I'm Baaaaaack!

Hello!

A lot has happened since my last post... Jodi, The Hemmelgarns, my parents, Kevin and Jason all came to visit me, which was TONS of fun! Jodi and I went to see Beauty and the Beast on Broadway...an incredible show!!

By the time Mom, Dad, Kevin and Jason got here, I was getting really good with the tour guide stuff...minus a trip to Brooklyn, it was really cool. We explored Little Tokyo and I finally tried sushi! I cannot believe what I found in New York City....it was a Japanese restaurant (we were about the only white people, which is always a good sign in a restaurant like that!) and they had a lunch special (so mom and dad were pretty excited too!) We all got a 5 course AWESOME meal for $9!!!!!!!! I now know that I very much like sushi and I am willing to try new flavors! :) The rest of the trip was really exciting too...check out Kevin's pictures and my pictures for more info. By the way, Kevin is a really good photographer! He would sometimes just walk down the sidewalks and click the camera, and the pictures came out really good. I think he may have a lot of luck, and a good eye for that stuff! :)

On Sunday, July 3, Jason's parents and brother came to my apartment, met my parents and brother, and we went out to dinner. Everything went well, thank goodness! We went to a Peruvian restaurant and had more Inca Kola (Inca Kola Light, for me!) and some of the people not driving also had Pisco Sours. Good stuff!! :)

The end of my parents NY trip was my favorite part, but that is because we packed up the mini van and my car, and I CAME HOME! Look at Kevin's pictures....the van was SO full...we literally could not fit anything else into the cars!!

We ended up leaving after dinner on Sunday, which ended up working out wonderfully. We were going to go to bed for a few hours and then get up at 3 am, but leaving at about 4 put us in Grove City at about 3 AM...I was just starting to get tired by that point. The Marshalls were awesome...they set up a sofa bed for my parents, the couch for Kevin, and I went upstairs and crawled into bed with Little Amanda. We woke up in the morning and everyone helped me bring my stuff in! By about 11 AM, my computer was up and running. (Okay, so I had the AIM up before my bed was put together...it is all about priorities!) hehe. I am currently living in the basement of the Marshall's house. It is nice here, but I do not want to wear out my welcome!

Since I have been back, I have been getting used to being around people again. It was actually weird and a bit of an adjustment..I had wanted to come home so badly, but all of the sudden I realized that I was getting used to my hermit/selfish lifestyle and to constantly spend time with everyone was different...in a wonderful way, but still required some getting used to! :) I think the dust is about settled now, and I am just glad to be home!!! :)

Another cool part about being home in Columbus is that Jason is here too. He got a job in Cleveland at the beginning of the year, but found out in June that he was going to be laid off in August. I think fate stepped in, and a couple of weeks later, Jason got a job working for Nationwide Insurance in Dublin! We live on opposite sides of Columbus, but it is awesome being able to see each other more!! Oh, and a side note...I visited Jason's office last Wed, and he wanted to introduce me to a woman who was about 3 cubicles down from him...Shari Lehmann!!! (my cousin in law) I told him that she worked there, but never gave him specific info, because asking if you know someone at Nationwide in Columbus is like asking someone if they know a specific person at OSU...there are so many people! (Although, ironically, my friend who also works for Nationwide deals closely with a guy in the cubicle next to Jason too!) Shari was not there when I stopped in, but I found that amusing!

Last Sunday (the 10th), I went to a weight watcher meeting, hoping to see my old leader. She was the one that really encouraged me to work for WW when I moved, after I told her I thought it would be cool. I was bummed when I saw she was not there. I found out that she had been promoted, but I was also given her phone number. So I called her and spoke to her on Wednesday. She wanted me to come in to corporate headquarters (across from my old apartment on Mobile Drive!) on Friday morning. It was no problem, and I brought my New York Weight Watchers stuff to show her because they are a franchise here, and a lot of stuff is different. It was really cool to see the differences! I think I have mentioned in a previous post that I don’t know if I want to work for WW here, besides, I want to get used to my other job too! Well....on Friday, Linda ended up interviewing me. Then another woman kind of interviewed me as well. Then a big cheese interviewed me...and I ended up signing my life away! :) I am officially going to be a receptionist until the end of October, and then I am going to be a Weight Watchers Leader!!!!! :) I am totally excited. I am also going to work with WW and OSU-I would LOVE to work with some of the dorms to get WW on campus...one of my biggest regrets is that I did not do it any sooner. I am hoping I just did not rope myself into something bigger than I can chew, but I am pretty excited anyway! :)

I have had some training for my new teaching job, and I have a ton more. I’m so excited...they actually want me to be prepared to teach this fall! I know I am going to like this school already!!!

Another big and exciting thing going on right now is the house hunt. It is going very well, and I am so excited to be looking for a house of my OWN! :) I am approved for a loan and all I have to do is find a place to live. Jason and I went looking on Saturday. *do not flip out...he is not moving in with me, I would let you know if something like that is happening. However, in case he might end up moving in a couple of years, I asked for his opinions and stuff!!* We saw 14 houses in one day, and really like 4 of them. I am going to keep looking, but it is nice to know I have some very good options already. The place that we looked on Sat was in Galloway, which is in between Hilliard and Grove City. It was a nice neighborhood, and nice houses. My favorite one is really new...built in 2001!

Okay, I need to get to bed. I am making a few extra bucks by babysitting Carletta and Chad's girls (MaKenzie and Macie...Kerrie Marshall's nieces) so I have to get up early tomorrow! It is nice not having to go to my school in NY...and I heard that it has just gotten worse there!!

I am so excited to be home! Once I get a house, I will be sure to let you all know, and I would love to have visitors! I will be putting my futon/bunk bed into the guest bedroom, so I will very easily accommodate 3 guests if you would ever like to visit!!!!!!!!

Hope all is well in your corner of the world!

Oh, and some Happy Birthday shout-outs:
July 17-Happy Birthday Carol!
July 18-Happy Birthday Amy!
July 19-Happy Birthday Chris!
July 22-Happy Birthday Jason!
July 23-Happy 50th Birthday Mom! :)