the evenings are calm

it is interesting to me how my days have evolved into what they consist of now. when i first moved to arizona, i didn't expect that they would be anything like this. but they are, and really, i'm lucky that they turned out the way they did. here is a brief rundown

- i try to wake up around 8:30 or 9. doesn't always happen, but when i wake up later i feel like half the day is gone, and i have to rush to get all my "important" things done. so i try to be a good girl and wake up early.

- the first thing i do usually is read. i am not a morning person, so reading a good book helps to ease the transition from sleep to awake. and oh, how i love reading. i always have. i used to be ashamed to admit it (now i'm ashamed to admit that) but i feel like i'm in good company. i think my love of reading was passed down from my grandma, who used to be a school librarian, to my mom, to me. and i am grateful!

- i try to work out for about half an hour to an hour everyday. i need it, and i always feel so good when i'm done. the elliptical has kicked my butt more than once, but we're slowly becoming better friends.

- in the summer, when it was warm enough, i would go out and swim in the pool for about an hour after my workouts. it was so nice to jump in and get all refreshed, plus work on my tan. alas (ha), it is too cold to swim nowadays, but i still try to get some outdoors time - go for a walk, get the mail, or just read out in the back yard for a while. i love the sun.

- the reason i have all this free time is my awesome job. i teach piano at an after school program every afternoon. it pays really well, and i love the people i work with and the students! it reminds me of china a little, and makes me miss my cute little kids multiple times a week. but, despite that, i do love it. the kids are great, and piano is something i am learning to enjoy more and more...

- because i feel like a hypocrite for telling my students to practice when i don't practice myself, i have started to practice the piano (almost) every day. i'm not perfect at doing it daily yet, but i do try. and i am trying to be a good teacher and student. i got a notebook that i write down my assigned songs in, and what i should be working on in them, and i don't let myself move on if i don't have the song down at least decently. i'm easier on myself if i don't really like the song, which is probably not the best practice, but i feel like i can be a little indulgent.

there are other things i do too, like watch the office on thursdays, byu games on saturdays, and go to church on sundays. wednesday night i watched the jazz barely beat the nuggets. (that night i prayed the deron williams would get better, and that kyle korver will come visit when they play the suns.) once a week or more i hang out with jessi - we watch chick flicks and do other such girly things. i go to the library or target and hang out when i need a break somedays, and i talk to my mom quite a bit during the week. in january i'm hoping to take at least one class at the community college down here to prepare for asu next year. all in all, i'm a lucky lucky girl to have so much free time, and still be supporting myself. i think that things could get pretty ugly without some sort of schedule - keeping myself occupied helps me to feel like my life is going in a good direction. and posting up a schedule helps me feel more accountable in actually keeping it, now that you all know what i should be doing to occupy my days. although things haven't turned out quite the way i expected them too when i planned on moving, i am happy! and that is all that matters, right?