Goodbyes?

Something I have never been good at

Goodbyes
Is anyone good at them? They are emotional and consist of awkward hugs where you do your best to keep a composed face that slowly turns into a trembling chin until you lose it and just let the tears come. I had to say goodbye to WAY too many people in the last 30 days.
How did I handle it? I joked around with Racheal that I was FINE! There are 5 stages of grief and I spend most of my time in the best of the 5. Denial. Is that terrible? Having 2 parents for therapists I have learned over the years that I hold things in rather than talking through them, but that is what I have running for! Bad thing is, when I am in denial and you add sadness into the equation I feel the need to comfort myself with FOOD! Yay For FOOD.

Bad thing about food? When you are full of it, you don't feel like running. See where that equation doesn't play out well? So it has been an interesting 30 days.

Who left you might ask?
Lets start with my Zumba Family. I have been attending Zumba 4 times a week for the past year. Yes, my mother was successful and won the fight. Well, Allison, my instructor left to California at the beginning of August to support her husband through school. I am picky with my instructors. A good instructor is rare. Just ask my poor friend Brooke (next to me in white) who got married and moved to Athens Ohio. I hated these

goodbyes. I saw these people practically everyday for a year. Now we have fallen apart. Skyler, my cousin in the back, has become zumba certified and we attend his class every Thursday at 7pm. Thank goodness, It is nice to have it back.

Kate Darowski! She and I have been friends for about 12 years now... right Kate? Anyway, since she moved back to Utah in October of 2010 we have spent on average 7 hours a day together. (Really, I wish we could calculate that, I think I would be pretty close with that guess)

This past year we have had sleepovers, shared dinners, veronica mars nights, multiple road trips/adventures, etc. Saying goodbye to this one was so hard! We (Rach and I) went to her house before she left to the airport and said goodbye. We don't like to drag things out and make them overly dramatic, so we gave each other a hug and as I began to feel any tears I said, "Ok, bye Kate." Turned around and walked out. Racheal and I drove home and found out later that we both sat in our cars and cried.... ok, sobbed.

We talk on the phone twice a week and email almost daily ha ha. I love my Durski friend and I love that when I tell her I love her, she gets a little awkward and doesn't know what to say. Ha ha ha we have so much fun!

This beautiful woman below is my Grandmother, Monica Sanchez. Also known as Mamina, by those who love her most. She is my mother's mother and she has always shown her family so much love through all of her service. I will always remember the happiness I felt when she cared for me and my siblings. She always had delicious sopa (soup) and Jell-0 for us after school! I wont forget her beautiful singing voice and how she would sing Catalina and I to sleep. She recently passed away from a long illness of Parkinsons disease. She is now with my Grandfather Aldo Sanchez (Papillo), and I know they are so happy to be reunited.

Finally, on to Racheal. We have known each other through friends, but have become so close this past year working everyday together. She has moved to London for her masters program. I have always admired how intelligent Racheal is. I could write an email or message for work and know that having Racheal (and Kate) proof read it, they would express exactly what I meant to in a much more professional manner. Also Racheal can turn anything into a party, and she does! I love it! Who else do you know that can move Halloween up a month ahead?

We did well with our goodbye knowing that we would see each other again in just 2 and a half months.

My everyday routine for a year is now completely different and has been a little hard to adjust to. No, I don't like change. Who does?

More fun and optimistic posts to come. I am so excited for General Conference! Can't wait!