Had a bad day...I bet it wasn't as bad as you think

      The furnace is broken and I am sitting in my freezing house all curled up in a ball under a blanket near the fire, contemplating my blessings.
       I am sure that people who read my blog or Facebook updates or if you are around me a lot are probably sick of how positive I can be. You probably think, “My gosh! Doesn’t this girl ever have a bad day?” or “I think that smile is permanently stuck on her face.” or “She can’t be human.” Well, I hate to break it to you but I am. I am as human as the next person. Throw everything you ever knew about Erika out the window.
      Things have been rough for me but things have also been good. I won’t go into all the details because some of it is personal. As much as I loved volunteering for ILP, I wish it was an actual job. I made no money while I was there. So I have absolutely no money now and I don’t get paid for another week. Getting paid once a month really blows! And on top of that, my car broke down two weeks after I got home. I finally got it fixed! Two days later it stopped working. And now my house feels like it is the same temperature as it is outside! And let’s not forget all the things I decided to leave out of this blog.
Despite everything that is going on, there are still so many good things happening. One of them is that I am reunited with my old roommate, Annika. She helps me to be the best person ever. And if you think I am positive, you clearly haven’t met this lady. She is like me….but magnified! To say the least…we get along very well.
      Another blessing is that I got a long term sub job at Andrus Elementary working as an assistant. I get along very well with my coworkers and students. I am beginning to feel like a regular there. They even asked me to come back next month. They don’t want me to leave for school. They are fun. My students are pretty independent so I get to spend my time daydreaming of my own classroom. I am excited for that day. I taught the students how to make paper snowflakes and one of my students is now obsessed with making them. That is all he ever wants to do. I created a snowflake monster…or so he says.
      I can still work even though I don’t have a car. My parents have been so generous and selfless as to pick me up to and from work everyday. They don’t have to but they are so willing. And I am very grateful for my parents. We may not always get along but I love them. They deserve all the good things they can get.  
      I also get to be with four of my most favorite people: Kaeden, Gwen, Alyson, and Dax. Of all the roles I have been given, daughter, sister, friend, employee, student, etc, being an aunt is my favorite role. When I count my blessings, they are the first four I count because they have changed my life.
      Another thing that is wonderful is church. I liked being in a family ward while in Ukraine. I thought of continuing it when I came home. I decided to go to my singles ward since I am single and within that age bracket. And I am happy that I made that decision. I am with my friends and my bishop takes good care of me. He even said the words, “we’ll take care of you.”And I feel that he honestly meant every single word. There was so much love behind it.
      I have accumulated a lot of knowledge and a little bit of wisdom over my 25 years on this earth. I may be young but we can learn from everyone despite their age. And so if there is one thing you take away from reading this blog, I hope it is that no matter how bad your day is, there is always some good in it. So if you have a bad day,  count your blessings. Search of the good things that did happen. And I bet that it isn't has bad as you think.

A New Year; A New Me

Seeing the year 2013 will take some getting used to. It is usually about mid-March that I stop writing the previous year on things. I am one day into the new year and it is already showing potential of being a great year. I am living once again with an old roommate of mine and I have sub jobs pretty much lined up for this month. And I know that as long as I keep being positive and optimistic about things, this year will be great. I know that it will have its fair share of trials and difficulties but it will also be filled with lots of blessings.

For my New Year resolution, I have decided to continue something that I started in Ukraine. And that is not to live with regrets. I shouldn’t hesitate. I should just go and do. Or unless it is unsafe, then have the courage to say no. I need to follow promptings the moment I get them. I don’t want to live with regret because I chose not to do something. I won’t know the outcome of most things but I shouldn’t let the fear of the unknown scare me. It is okay if things don’t turn out the way I imagined it in my heard. No matter the outcome, I can still learn from it.

This year is a time to improve myself. And I am going to do it! I am tired of missed opportunities. I am tired of waking up the next day regretting. 

Now I know that I won’t be perfect at it but I have 12 months to work on it until 2014. I have lived my whole life in fear of the unknown. And I am going to stop it! I know that as long as I put all my trust in my Heavenly Father, there is nothing to fear. This new lifestyle will take some getting used to but in the end it will prove to be most beneficial. 

Happy New Year

Hey! It has been a while since I updated my blog. I have been home almost two weeks now. But before I go any further, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas.

So, I have been home for two weeks and already my adventure to Ukraine feels like a dream. It doesn’t help that I have dreamed about Ukraine almost every day either. So I talk to my friends there to remind me that it wasn’t just a dream, it actually happened. And I look at all my pictures and smile. I can’t help but wonder what I did to be so blessed as to have had this amazing and unique experience. I am truly a blessed woman. I never imagined going to Ukraine. Out of all the European countries I dreamed of visiting…it definitely was not on the list. But I am glad that I went.

Now that I am home, it doesn’t feel as strange as I thought it would be. I fell right back into the groove of things. I reached for my phone and started texting and it is once again glued to my hand. The weird thing for me was driving. I haven’t driven in months. I finally get to drive and it is in the snow. That made me happy…not! I, now, can get to places in thirty minutes or less, although I miss taking naps on the buses and metro. You can’t really nap when you are driving….it is frowned upon... they say it isn’t safe….or something….I dunno… 

My favorite things about being back home are: eavesdropping, understanding what other people are talking about, and having conversations with a complete stranger. Yes, hassle-free communication is what I missed the most about living in America. Though sometimes…you come across people, where even though you speak the same language, it feels like you are speaking two different languages.

I was happy to see my family again. My niece Aly hasn’t stopped telling me how much she loves me and that she cried when I was gone. I was gone for a semester which is the same amount of time when I am up in Rexburg, but nonetheless, I missed her like crazy too. I love my nieces and nephews. And being welcomed home with hugs and kisses was wonderful. Being among family is a great thing. 

This year has been filled with much excitement. It was an adventurous year filled with new jobs, abandoned houses, hospitals, traveling, friends, family, love, tears, adventures, experiences, and memories. 

Here's to this new year! I look forward to all that this new year has to offer!