Wow I really can’t believe the year is ending already! It’s like I blinked and the year was gone. I made some big changes to my life this year and I honestly couldn’t be happier about them. When this year began, I honestly was not too happy. I was even counting down till my birthday mostly because I wanted to do something special for it. I was sitting at work and finishing work an hour into my 8 hours. I felt like I was wasting my time. However I passed the time reading the Divergent trilogy. Great series by the way.
January was below 0 cold. So cold my high school closed for 4 snow days in ONE month!! This is a school that never closes. Back in February 2011 when we had a big snow storm, it closed for 1 day for the first time in 37 years!! 3 years later, it was closing because it was -30 degrees F or something. I can’t remember the temperature, but while my sister stayed home from school (aka went to the mall with friends), I went to work.
In January, I also attended my first (and probably only) Blackhawks game with my co workers and my company started a bowling league.
February it continued to snow EVERY weekend! In fact, I think the snow was timed just for the weekends some times. My family continued to share our one shovel and shovel the driveway. I had lots of early dismissals from work too (which I loved of course). My dad kept saying, the snow will melt soon and then was surprised when it only kept adding on.
I braved a snow storm (and probably shouldn’t have) just to go to my best friend’s baby shower. One of the scariest drives of my life since I didn’t have snow tires. I just drove slow and nearly got stuck many times, but luckily I made it.
The last day of February came and I was laid off from my job. I had tears in my eyes as I drove home at 9:30am that morning. I mostly would miss my co workers. I honestly felt so very lucky for my first job and where it led to. With all my free time in the office I even was learning macros in excel and how to write them. I definitely have to thank my manager hugely for that one, especially knowing how much it will help me in the future.
In March, my best friend gave birth to her beautiful baby girl. I also started Instagram yoga challenges, enjoyed sleeping in and working out at the gym mid morning. I spent time talking to recruiters in the Philadelphia area and also still saw my co workers at the bowling league Wednesday nights until the final game. The time off gave me time to visit my friend in Michigan as well and meet her baby. I am so happy for her and her little family and was so excited that I could visit so soon. While the time was stressful and not knowing where or when I would work again, I really felt I needed that break from work. Not only that, but I needed to move away and my lay off gave me just the right push and time to figure out my move.
After talking with recruiters throughout March, I finally booked a one way ticket to Philadelphia at the end of March. I knew I would be coming back home before my official move, but did not know exactly when based on Brian’s schedule. So I booked a ticket, booked hotels and my first rental car and went on an adventure to Philadelphia, never having been there before.
My first day I saw the Liberty bell and Independence Hall. Then I had a few interviews in the area and saw museums in between. My second half of my week I went to see apartments and staying in the King of Prussia area and really got to know the mall (actually I still get lost around there).
At the end of my week, I returned my car to the airport and waited at the airport for Brian to pick me up. It was the first time we had seen each other since January so it had been a couple months and Brian was burnt out from working 8 weeks straight without a break, not even weekends. So he got a week off, which we spent traveling. We went to NYC for a few days then headed to DC with his parents. It was just the vacation we both needed before I booked my flight home.
I got home a couple days before my birthday in April. As I mentioned, I wanted to do something special for my birthday after most people forgot my birthday in 2013. I decided to head to Michigan again to visit with my best friend and her baby who was now 6 weeks old. I felt more confident holding her this time and enjoyed seeing my best friend on my birthday. I drove home and my mom got me a spiralizer which is definitely one of my most used birthday gifts (besides the tablet I bought myself a year ago). I also requested a cookie cake. I am not a big cake person, but LOVE chocolate chip cookies, especially Mrs. Field’s cookie cakes.
My dad had fun with a photo shoot of my cookie cake for some reason.
The rest of April was spent packing up my room and sorting things for giving away and throwing out. Though I really couldn’t finish all of it, I felt I got a bunch done. I loaded up the car on April 26th for my big road trip. Luckily the snow was gone by then. My clothes (that I wear) fit in 2 suitcases and then I brought my kitchen stuff, toiletries, my desktop with its two screens and other items that I really needed.
Since this post is getting long, I will continue with part 2 tomorrow.
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