A tribute to 2011

It's a new year... Time to reflect on our accomplishments and make goals for the future. 

2011:

What a crazy year.  I started the year living in the Dolphin house and working at Chenega.  Same ole same ole.  Corbin was still going to Karen's house and TJ was still working Corrections. But a lot can happen in a year. 

In March I quit Chenga and I left for BOLC in Texas.  It was the first time I left my son for any length of time... but it was also an adventure of a lifetime.  I learned a lot, made friends that I'll keep forever... and I grew as a person.  Sometimes placing yourself outside of your comfort zone and outside of your "life" you find out who you really are.  And that's just what I did. 

I returned to Alaska at the end of May, a new me.  Happy, Determined, Confident... a runner... an appreciative and loving wife and mother, a dedicated officer and a strategist. (yes that's a word).  I had gotten a taste of success... and I wanted more.  I didn't want to waste my life checking IDs at a gate any longer.  It was time to act.

The offer for a year in Hawaii as a Medical OIC came shortly after I returned home.  I had to say yes.  Who turns that down??  This was my ticket out of my occupational slump.  Besides... I had quit my job... what else was I gonna do?  I spent the summer of 2011 moving into my late grandparent's house on Lazy Mountain, running, visiting with friends/family and trying to spend as much time with Corbin and TJ as possible.  August 22 was fast approaching.

The first bump in our road was Karen quitting as our baby sitter.  Any of you with children will agree that this was a tragedy.  She had watch Corbin for almost 2 years... and he loved her.  Finding a new place wasn't too hard... but Corbin adjusting to the new people would be the rough part.  We enrolled him in Nana's House Preschool, to start in September after I left for Hawaii.  This would turn out to be not so smart of us.

Leaving was such sorrow.  It was literally the hardest "see you later" I have ever experienced.  I was sobbing as I walked onto the plane.  Keeping it together was never my strong point.

I like to call my life in Hawaii as my "out of body life experience" and my "poor college kid" year. It feels fake.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into coming here.  The job is rewarding... but I am so so lonely.  Laurel Sullivan/Pollock not making friends??  Unheard of!!  Well anything is possible...

So I try and stay busy.  work/run/sleep... repeat.  so as you can imagine I'm the skinniest I've ever been... and have very sore feet.  Since June 2011, I've run 297.6 miles.  DAMN.  :)  tracking my miles makes me so happy, don't judge.

Hawaii visits:
Cody, Amber, Aunt Betty, Greg and kiddos- Cody's R n R from overseas. :) 
Dad, Mom, TJ and Corbin- Halloween, and best week of my Hawaii life!!
Robin- for thanksgiving!!  yay!
LT Burton- one Kayak trip... not enough time.
Linnea- a very short, action packed weekend of girl fun.

Thank god this is a beautiful place that people want to come visit.  But for me it is a Paradise Prison.

Meanwhile on the homefront... Corbin wasn't doing so good at the new day care while TJ worked his crazy hours.  We made a choice for him to quit and stay at home with Corbin (making me the LT Sugar Momma... and TJ, Mr. Bored Pants).  But it's working so far.  :)

My holiday visit home was the best 11 days of the entire 2011 year.  If you can imagine that. :)  It was so nice to be home with my family and friends for the holidays.  Even in the cold.  I didn't mind.  And I definitely didn't want to come back.  But alas... here I am.

2012.  I don't do new years resolutions... but I do make goals... always gotta have a goal.

241 days left to go.  I know I can do this.  Just keep busy.  run. work.  And skype as much as possible.  I'd like to run at least 500 miles this year.  very doable.  I'd like to learn as much as I can from this job so I can get a really nice Health Care admin position when I get back to AK.  Also, very doable. 

oh... and I might be pregnant.  so there's that.