Colorado Bound!

Hello World!

It's been quite a while since I last posted.  Much has changed.  I went back to school to become a physical therapist assistant and I graduated in July (2015).  During the course of completing my education I had to downsize my beloved business, Stretch-n-Grow.  I attempted to sell it to a wonderful woman who would have made a great owner, but corporate dragged their feet until the woman backed out of the deal.  Very disappointing.  I was crushed and heartbroken and just couldn't bring myself to try to sell it again.  Now it just sits dormant and I fear that corporate will let it rot and/or let it be picked over by other affiliates.  Ultimately, I suppose, it is I who is responsible.  Sigh.

Despite my heartache over SNG, I persevered through school.  Attending Tri-C was not at all enjoyable or life-affirming.  It was the exact opposite of that.  The Evil One Whose Name I Shall Not Speak continues to berate, disrespect, and abuse the students in the PTA program there.  I hear rumors that she is retiring and that is the day the munchkins will once again dance in the streets with joy in their hearts. 

I rose to the challenge when she nearly crushed my spirit and stole my dream by dismissing me out of one of my clinicals without a single conversation with me.  Shameful, but I won't bore you with the heinous details here.  Suffice it to say, that with the support of my friends and family and especially my AMAZING MENTOR, I was able to pick myself up, dust myself off, and go forward to graduate with two degrees and with honors.  Good for me!

I secured three PRN jobs locally and began to build my skills.  I was working with a travel broker in the hopes of getting a travel PTA position in Colorado or one of the other states I wouldn't mind checking out.  In the meantime, I continued to look for full-time work in Colorado as that is where my heart has been set for the past 10 years. 

I found a couple of jobs, applied, convinced them to interview me over the phone to see how things go.  Both places agreed.  Both places then wanted me to come to Colorado for face-to-face interviews which I did just three weeks ago.  I interviewed on Januaray 12 and got BOTH jobs!! 

My sister and I spent the rest of the week securing an apartment for me.  This was a tough job because the housing market is exploding in the springs.  Rent has skyrocketed and there weren't any apartments available in my price range.  I was able to secure a studio apartment that will be ready to move in by February 15.  I took it even though I was unable to see it.

I ended up taking the job with the lower pay scale because it offers incredible opportunity and the owners are about the nicest people I have ever met.  I am excited to start and they wanted my first day to be February 1!

I rushed home and began packing.  It was incredibly stressful and happened a little to quickly for my blood as I was unable to see all of my friends and loved ones prior to my departure.  This just added to the stress, but when opportunity knocks you can't ask it to wait!

I sent the majority of my belongings out with a moving company to be delivered to my tiny studio sometime between Feb 15 and Mar 7.  I packed my immediate necessities in my car and headed west on Saturday, January 30.  I stopped in Iowa to visit Natalie and her family, spent the night and headed out early Sunday morning hoping to get to Colorado Springs before nightfall.

The drive wasn't that bad.  Nebraska and Kansas were quite interesting to me.  I was surprised by this because I greatly feared the flatness of it.  However, the absolute nothingness and isolation was amazing.  I have never seen or experienced anything like that.  I played some John Cougar Mellencamp and enjoyed the bright blue skies and wide open roads of Middle America. 

All was well until I crossed over into Colorado.  It was beginning to get dark, but I only had a couple hours left.  I decided to go for it.  I wish I had pulled off and stayed in a hotel. 

Ahead of me the sky looked strange - white and gray, but not in a familiar way.  I suspected snow, but I'm from Cleveland - snow is not a big deal to me.  By the time darkness fell, the snow was really coming down and I couldn't see a thing except for the tiny slice of snow-slicked road ahead of me illuminated only by my headlights.  I was completely alone on the road and could not see a single thing in any direction.  It wasn't blocked by driving snow, but by complete and total blackness.  Nothing.  Not a house, a street light, another car, or any sign of life at all.  I was completely alone and terrified!  I couldn't tell where the edge of the road was.  I couldn't see what was beyond the edge.  Was it a ravine?  A cliff?  I had no way of knowing.  I tried to stay in the middle of the road but often times I couldn't tell if I was way over to the left or the right.  I was only able to go about 20 MPH in order to keep from sliding.  It was terrifying.  Finally, I saw a couple of tail lights ahead of me and some headlights behind me.  I felt comforted, but it was short-lived as those folks turned off eventually. 

By the time I reached the edge of the springs, I was worn out and emotionally drained.  I pulled into a Wendy's parking lot to gather myself.  I was happy to be within the city limits with street lights and life around me, but it was a mess.  Cars and trucks were skidded off the roads in all directions.  I inched my way to my final destination and when I finally arrived I hugged Monna a little too hard.

She helped me unload some of my belongings into the ministry house that she and Eddie had so graciously opened to me while I wait for my apartment to become available.  I was desperate for a hot shower, a warm bed and a TV, so I packed up a little bag and headed back out to check into a hotel just for the night.

My new start date had been pushed to Feb 2 and I was grateful for that.  I now had Feb 1st to get some of my affairs in order now that I was physically in CO.  Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans.  I was able to check out of the hotel, find a grocery store and get back to the ministry house.  That was about it.  The roads were terrible and most businesses were closed due to the weather.  The locals keep assuring me that this is unusual weather for the springs.  However, we have had a very unusual weather in Cleveland this year.  Hardly any snow at all.  There was one big snow storm while Carla and I were in CO.  So this was my first real snow fall of the entire season and it was February!  That has never happened in my life!  Today (2/2/16) it is 55 degrees and sunny in Cleveland.  Meanwhile, here in Colorado the snow is up the sides of my car.  When I attempted to go outside, the snow is higher than my knees!  This is crazy!

The clinic is closed due to the weather, so my new start date is Wednesday, February 3.  I am so excited to start my job in my new digs.  It's a whole new life - again!  It is so hard to leave family and friends, but I am very excited to see where this path leads.