Alive in Ankeny and Ames

Well, I'm still alive. I feel like I've barely communicated with any of my "old friends" in the past month, but have met like a million new people, whose names I can't even remember.

I'm really liking my job so far. I feel much less useless lately, although still very new. I celebrated my one month anniversary on Wednesday the 28th - yahoo! I really like my coworkers, and am figuring out how things work. I can see some glimmers of crazy times coming up in my future, but I've had that before - my old job really prepared me for this one.

I feel like it was all fate or something that led me here. I didn't like my first job out of college, so that made it easier to move to Clear Lake with Caleb. I liked my second job at NIACC, but felt like I was bumping my head up against the ceiling while waiting for an opportunity to advance. I learned a lot, taught myself a lot, and unknowingly prepared myself for my new job. This new job has more responsibility and less administrative duties, which is just what I wanted. I don't want to be in this position forever, but I think it's one where I will learn a lot about all areas of the ISU Foundation and be able to transition into something else easily when the time comes.

Our place in Ankeny is really coming together, too. We've got all our stuff moved in, and are working on getting additional furniture like shelves in the kitchen and bathroom, coffee table and kitchen table. My mother-in-law is coming up on Monday to help me paint an accent wall and hang pictures, and will bring us a kitchen table if she can fit it in her car. Exciting!

I feel really good about this move so far. It hasn't been easy - heartache and guilt over leaving my old job (although not anymore), stress of moving, big learning curve at the new job, holidays.... which resulted in me losing my hair, breaking out all over my face, and gaining some weight. But things are turning around. I chopped my hair off so it looks and feels more healthy now, my face is slowly clearing up, and yesterday I went to a Weight Watchers meeting in Ames (I haven't stayed for a meeting in about a year). I also ran a couple of miles last night before going to a yoga class. It felt good.

I hope the rest of you are surviving the end of the year and the holiday season and are feeling settled and less stressed. And you should plan a trip to visit me in my new little condo soon. :)