And this, too, shall pass...

[Jennifer]

So, not that I've been posting much lately (still a faithful visitor though!), but I will pretty much be absent this summer. Maybe a quick pop in every couple of weeks. But work takes me away from computers. This may be a good thing...

~blows kisses all around~

[Jennifer]

Okay so if you can stand to hear Backstreet Boys in the background, this is a really cute video...definitely brought a smile to my face. Gotta love the highkick!
Dancing queen

[Jennifer]

The past few months have been crazy and fun, with some other not so great stuff thrown in.

The main not-so-great thing: we're going to lose our house. But I really don't care anymore. That's that.

The craziness and fun:
-Had a camper get caught in a rip current and I lost my waterproof digital camera going after her. I just replaced it.
-As I was getting that camper, one of my fellow counselors almost broke his knee against a boulder in the jetty. Cut down to the bone.
-Saw lots of sharks in the Keys.
-Went to an amazing "halloween in July" party.

The list could go on but these things stick most in my mind. I sure have missed all of you.

[Jennifer]

I don't know if I've ever written much biographical stuff about myself here. My past had its ups and downs just like everyone else's. I mostly grew up at my grandparents' house in Florida. When my grandfather got sick with emphysema, but great-aunt Evelyn from Kansas spent a lot of time with us. As a retired nurse she had a lot of care-giving experience and helped my grandmother a ton. My grandfather died in '98, but Evelyn would still visit all the time. A few years ago my grandmother and dad moved to where Evelyn and her husband Gail live in Kansas. This past spring, my grandmother called to tell me Evelyn had been diagnosed with cancer. She underwent a few months of chemo, but apparently lost her will to live because over the past several days, she hadn't eaten at all. Yesterday morning, Uncle Gail helped her get up in the morning. They were talking and then she just...died. I'm happy Evelyn is no longer in pain, but I am unutterably sad for my uncle. This is the second wife he's had to see die, and he's not in such great shape himself. I have some photos of the two of them from my trip there in March. I hope sending these to Uncle Gail doesn't make him sadder. I just want him to have something special to remember her by since I'm one of the few who was allowed to take her photo. Thanks for listening.

[Jennifer]

Camera equipment is becoming an addiction. Maybe it's a good thing that I don't that the money to bankroll my habit. I did just get a fun new lens though, even though I shouldn't spend the money. Oh well!

[Jennifer]

The day has finally arrived, and I guess I'm lucky it's taken as long as it has.

I am beginning to dislike my job. Slowly but surely, everything I loved about what I do has been taken away. Time for a change, so....

I think I want to go to school to become a paramedic. I seem to thrive best under intense situations, and being a paramedic can certainly fit that bill. Of course before I do that I have to figure out what's going on with my living situation. Meaning I don't even know if I will still be in Florida by the time summer rolls around.

Spring is a good time to move.

[Jennifer]

Let me just say I've always enjoyed reading about everyone's goings-ons (dunno if that's correct or not but oh well). NF becoming a mom, Jabb and his soul-mate, Fizz and her work and all the other things that make this site tick...all these things help keep me sane and grounded.

As to my life lately...

I still dislike my job. The end can not come soon enough. It's really a shame because I used to love it so much.

I've just started my EMT-B classes and they are probably going to kick my ass. Not that I won't do well and pass because I think I will, but I know my ass will be kicked in the process. I mean seriously, I think I have an exam almost every week for the next 10 weeks, and there is one week where I have TWO exams!!! Yeep.

Right before class the DH and I went on our first vacation since our honeymoon nine years ago that did not involve going to see family. We went to the Smokies, were totally isolated, and it was amazing. I saw elk!

[Jennifer]

Well, I guess it's time for an update!

Regarding some of the things in the last post here, I passed my EMT class with flying colors and LOVED it, but EMT's are a dime a dozen so work is thin. I'm hoping to go to paramedic school since that is a job quite a bit more in demand. I'm also feeling a little better about my job. Things are still annoying with a lot of my bosses (and I have several...it's like that movie, Office Space), but I managed to keep a good enough facade up that I actually got a promotion and I've been given license to work on a lot of projects that help the department, so that's been nice.

Oh, and my husband and I adopted a stray cat that someone in our neighborhood shot in the leg. The bullet shattered his upper arm bone in the right leg and when we took him to the vet, the vet said the best thing would be to amputate. So now we have a third fur kid and his name is Anakin Skywalker because he lost his arm too.

[Jennifer]

Well my last day of work at the place I've spent 1/4 of my life at is over. It happened so quickly, but the DH got a job transfer and we are moving to Georgia! About an hour west of Atlanta. So for the first time since I first started working, I am unemployed. Woohoo! I don't know what I'll do...hopefully put my EMT license to use. I don't know where we'll live. The house we were going to rent ended up unavailable due to the landlord being a psycho douche. So we are driving up there tomorrow to spend a few days finding a place to live...hopefully by Wednesday or Thursday, because moving day is Friday! All I know is that I'm excited about seasons (summer will be during the summer months, not practically year 'round!), being near mountains, and being near by lovely little niece. The worst part of all of this is knowing that I'm not going to be seeing my closest friends every day at work.