A new outlet for my adrenaline addiction

For those who know me fairly well, calling me an adrenaline junky is no stretch of the imagination. I've never met a roller coaster I didn't love, I've gone skydiving 3 or 4 times, I own a motorcycle (though I haven't ridden since my son was born0, I've run 2 marathons and several half marathons... anything that makes my stomach drop a little- I'm up for it. The pursuit for that light headed, twisted stomach feeling also translates into a passion for challenging myself mentally. Translation: I am obsessed with multi-tasking. Pile on a load of responsibilities combined with an impending deadline and watch me giggle like a school girl. :D Nothing is as satisfying as finding myself in the thick of the weeds, only to climb out victoriously. I have found my new multi-tasking haven... the restaurant.

While in my 2nd term at culinary school, we are assigned a couple evenings a week to work in "Service"- work in the school's restaurant. There, we have 4 dessert stations where we prep and plate all desserts for our customers. If you've worked in the food industry, you know things have to happen fast to make the meal experience come together for the customer. So, as tickets pile in and the words "Fire ticket__
are flying through the air, I find myself in the zone and loving every minute of it. Not only must we get our desserts out on time, but they must be beautiful and delicious. Attention to details is crucial. And for an added bonus- try being expo. You are the go-between for the servers and platers. You keep the flow going and make sure everyone is on top of what is expected of them. Yeah, it sounds perfect for me, doesn't it.

Now that I have a son, I have toned down a lot of my death defying stunts. He needs me to be around. Thanks to this new discovery of restaurant furry, I can still get my kicks while making it home safely. Yay for finding your outlet!!!

Someone Needs a Time Out! Oh wait, it's me...

Lately, I’ve been a little stressed out with all that is going on in my life… so I thought it might be wise to take pause and try to put things into perspective. The days are flying by in a blur of diapers, baking and homework, but I am almost sure I CHOSE all of this. So let’s break it down:

1) My 16 month old son, Ryker, does not have an off switch!
Since my exercise regime consistents exclusively of running after him and saving him from cracking his head open like an egg, I suppose I should be grateful that he’s constantly on the go. I haven’t had to do any crazy dieting, obsessive exercising or anything and I’m able to maintain my slender figure. Plus, those smiles, giggles, hugs and kisses make the 4-6 hours of sleep I get at night worth it.

2) I’m spending 8 hours of my day at school instead of at home with my family.
School is tough, I won’t down play that. But, hello! I’m in culinary school. Has this NOT been my dream since highschool? Haven’t I thought to myself more then once “In a dream world, I would go to culinary school” ? This means that I am living my dream! No one said that persuing one’s dreams is easy, but if I’m lucky enough to be persuing them before retirement… maybe I should just shut my mouth, smile and thank God for the blessing he’s given to me. Besides, after school I am going to be able to spend more time with my guys again, PLUS we will have a little more fun because we won't be worried about finances as much.

3) I am extremely torn between getting pregnant and persuing some other things that would work best if I wait until year or so to have another child.
I am nearing the age I had always considered to be the cut off for having children, but maybe I just need to rethink that deadline. There is no magical age at which I will no longer produce strong, healthy, happy babies... right? This sounds like something I need to release to God. I am a superstar at worrying about things beyond my control, and I'll throw it out there that this is one of them. His plan for me is really what I should focus on, and what comes next will be wonderful and blessed. So, pry my white knuckled hands off this issue and have a little pow wow with the Lord.

Wow, when I just lay it out on the table, I can see that things aren't quite as dark as I once thought. Maybe I am not in love with every aspect of my life at this moment, but I am always working for the greater good. I just need to remember that there are ups and downs in this journey and I will survive them all.

You have to start somewhere...

I realize that I may be a little 'late to the party' with this blog idea, but what better way for me to not only keep people up to date with what is going on in my crazy life, but to also take a moment to reflect on where I've been. Just a couple of years ago, my life was completely falling apart. My divorce weighed so heavily on my soul, I was unable to figure out how to move on in a positive direction. Luckily, I am blessed with an INCREDIBLE support system of friends, family and church - they helped me see the end of my marriage not as the end of the life I thought I wanted, but rather as a chance to start over and begin the new life I deserved. I began to see the truth in their idea... I was given an opportunity to make better choices, to learn from the negativity of my first marriage and truly find happiness for myself. What an amazing blessing.

Now, I feel like I have a new handle on life. I am married to an incredible man who makes me feel like I am the most amazing woman on earth everyday. We have an adorable son who is just like his mischievous father, thus keeps me on my toes 24 hours a day. I am primarily a stay at home mom (domestic engineer is my favorite title) and find pure satisfaction in this work environment. Looking at my life now, compared to the "dreams" I had not too long ago, you'd think I'd missed the boat. And a couple of years ago, I'd agreed with you. But now, I see it as I ALMOST missed the boat - this is the life I am suppose to be living and I almost missed out living it.

I have no doubt that I have many more discoveries to make about myself and what I am destined to be a part of, so make sure to check up on me - I'll be more then happy to share my progress. :)