Class of 2000 10 years Later

My 10 year high school reunion is tomorrow and it's got me thinking. It seems like just yesterday I was graduating from high school with the whole world laid out in front of me for the taking. So many possibilities, so many unknowns and yet still so sure of myself. I didn't really have a plan but I knew I wanted to go to college and study abroad and hopefully travel the world as a photographer maybe for National Geographic or something. I never really saw myself with someone by my side or as someone who would get married and have children...funny how things work out.
In high school, I had a couple close friends but really tried to be friends with everyone. I was very into photography and was always in the dark room or at sporting events shooting away for newspaper or yearbook. I got decent grades but wasn't at the top of my class by any means. I loved being apart of the Class of 2000 mostly because, hello, it was a cool year to graduate, but also because there were a lot of great people in my class that helped shape the person I am today.
When I graduated I thought photography would be my career but quickly fell in love with politics and ended up majoring in it. My second semester I met Daniel, who quickly became my best friend and as most of you know later became my husband. I did get that chance to study abroad at the University of London like I had always dreamed and it was life changing. But it had a different effect on me than I thought it would. I found an appreciation for home and realized there that I was in love with Daniel and came home and we have been together ever since.
College was, I think where I discovered who I really am and what I really want out of life. I still love to travel, I still snap a few photos here and there but I realized how important family and friends were. It seems that since high school I have created bonds with people who have become my greatest friends and some even like family. In fact, if it weren't for Facebook I probably wouldn't have stayed in touch with anyone from high school besides my best friend Liz.
I remember graduating from college, with my dad serving our country in Iraq and my little brother preparing to do the same and having a much different feeling towards life than I did just 4 short years prior. The world felt smaller and not so open and I didn't feel as though I could just walk away with my camera and never look back. In fact, the only thing I was sure of was my family and friends so I took a "temporary" job at a bank until I was more sure of where life was going...where I was going.
6 years later I am still working in banking as a financial advisor and personal banker which I would have never seen coming! I hated money, finances or anything to do with math in high school and I definitely didn't think of myself as being in a sales position much less doing well in that type of career but here I am. I definitely don't think this is where I'll be forever but the experience is irreplaceable. I still have the bug for photography and am lucky enough to have friends and family who allow me to indulge in my little hobby and capture some awesome memories for them. And, I most definitely still love politics and have helped out with local campaigns and hope to do more in the future. But for now, I am happy to be learning more and more everyday about business and banking which can be a pretty fascinating field itself.
After getting situated in our careers and being together for 5 1/2 years, Daniel and I tied the knot...something I didn't really think I would do when I was graduating high school but then again I couldn't have imagined meeting someone like Daniel either. He is my best friend and biggest fan and I really couldn't imagine a life without him. From day one he has always been supportive of me and in fact one day I came home from work and said, "There is a position available in San Luis Obispo and I'll need to move in two weeks if I take it...what do ya say?!" And knowing how much I have always wanted to move to the coast and the potential good my career would benefit from it, he came with me with little to no hesitation. It was just for a year, a really good year, but he did it for me and I knew we were a team from that point on. In fact we got engaged while we were living at the coast and got married there too.
Since moving back to Fresno, we have bought a house and had a beautiful daughter, Gianna, together. Anyone that knew me in high school knew my little sisters, 10 and 12 years younger than me, where glued to my hip. They went everywhere with me and were more like my kids than my siblings. Because of that, I really thought I would never have kids. Not that I didn't love kids but knowing what it took to raise kids and feeling like I had played a big role in raising my sisters, I just didn't know if having kids was for me. I'm glad that changed too. Once I married Daniel, I knew that I would love having kids with him and I do. Gianna has been the biggest blessing in my life thus far and I love being a mom.
So, in a nutshell that brings us to now. One day away from my 10 year high school reunion. Thinking back, I'd like to say I'm still the same girl (well, lets face it, a slightly older, heavier version of that girl) who walked across the podium with the other 700 some odd other graduates but I'm happy to say I think I am a much better version of her. Since then, I have learned the true value of friendship and family, I've learned how to be humble and accept defeat but also how to rejoice in all the good I have been blessed with. I have learned what it means to work hard, play hard and love like there is no tomorrow. I have learned the true power of forgiveness, have learned to accept my imperfections and how to always keep an open mind. And most importantly I think I have learned that its okay to not be exactly where you planned to be because you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
I am definitly looking forward to seeing some old familiar faces and seeing where life has taken everyone....it has been 10 years. I have been debating over the last few weeks to go at all because I am not super nostalgic about high school and there is no one I am dying to see though it will be nice to see a few. I guess I am glad that high school wasn't the best years of my life, in fact I feel like I am living those now, but I am glad that I had a good high school experience and I was surrounded by a lot of really good people. Even though I may not have stayed in touch with many people there were a lot of good people who touched my life and I hope to get a chance to hang out with them.
Personally, I am proud of what I have done with my life since graduating even though it's not what I had planned. In fact, I'm glad its not what I had planned. I am hoping the next 10 years will be as meaningful and amazing as the last 10 years.
Class of 2000 alumni,
Busy B

Thankful!

When I was younger, like most people, the holidays had an air of excitement and mystery. I still love the holidays, don't get me wrong, but the materialism, the crowds, and the running around kinda bring me down a bit. I was starting to feel a bit of dread today at work when my co-workers and I started talking.
This week is the first real week that its felt like fall/winter here...in fact its down right freezing! I mentioned that I always feel sad when it first turns cold because I am reminded of my mom telling me about her students at her school that show up to school with no coats and their arms tucked inside their t-shirts because they are too poor for coats. She's also told me that some students go hungry during the school breaks because they don't have access to the school lunches and breakfasts which just tears at my heart. I couldn't imagine being cold and hungry much less being cold and hungry and a child.
I stopped and thought, how ridiculous am I dreading such minuscule things when I have been blessed with so much. So, we decided that we are going to do a Coats for Kids campaign and a canned food drive here at my bank so that we can do our part to help children and families who don't have the basics of warmth and food that we so easily take for granted. I know it may not be much but hopefully it will help a few people out.
All of this got me thinking how truly thankful I am for all the good in my life. I have an amazing family, a loving husband, a healthy and beautiful little girl, an amazing circle of friends, a job, a home of my own, the ability to worship God freely, and I don't want for really anything.
This holiday season my goal is to keep the meaning of the season top of mind and not let the hoopla and the crowds get to me as it is so easy to do. I hope that everyone can try and do the same and hopefully find some way to give back even if it doesn't seem like much. Every little bit helps!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Busy B :)

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Reasons I am excited to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live!

Tonight Gianna and I are going to see her favorite show LIVE! She is literally going to flip when she see's her favorite characters in person. Here's 10 things I'm excited about for tonight....

10. Being surounded by other adults that know all the words to all the songs will make me feel better about myself.

9. Watching Gianna's reaction when she realizes whats going on.

8. Going to dinner before with my girlfriends Michelle and Lindsay and their handsome little boys Blake and Vinny.

7. Having a reason to take a half day off from work.

6. Looking forward to seeing some possible celebrity appearances. I have heard Biz Markie is a regular on tour just like on the show.

5. Spending some quality time with my little Gigi!

4. Learning some more important life lessons....the "Don't bite your friends" song is always a good reminder. :)

3. Looking forward to feeling like I'm tripping out without the hassle of actually doing drugs...haha! Gotta love the psychodelic sounds and effects!

2. Secretly hoping they pick a parent to come on stage to do the I like to dance skit....."My names Brianne! I like to DANCE!" haha

1. Of course making fun mother/daughter memories!

Yo Gabba Gabba!
Busy B

It's Friday already?

I haven't posted in over a week so I need to catch up! In my defense I wrote two blog posts on my Blogpress app. and apparently they are floating in cyberspace somewhere. Oh well! That's technology for you!

This week has flown by! I did have Monday off so that probably has something to do with it but time just has a way of going by way to fast lately, period. The saying that there just aren't enough hours in the day is more true now than ever that we have Gianna. I just look at her and think, "How is she 15 months old already!?" The days are literally a blur. I lay in bed at night and think, "What did I even do today?" It's not that its bad by any means its just life at warp speed. Or, I guess its just life!

My fear is that, while I am fully enjoying life and every minute of it, am I paying enough time and attention to all the right things? Does everything I do in the day really need to be done right that minute or should I be putting it on hold and paying more attention to Gianna, Daniel, or the laundry thats not doing itself! The busier things get, the more I look only at whats in front of me at that moment and not the big picture as much. In all honesty, I feel like I do focus as much time and energy on Daniel and Gianna as I can but of course I always wish I had time to do more. Where I really find myself lacking is spending time on me. But whenever I see the oportunity I feel a sense of guilt and redirect it to something "more important."

Lately, I have been in a funk of sorts. I can't really say why, it's really a mixture of things. But in the madness of everything, somewhere along the way I have forgotten to make time for myself. I haven't "let myself go" by any means but eating healthy, working out, spending more time in prayer, reading a good book in total silence just aren't high on the priority list like they once were and I feel like its beginning to show. Inside and out.

This blog is a start. It is nice to sit down and create a little outlet for myself. I have been doing a lot of photography lately too which kills two birds with one stone....allows me to partake in a hobby I totally love and make a little extra money for our family. But I definitely feel like it needs to go beyond that. I need to just start saying no to things and maybe start being a little selfish. I feel like if I don't learn to do it now than things will just keep piling up and it will get harder and harder.

I'm not looking for a gigantic life change but I do plan on taking baby steps. I feel like if I can start feeling like I am not always putting myself last that I will be able to better appreciate all the wonderful things in my life even more. I think more importantly I will start appreciating myself more and all that I have to offer. And when I lay in bed thinking how busy the day was I will be able to recall each and every thing I did because I made sure to make sure I spent my time with the most important things....God, my family, my friends and yes, even myself.

Busy B

Spain or bust!

For those of you who don't know, I work for a bank as a Financial Sales Advisor. Our parent company is headquartered out of Bilboa, Spain. Every year they reward the top sales people and a guest of their choice with an all expenses paid trip somewhere. This year it's Spain! 3 days in Barcelona and 3 days in Madrid and guess who's in the running....ME!

It's crazy because I come from such a small branch that I never really thought I was in the running until recently when I started paying attention to the numbers. How cool would that be!?! I just have to be in the top 4 when December 31st hits and Spain here I come!

I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Spain and when I was studying in Europe that's one of the countries I just never got around to going to and I always wished I had. Over the last few years I have tried to convince Daniel that Spain would be an awesome vacation for us and since he would like his vacations to include beaches and golfing I have said perfect! They have all that and then some but he just hasn't seemed that interested. Until now that is....but mostly because of course its free!

This will be such a huge deal for me because I have been with this company for what will be 3 years and have been with my branch since it opened which hasn't been easy and we have gone through a merger and I have tried relentlessly to stay positive and keep trucking through some of our more difficult moments and now it seems as a branch we have hit our stride and things are going well. This would be a nice reward for sure!

The trip itself wouldn't be until the beginning of April but it will be a perfect time of year to go. I'm hoping if things keep going as they have been Daniel and I will be sipping Sangria's and eating paella in no time. Ahhhhhhhh!

Adios!

Busy B

Top 10 Tuesdays

Another blog I follow does "Top 10 Tuesdays" and I think its SO much fun! I'm a list maker by nature so a top 10 list is right up my alley. So...here I go!

Top 10 Songs I can't get enough of right now :

10. "If I Die Young" The Band Perry
9. "Better Days" Eddie Vedder
8. "You Are The Best Thing" Ray LaMontagne
7. "Free to Be Me" Fracesca Battiselli
6. "What I've Overcome" Fireflight
5. "Only Girl (In the World)" Rihanna
4. "Honestly" Cary Brothers
3. "Just a Dream" Nelly
2. "The Unwinding Cable Car" Anberlin
1. "Dog Days are Over" Florence and the Machine (Love, love, love this song and album!)

Pretty random selection....but thats my taste in music....totally random!
Cheers!
Busy B

Life Between the Dash

Happy Friday everyone! I'm totally cheating by not actually writing my blog entry today but I thought this little poem was good so I am passing it on. It was read at the Funeral of a co-workers family member. It's always a good time to thank God for your blessings and remember to be the person you want to be remembered as. Have a great weekend!

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the “dash” between those years. (1934 -1998)

For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth...and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own; the cars...the house...the cash, what matters is how we live and love and how we spend our “dash”.

So think about this long and hard...are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile...remembering that this special “dash”might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's actions to rehash...would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your “dash”?

Copyright by Linda Ellis