Crossroads

Most of you probably had several thoughts cross your mind as you read the title and the saw the picture. We have all come to crossroads in our lives, we each had different decisions to make. I'd like for you to pause for a moment and think of those events. As you are remembering if you come up with any good advice, please post it in the comments section!

As I pondered about my life this picture just relates to my thoughts and feelings. I am at a crossroad. I have so many choices, but I am unsure of which one I really want, and this applies to so many areas in my life. Currently right now I am trying to figure out what career I want to pursue. As I was venting this frustration to my adopted brother Rex Jones, we realized we both wanted to discover career choices that would not only provide for our needs but would provide for us a sense of accomplishment and help us maintain balance in our lives. We went to his parents for help. We are now doing sessions of "What Color is Your Parachute." I am so very excited to do this. I have so many ideas of what I could do, but I want to discover more about myself and where I personally could benefit in the work force but also where I could do the most good. I want to make a difference. I want to feel like I have helped someone in some way everyday. I know I can do that now, but sometimes I really struggle finding that silver lining. So that is one project I am currently working on.

I have finally decided that I need to finish my dresser. About two months ago Brandon and I found a sweet deal at the D.I. However we only got as far as stripping the paint and sanding the drawers. This dresser also came with a bookshelf that sits on top of it. I need to finish sanding the shelf and also the dresser itself (which is almost done). I want to do a crackle paint and Brandon said he would help me. I think my room would stay organized a lot longer if I had somewhere to put things. So there is project two!

Another project is to eat healthier. I was getting better at my food choices, however in the last two months I have slacked in making those choices. I am ready to begin that trend again. I am working at going back to the gym often again as well. It has been difficult because this cold has wiped out every last amount of energy I had, but I think I am almost over it thank goodness!

I have decided to get a second part-time job. I have decided that I would like to earn a little money that I can put away into savings. Currently my expenses equal my income. I would like for this second job to feed my savings account. I am hoping that I can not only provide myself with an emergency fund but enough to invest and have some left over. It will help when school is done. I have found a great sense of accomplishment in becoming financially independent. I like knowing that I am providing for myself, but I am grateful that I do not have to provide for my own insurance. I thank my parents for allowing me to use theirs!

One of my current projects is staying on top of homework and performing well in my classes. Funny story. Yesterday while in my finance class I decided to check my class schedule for my management class later that evening. I had missed last week because of my sinus infection and wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything. Well I did. My country presentation paper was due. I couldn't believe it! I checked my calendar on a daily basis and it did not tell me about my paper. Come to find out I had entered it for next Wednesday. So the moment finance ended I bolted to the door a rushed home. (Many of you are wondering why I didn't just stay there well it was freezing and I didn't have a jacket and there wasn't anyway I was going to stay and tough it out.) I frantically worked on my paper for an hour and twenty odd minutes. I had three minutes before seven. I grabbed my bag and thumb drive and ran out the door. I then did a speed walk to the second floor computer lab in the Hazy and printed my four pages plus a bibliography and scurried off to the classroom. As I looked through the little window I could see my professor standing at the front already talking I also noticed that the room looked packed. I could not believe it, we had NEVER had that many people in class before. So I walked in at 7:08 and the only seat in the entire room was on the front row. I quickly settled in and focused my eyes on my paper in front of my on the desk. Then a friend behind me asked when I joined the class, I then looked around the room and my eyes fell on the book the guy beside me had. It was the book for the other management class. I had walked in and decided to join my teachers other management class for 25 minutes. Thankfully that class had to turn a paper in as well so I just looked like a tardy lost student. Needless to say I was on time for my actual class at 7:30.

Overall life just keeps changing, I find myself with new ideas and goals, but I change them every so often. I am excited to finish school and to start working towards a masters.......in something....as soon as I decide in what I will be sure to post and let you know. I am grateful for the amazing people in my life. First for Brandon, he drives me crazy sometimes, but for the most part he is always ready to listen to me vent. He is also the first one to get me out of the house and to go and do something. I am proud of how hard he is working to do well in his classes. Even though it seems like he is ALWAYS doing homework :). I am grateful for my adopted family the Jones'. They are all so amazing and unique in their own individual ways. Each of them have accepted me as their daughter and sister and I cherish that relationship. I'm grateful for the many other individuals who make my day with their notes, texts, and messages. Some of these people include but are not limited to Natalie, Heather, Teresa, TJ, Kasey, Evie, Carina, Melinda, Becca, Charlie, Jon and so many others! Thank you everyone and I guess I'll blog again soon :)

Steroids and Gummie Bears

To begin I dedicate the title of the post to one of Brandon's new climbing routes he has been working on. I figured it was about time I updated my blog, not sure how many people read about my random experiences, but for all those that do here a new update!

The last couple of weeks have been crazy. I have basically been running the office. It is an exciting feeling to know that I am capable of running a business and it is also awesome to know that I am doing a good job. Always a good feeling signing up two management agreements and three lease agreements in one week! Not only does that mean business for the company, but bonuses for myself. This week will be crazy as well with my boss gone for two days and then also planning a company dinner. I am excited.

I am hoping to start helping with YFF. We are going to try and meet this week to start making accounts. I am excited to gain experience. Laren has had experience in bookkeeping and I am excited to learn. This is an incredible opportunity and I have a lot to learn.

Brandon has been busy with his new climbing project in Pine Valley. He has been putting up new routes, cutting trail, and exploring. I have been up there twice and it is beautiful. Not only are their amazing climbs, but the area is fantastic. The river runs at the bottom of the valley, there are trees and flowers and bushes everywhere. Plenty of wildlife as well, including nasty snakes. I finally saw a little rattle snake the other week. So far none of them have been aggressive. Thankfully.

For the fourth Brandon and went to Arizona and I was able to meet his family. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting each of them and visiting with them. It was super hot, but I went shopping, visited the temple, saw Transformers 3, and just had a good time. It was also great to spend time with Brandon.

We will be going back to Arizona at the end of the month. I am honestly excited to get away. I am also excited that Brandon's family seem just as excited that I am coming with him again. This weekend we are going to be in SLC for a friends reception (side note it is definitely wedding season. It seems there is a wedding or two every week). To top this busy month off school starts soon as well. All sorts of interesting twists and turns.

I did have the wonderful opportunity to visit with a friend over lunch. Larinda worked as my mom's assistant at the college years ago. She knew me while I was a kid in grade school. She hasn't changed at all. Still has her beautiful red hair and flawless skin. I have always admired Larinda. Over salad and pasta I was able to here crumbs of her past for the last seven years and added my own few experiences. It was great. She invited Brandon and I to come and visit her in Colorado. When I told Brandon he seemed excited because not to far away from her home is a national ice climbing festival he would love to attend. With all of that aside Larinda told me of a job I did not know existed. I was telling her a little of my frustration on what I wanted to be when I finally decided to grow up. I told her what I enjoyed doing, what I did well, and what would be meaningful to me. She told me of the occupation as an efficiency specialist. Yeah sounds weird but once she explained to me what they did I became excited. I finally felt like I might have found my niche. I plan on doing some more research, when I have more information I will be sure to do a post. It was great to see Larinda and enjoyed myself in just the short time I saw her.

Life seems to go by so quickly. You know in movies when they want to represent a lot of time passing and it seems like years go by in second, it seems my life the past three months have been that way. I sometime wish we had a pause button, even a rewind button, but we do not. I have learned a lot the past several months. I learned and grown a lot. It has been full of personal growth and learning. Some of these experiences are stressful and even painful, but I am starting to see the beauty that comes from the pressure and polishing. I am constantly reminded that we are all gems, but to become the beautiful flawless stones we have to endure hardship and trials. We begin to take shape and through the Savior we become flawless and amazing.

Overall life is beautiful. There is so much to enjoy and to be thankful for. I am still excited for the months and years ahead. I have so much of life to experience and to live and many wonderful people to share it with! Well I think I shall conclude my ramblings.

Cracks, Beginnings, Life.....

Have you ever watched a baby animal/reptilian emerge from their tiny little eggs? Well I haven't in person but I have seen videos, and it fascinated me. As I reflect the past few months I find myself emerging from my shell (also known as a security bubble). I have finally cracked the shell. I have broke free and I am finally experiencing life. I was scared. Really scared. For so many years I peaked out of my shell, I never fully let myself taste the world that surrounds me. It was slightly shocking, but at the same time so very alive and fascinating. I was so excited! Everything was an adventure, there are so many things I want to do and try. Places to visit and see, people to meet, places to climb, and I finally want to live my life. I have started a new beginning. It has been very refreshing, renewing, and such a thrill to begin this new stage.

I have often wondered how a new baby felt after it left that tiny little space. For me I was ready....I wanted out I wanted to move and breath! However once I left my tiny little space there was a lot I had to learn, a lot I am still learning. Your little bubble of protection is no longer there, you are on your own using what you have been nurtured and taught to get through and make it in the world.

Overall I am excited for what the future brings. Already in two months I have met so many new and amazing people. I have done things I have never done before and I am ready for more! I am ready to live my life, and I hope while doing so I might be able to inspire someone along the way. I know my life has been touched by so many amazing people! I am excited about my job, I want to help grow and expand our business. I am excited to help with YFF!!! I just found out today that they want me to become their permanent bookkeeper. I can barely wait to start! I am excited to do more climbing, to see more places and share more memories with people I love and care about!

To sum everything up so this isn't just a random post of eggs and life I hope that anyone that reads this will take a moment to reflect on their own life. That you will evaluate and see what is holding you back. Identify your dreams, what you want to do and do them! Break out of your shell(s), live life. How can you experience and love something you are too afraid to embrace? Don't forget who you are, don't forget your beliefs or standards, share them with others by example and by being their friend! Make a difference in this world, and in turn the world will make a difference in you, make it a good one! My only advice pray and take a leap, He can only catch you if you jump. If stay hovering at the edge....He can't help you. I challenge you, go and do something new or something you have wanted to, and then write about it and share! Go make a difference!

Mondays and Rainy Days

Okay.....I feel like this is going to be an interesting post. I haven't posted since creating my blog. Since then, well life has taken many interesting and exciting new roles. First I have met an adorable man whom I get to call my boyfriend. I moved into an apartment with two awesome roommates. I started working full time at RPM Southern Utah. I will be going to Disneyland next week with my dear sweet friend Natalie and her adorable children. Well I haven't much time, but this is my current update. Hopefully I will keep a more regular blog....we will have to see :)

Trends, Norms, and Conformity

For several years I have been following missionary blogs (the first being Teren and Tyson Christensen), eventually friends asked me to follow their blogs, and now here I am creating my own blog. I must admit I am little nervous, considering I do not find my life all that interesting, however it is for sure not normal. Maybe some mysterious stranger will read my blog and fall in love with my odd sense of humor, who knows maybe just a homeless bum cooling off in a public library will come across it and be inspired by my life stories and achieve his/her dream! To be honest I cannot believe I have a blog. I have criticized them for being trendy and nerdy, but I am now retracting my previous statement and here is my very first post!

Now to explain my amazing title! It is in German if any of you are wondering. I took German for two years in high school and fell in love with the language. One of my current goals is to perfect my German abilities in the near future. The word Klettern means Climbing. I picked this title for several reasons. First: I LOVE to climb. My dear friend Elder Brance Jones introduced me to climbing almost two years ago. I was terrified! I have never been a lover of heights, but somehow (that somehow probably lies with his incredible smile and adoring personality) he convinced me to go and I fell in love after the first completed wall. Since then climbing and I have been in a pretty serious relationship. However we decided that Brance was the glue that kept us together and with Brance on his mission we try to keep in touch at least once a month, I am hoping for a stronger relationship soon.

 Alright now for the second reason why I picked Klettern for a title (besides being odd and random and an awesome German word). While climbing you are able to find amazing parallels to life. All of us are climbing. Some may be down climbing, which in my opinion in hard and dangerous, but some like to do it. Others are at a stand still. Not sure what direction to go. So they pause and wait, trying to determine which route to take to the top. Others are going side to side along the face of the rock. Not really going up or down, but they continue to live life and see new things. Others continue the climb up. Some are faster than others, but hey at least they are moving forward and up. Another thing, I prefer to sport climb. Meaning I like have a harness, ropes, draws, etc while climbing. In my life my rope has always been my Savior Jesus Christ. He is the security, the strength, and in some ways the direction in my life. He has provided me with other tools to help me. A prophet (a harness) to provide continual revelation and guidance. Gospel principles and commandments (draws) to keep me anchored in the gospel and its warm comforting embrace. These are just a few of life analogies that I have discovered while climbing. I thought it was a good title and decided to use it. Well as much as I would love to continue writing random useless analogies from the life of Tasia, I believe I will bid everyone who took the time to read farewell! Auf Wiedersehen!