Update...

So the last few months have been busy. In January, my co-refunder Mario quit. That left Lynn and I to do refund for B, D, and E. B and D are huge hospitals and have 10+ requests per day and both hospitals have hugs credit balances, which are a bad thing. E is not so bad, except their accountant can be a jerk. So Lynn and I were trying really hard and getting a lot of work done and working well. Then, after being told by my boss that we were not moving offices since the business office director got the ax, Dustin and I decided to sell my car. And yes, Mrs. Potts is no more. (That is what Caleen and I named my car on our road trip to York, NE.) She is now owned by a Snow College Student. So then I start driving the Jeepster to work and every where else, but that is when the trouble started... One day I ran to the grocery store and came out and found my Jeep against another car. That was my first (official) car accident and no one was in either car. So can't complain there... Dustin tried teaching me how to drive a manual, but his teaching style and my learning style don't mesh well. I figured, "Eh, driving the Jeep to work everyday? No problem. Work is only three miles away." Then we got notified a few days later that my office was relocating... I was so ticked. When I told Dustin, he was equally ticked. So Lynn took some time off for some personal stuff and was out six weeks. So that left me working hospital B, D, and E during the move until I broke down and my boss gave E to the fourth refunder who I will be referring to as L. I was even more angry because L had the two smallest, easiest hospitals. I was in a total panic. Then my boss said, "We're bringing in a temp to help you." And I thought, "Thank goodness." But the thought escaped me that I would have to train her... So along with hospital B and D, I was training one, then two employees. The six weeks of that crap put so much stress on Dustin and I. I hated it! I was always in a horrible mood and I've been gaining weight like crazy and I'm not eating bad stuff, but that wasn't helping anything either. Then Lynn came back and decided the hour plus commute from her house to work and then the additional hour back to her house wasn't worth it, so she quit. I miss her so bad! I was really fed up with my company so I started job hunting around November last year, but nothing stuck... until recently. Work just got worse and worse, especially after the move. Finally, ARUP asked me to interview and I jumped on the chance and four weeks later, I got the job. This is my last week at my current employer. Today is my last Monday! Woohoo! I'm so excited! Then it's a week off, then I start with ARUP with a 7-on, 7-off shift. I'm so happy! I can finally get my house clean! Lol! I never knew stress could make a person such a zombie!

In other news... The lady I used to make jewelry with decided she and her husband, who had a stroke earlier this year, were going to move to Panama... Don't ask me why Panama was chosen, but it was. Erika and I threw around the idea of taking it over, but decided to do our own business. So with the help of the best investor in the world, my wonderful Dad, we started That's A'more Designs! (www.ThatsAmoreDesigns.com) We are really in the production phase, but are adding stuff weekly. We are doing typewriter key jewelry, rubber, swarovski, stone, and a lot of other fun stuff! Check it out! I've been dying to get working, but we are getting stocked and what not. I'm super excited about our latest idea... The Precious Memories Collection... It is a line of women's, and hopefully soon, men's jewelry for those who have lost a child, whether it be from miscarriage, stillbirth, or after birth. It hits so close to home since we know many who have lost in all those stages. It's not a mourning piece, but a memorial piece. These can also be for those who have lost anyone loved one, parents, grandparents, sibling, etc. I'm hoping we can really get this off the ground since I have not really seen anything like it and it is an important part of the grieving process.

Also, Dustin and I celebrated our anniversary by going to Lava Hot Springs in Idaho. It was a lot of fun, but primarily a relaxing weekend since we went to Yellowstone the weekend before. Lava was really nice. It is itty-bitty and next time we will go on the weekend when there is more to do. Unfortunately, we didn't win the lottery... Darn... No house in Heber with a massive garage, two motorcycles, a Challenger, Camaro, and Monster Truck... Lol! It's funny to have that discussion... "If we won the lottery, I'd..." Cause it can make a perfectly content couple fight over $44 million dollars that really belongs to Idaho. But we still had a lot of fun. Then when we got home, he took me to the animal shelter to get a new family member... a kitten! Her name is Chewy... I know, it sounds strange, but when you hold your hand a certain way, our dog Copper makes this noise like Chubaca on Star Wars, so we thought... Chewy would be a funny name... And we also watch Chelsea Lately.

Oh, and since I suck at driving a manual vehicle, Dustin and I bought a Corolla. I'm liking it a lot so far. It's nice and automatic and it has the coolest plastic guard on the back bumper so you don't scratch the bumper when you put stuff in the trunk! Lol! Isn't it funny what gets you excited when you are a grown up? Bumper guards, sales in the butcher section, tax returns...

Oh adulthood...

Thoughts

So these are just my random thoughts, late at night, and on cough syrup... If the offend or upset anyone, I really do apologize, but I just need somewhere to write my thoughts out...

So it's been almost a year since Dustin and I got married and I am loving every minute of it. He and I were definately meant to be together. I know I don't follow all the Words of Wisdom and I try my hardest to follow the Commandments and the Golden Rule, but I feel I'm a good person, Dustin too. In January we'll be together three years and we both feel like we are at a good point in our lives to try for a baby... No luck yet... My body is being crazy and I don't know what to do about it. I'm so worried that I might not be able to get pregnant and I love all the pregnant women around me, but I'm so jealous. I know that's bad and it's really shallow of me, but we've been trying for nine months, but no luck. I know there are other people trying and they've been trying longer than us, but then I just feel worse. Then it makes it worse when every time I go to my in-laws house or Dustin's grandparents, the first thing that is said to me is, "Why aren't you pregnant yet?" I know it's not meant to make me or us feel bad, but how do you answer that? "No." "Why not?" "Uh... I'm overweight?" Like honestly, what is the appropriate answer? I don't want to say, "Because we aren't and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop asking." That's just rude. I just feel like I'm making all the pregnant people feel bad and all the people who are struggling, like us, more sad or angry. Is it punishment for sins in my past? And I'm sick of being asked weekly at work if I'm pregnant. It was funny for the first two or three times, but after seven months of it, I'm sick of it. Ugh... Now I feel even crappier. Sorry if I made anyone feel bad, I'm just a jumble of randomness and it sucks. I need to stop watching all those pregnancy shows on Discovery Health Channel... Maybe its a good thing that Orpha the Whale is taking over that channel... randomness...

Worried about a dog?? How will I do with kids?!

So today was the dreaded day... Roxy is going in to get snipped and chipped... I'm so nervous! So here is my day....

At 8:30 this morning, I was laying in bed waiting for my alarm to go off and Roxy jumped on the bed next to me. So she got the last tummy rub she'll get for a few weeks. :( I ended up getting ready for the day and tried waking Dustin up a few times, but he worked until like 6, so I just let him sleep. It was time to take Roxy to the vet's office. So I grabbed her leash, the truck keys, and my purse. Roxy was so excited to see the keys that she went running out to the truck. I think she got a tad suspicious since I didn't bring Copper with us. So driving to the vet, I of course rolled down the back window. It still cracks me up that she is not used to having the window down. She does this funny blinking thing when the air blows in her face. Dogs must have a built in Vet GPS. When we got close, she started pacing in the back seat. After I pulled in, she wouldn't get out of the truck, so I had to lift her out. Thank goodness she only weighs 38 pounds. I strapped her leash on, and pretty much dragged her to the door. She fought to go into the first set of doors and I dragged her across the tile to the second door and through the vets office. While I was talking to the Tech, Roxy hid between my legs. She had the saddest look on her face. Oh, it was so sad! So then I had to lift her on the scale and she just cowered on the scale. But she's now 38.5 pounds. She's still SO small for her age, but she is adorable! So then it was time for me to leave. I started walking out and the Tech was holding Roxy's leash and Roxy just did not want to go with her. As I turned around to look back, Roxy was giving me these heartbreaking puppy dog eyes... Like the Puss in Boots from Shrek 2... Oh, I'm so sad! I call at 3 to see how she did and Dustin and I pick her up at 4:30. I hope she's doing okay!!

Jet Blue

So do any of you guys know anyone or you yourself work for Jet Blue? I applied there and am waiting to hear back, but they sent this email about tell us if you know someone who works for us. So if you do and you want to offer me some help, please let me know!

Don't you just hate it when...

Okay, so this is totally random, but I'm at work doing this report about accounts over 11 months old needing review. Well, to make it easier to do, I reorganized it by insurance companies. I was getting to the Blue Cross stuff and kept having to type BC out of state. It got to the point that I had to ask my co-worker how to spell "out" because I was typing it so much that it always looked wrong. Don't you just hate it when that happens?! Unless I'm the only one that happens to, if so, I feel silly!

Seventeen

Okay, was being 17 so difficult just five years ago when we, well most of us, were that age? I remember it being pretty good. Being midway through Junior year I think the biggest concern was junior prom, maybe a rough english class, or surviving after school sports. Not drugs or sex. Maybe it was just because the people I befriended just knew at a young age that drugs were stupid, drinking too. And sex. Yes, sexual tension exsisted in high school, but I don't think many of us, if any, were sexually active. Granted, there were those couples who had been together since kindergarten, who we all figured were bumpin' uglies, but the majority of us knew sex just complicated the already crazy high school drama. Sex is complicated enough after high school, even in marriage. Don't get me wrong, sex is an important thing for husband and wife, but with all the other demands in life, it can get stressful to even be intimate, but I can't imagine being 17, sexually active with different partners, thinking you are "in love" with the current partner, and then mixing alcohol and drugs into that. Why? I am just amazed at how sex is considered now, after just five years, sex is just a common thing you do with some random person you meet on the bus, or in the exotic cheese section of the supermarket. I hate it. I can't imagine the changes that will occur in just five more years. Then in ten years after that?! How will we explain to our teenage children that sex is great, but only when it's with that person who you love more than anything, AFTER graduation and in marriage. I will admit, I did not wait for marriage, and that really screwed me up. I became lost in the world of "love" and ended up in a situation I regret. But now after meeting my real love, Dustin, I know the difference between sex and intimacy and preffer the latter. You may be wondering, "Uh, what in the world is going on in crazy Amanda's head?" But there is a situation in which a seventeen year old girl I know very well has become sexually involved with a twenty three year old. I am so very worried about what this may do for her sanity when she is older, but now I am even more worried because she has made comments involving drugs and alcohol. Her parents do not allow her to drink and they would go bizerk if they found out she'd been getting into the drug world. Not only that, but lying about where she is and what she is doing. I am just worried about her, but am unsure about what to do. Do teens today not realize everything you do has a consequence, good or bad? They don't realize, "Oh, if I take a hit on this bong, could I possibly be subjected to a random drug test at work and loose my job?" Or "Hmm... If I have sex now, at 17, and get pregnant, will I be able to finish school and be able to raise my child as a single mom?" No. It's a here and now world. I have it here and I want it now. I'm just shocked about this situation. It just makes me even more grateful for my close friends in high school. My Spice Girl friends in Elementary School, or the friend who I used to walk to Sconecutter's with every once in a while, or the friend who convinced me to try and shove myself into her dog's kennel to see if I fit. That was our fun. Or surviving freshman track season with a crazy, Nazi coach, who we all really liked, but hated when it was raining outside. We would spend Friday nights just hanging out at someone's house watching movies or playing RISK. Hmm... So to all of my junior high and high school friends, Thank you for being a positive influence and thank you for always being there for me. I really do appreciate and miss the closeness we had. Thanks guys!