A Year in Review

With the year ending and all our family Christmas letters going out I've been thinking back on my year and it's shocking how much has truly changed. My life has turned completely up-side-down since last Christmas, but I've survived. So, I'm going to copy Rae and give you a little year play-by-play:

January:

Come home from Disneyland.

Get a major cold.

Find job at Krave.

February:

Wish I had a Valentine.

Keep working at Krave.

Mom's birthday.

Breathe sigh of relief Rae wasn't moving.

March:

Turned 20.

(Freaking out that I've lived through 2 decades now)

Still working.

April:

Still working.

Called to Nursery (I think it was then...).

May:

Kyle met some girl named Briana.

He fell head-over-heels for her.

Rae's moving to Texas.

It's okay because the Jonas Brothers live there too...

June:

Start going to counseling.

Still in Nursery and working.

Trying to keep myself together.

Spend as much time with DeVaults as possible.

July:

Kyle engaged.

Still spending as much time with DeVaults as possible.

Still working and in Nursery.

August:

Kyle and Briana married.

My first photo shoot ever.

Still working and in Nursery.

Missing DeVaults.

Emily's birthday.

September:

Still working and in Nursery.

Desperately missing DeVaults.

October:

Still in Nursery.

Quit Krave.

Life stuck in neutral.

Missing the DeVaults more than I thought possible.

Kyle's birthday.

Cut ties with someone who meant the world to me.

Got on a plane to Dallas, TX.

Hugged Phill.

Hugged Rae.

Hugged Reed.

Got made breakfast in bed by Reed.

Hugged Jax.

Hugged Savvy.

November:

Did Rae's laundry.

Laughed.

Cried.

Read.

Played Lego's.

Cooked and ate.

Laughed more.

Loved.

Dishes.

DeVaults.

Hugged and hugged and hugged.

Sobbed.

Got on a plane.

Sobbed the whole way home.

Parents' 25th wedding anniversary.

Thanksgiving.

Dad's Birthday.

December:

Still in Nursery.

Job as nanny for Thornton's.

Missing DeVaults.

Decision making.

Slowing moving life forward.

So, that was a little less than positive. But I'm moving forward after an incredibly difficult year. And I'm proud of that. I did everything I could and just kept moving forward. And will continue to do so through the end of this year and into the next.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!! :D

Reminiscing

How can one person get so attached to a patch of concrete with mechanics, actors, and wood covered in paint? I'll tell you how: they were a part of magic there. I made magic. I helped make memories for who knows how many people! That is so amazing! I brought smiles to little girls and boys faces by telling them happy birthday or showing them the toy they wanted. I brought tears to one old man's eyes for giving him a button that said that he was an Honorary Citizen of Disneyland, because he'd created magic for some other guests. I was reminded of friends and family in the personality of others. I cried when I saw Mickey as I was walking in. I sobbed when I looked down Main Street USA to Sleeping Beauty's Castle one more time tonight, as A Christmas Fantasy Holiday Parade floated down the street. Disneyland became my home. My coworkers became my friends. Mickey and Minnie and Donald and Daisy and Goofy and Pluto and Belle and Ariel and Cinderella and Rapunzel and Peter Pan and every other character became my closest friends. And Abby and Eric and kids became my family. And my best friend that I went through all this with became more my sister, and carried me through all this (I wouldn't have made it without her). And my family (yes, Rae, you included in that) stayed my rock. Looking back on these most amazing, difficult, magical, beautiful, challenging, near impossible adventure, all I can do is cry. Tears of happiness that it's over, tears of sadness that I now must move on. Tears that I will no longer be going to the Happiest Place on Earth nearly every day. But soon, perhaps, I will be back here, making dreams come true--mine and others--and Letting the Memories Begin.

C