I had debated on doing a year in review thinking it wouldn't be as awesome as others I have been reading. I didn't go on any fancy vacations or have any major break thorough on workouts or races. But then realized I should do it just to have the memories all in one spot on my blog for later if I want to look back.
January: I had decided to sign up and do 13 races in 2013 at the time sounded like a great thing and knew I should have time and most may be virtual. (in reality I think I did 3 races... But life got crazy busy in ways I never knew possible) Also in January I officially joined the fire department. I had been "on" there for a long time but was made official with a number and pager in January :)
Little did I know that the picture below from Christmas 2012 be the last picture of my Grandparents together for a major holiday. I was happy he had made it past the heart attack and scheduled for kidney removal in mid January. Which he made it thru that just fine. I learned then with all the late nights early mornings lack of sleep that I could survive in the world of EMS :)
February: First part of February we took the boys to Monster Jam to see the Monster Trucks. It was Blakes second time and Nathan's first and they LOVED IT!!! I was also busy in sharing and helping with the first ever Freezin for a Reason Race that would be held later in February. It was for one of my friends who had cancer and was also a paramedic at St James Ambulance (now my my second job) if anyone would have asked me then if I expected to be working there I would have laughed.
The race was fun I stepped way out of my comfort zone and a good time.
The water at the end was super cold but I'd do it again for the same cause. I still get laughed at for doing the plunge by my coworkers and local fire department. I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and did the race dressed up and took part in the final challenge.
March: It started out just like any other month then greatness happened. March 15 I was hired at St. James Ambulance was a shock to everyone and to me! I was ecstatic that I landed a part time job at my dream place I always wanted to work. However orientation was not so fun I had to fight tooth and nail to earn my place with everyone. Happy to say that I finally feel I have made it at least 98% of the way.
April: I took a vacation day to participate in a docudrama with the Ambulance, Fire Dept and St. James High School. Was a mock vehicle wreck that we made look very very realistic to teach students not to drive under the influence and not to text and drive. I was excited and nervous and stressed myself out all at the same time. It was a fun day glad I participated in it and myself and one of the medics ended up on the front page of the local paper!
Here is the one that made the front page of the paper. I for some reason can't get the other ones to upload.
April: Was the month I turned 30 I wasn't to happy about that but was to busy to stress to long over it.
May: Is a month I want to forget.... I won an entry in to the Fugitive Run for Memorial Weekend. Well it didn't go so well and ended up breaking the bone right above my ankle. Was out of commission for weeks. Wasn't able to work ambulance job which really sucked no walking no working out no running.
June: Not much of anything since I couldn't do much at all....
July: first week in July dr released me to start walking and I begged to be released to go back to work with Ambulance. I may have pushed to hard to soon but I was ready to get on with my life. I returned to work second week in July still sore but happy to be back. My running and working out was still on back burner. I was worried I would re break it or step wrong and in fact I still have that fear.
July Blake had a birthday and we surprised him by taking the day off work and taking him and Nathan to the zoo.
August was another busy month working both jobs as well as helping with auctions. I did get talked in to a 5k with a group of friends who had never done a race before. I was worried I couldn't do it or keep up. My husband did the race with me and it was his first and well lets just say he realized it was a bit harder than he thought it would be... We all survived and I didn't come in last which was my goal!
Ya I know my eyes are closed in first picture and you can see the sweat all over from how humid it was. But I was glad to have conquered my first race back since injury as well as sharing the day with close friends and my husband.
End of August was also when my grandpa was diagnosed with myloid acute leukemia and had opted to not do treatments and was given weeks left to live.
September: More work work work and Nathan's birthday
He had a fun day :) I also did standby at the local fall festival for demo derby which was a fun night.
Middle part of September my Grandpa wanted to give the boys their Christmas present early since he wouldn't be here for Christmas. They each got one of his tractors.
Also Kenny and I walked in the 12 hour relay for life event with some friends and we walked 14 miles that day :)
Picture at the end of the night with one of my bestest closest friends ever.
October: Month started off not so well. Grandpa passed on October 1st. Not a great way to start the month but it was time, he had suffered long enough and was ready to go. It was a very hard time and something I still haven't fully dealt with. I had stayed busy all the way up to it and helped grandma take care of him of a night. I was there when the funeral home came and got him and helped take him out. Went back to being super busy with work trying to run from dealing with things.
End of the month was Halloween and I was able to take the kids to several places with the kids from daycare.
November: Well the first week went well then we got an unexpected phone call that my husband's grandma passed away. We were totally not expecting or ready to deal with another family death so soon.
Blake went hunting for youth deer season and got his first ever deer and a mighty nice buck at that!
Thanksgiving was bittersweet missing to important family members but we had lots of family and close friends to celebrate it with us which helped greatly.
December: Still wasn't ready for holidays but knew they were coming weather I liked it or not so I sucked it up and made the best of it. The kids had fun helping decorate the tree and waiting to see what santa brought.
Also in December was my first ever St. James Ambulance Christmas party. Which ended up being a lot of fun.
The year had a lot of good some bad and some very busy times. But all in all it was a good year it made me grow as a person. I wouldn't trade working two jobs for anything well unless both could be in the EMS field :) I have gained lots of self confidence at my second job which is filtering in to my everyday life and self. I want 2014 to be a great year. I am still working on some goals and will make a post later this week with those.
