said oh this makes sense he walks me over to the group and continues to try to distract me. Kieffer is a bull rider he won't let anything happen to you, in my head I am like what does that have to do with anything. Therefore, I was the leader of the pack right behind Kieffer, he sat sideways to keep my mind off of being scared. He asked about my life, things I like to do, and what I did for work. He was a very nice kind teenie bopper. He never laughed; he said everything would be fine and it was. My horse only got out of line one and yes I freaked out. I lived to tell about it! The little 3rd grader behind me in the group was very upset he couldn't be the leader. Horseback riding was fun. It was a blast once I got over the fear. I didn't panic until it started to move and the meltdown was one 2 minutes that is a record mark it down in the books. 

After the horseback ride we went and had lunch and ice cream. We then went hiking and in the middle of the hike it started to rain as it does in Utah it was a 10 minute storm. It made the trail so slippery and we made it back up to the top and were covered in dirt, mud and sand. We then went back to the hotel and had dinner and then got cleaned up. 

It was a great adventure! It was so great to go soul searching and to see some amazing things. It was worth the drive and amazing to see Bryce Canyon! 

I am off to my next adventure! Peace out cub scout. Until next time, Work hard, play harder, Run the hardest. Follow your heart! Never lose sight of the end goal! Keep the Faith!