The Reed Report: Wow...

It has been so long since I posted that everything on this website is completely changed. Weird.

I'm not sure why I haven't found the time to write since January. I've certainly been busy, probably more so than ever before, but surely I could've found the time to write something. Since I haven't I suppose this will be mostly catching up on things.

Tori (my baby sister - [Tor, do you hate always being referred to as that?]) got married in June! It's weird now that all of us are married. She got married in the mountains in one of my favorite spots. Now after leaving the mountains I definitely appreciate them more than ever before. One of the parents came in (at work) today and told us that they're headed to Vail this weekend and I got SO JEALOUS. I've only had one camping experience in MN but it was enough to convince me that unless I'm doing mountain camping... it's not camping. Best thing about camping in CO? So many fewer bugs! Sorry, there I go, off on a tangent. Point was, TORI GOT MARRIED! Andrew (my one and only brother) and his wife are expecting child number two to show up sometime next month. Boy or girl? We dunno. I'll surely post a picture when Baby Ripp appears though :)

Jason has finished his second year of law school and is about to start his third and final year. It is so mind boggling to me that this is almost done. Nine more months guaranteed in MN and then who knows where we'll be? Though in honesty, I don't want to think about that too much, that thought makes me go into a semi cuckoo place. Not because I have super strong opinions about where I want to be (though I do) but because it's overwhelming to think of all the possibilities and I'm probably better off just waiting until we find out. However along that note I have recently realized that for the first time in a REALLY long time I have had a solid one year of consistency. No moving states, apartments, jobs... and whatever else there might be. One solid year in MN in the same apartment with the same job. That might not sound like much of an achievement but to me it feels like a miracle. I'd truly love to keep the solidity up, that would mean I could get my Bachelors from one school and not have to transfer to yet ANOTHER new school. But although that is a possibility, I don't know how likely, so it's a good thing I'm preparing myself to roll with the punches.

As for school, I FINALLY GOT A DEGREE. Part of me dislikes that all I have to show for my work since High School is an Associates degree, but mostly I just feel accomplished because I actually have SOMETHING to show for all the work I've done since High School! I also have officially OFFICIALLY decided what my Bachelor's Degree will be in. I truly don't know how anyone makes this decision at the age of 18 and sticks with what they chose and ARE HAPPY. In the last year alone I think I've changed my mind 2 times. My final answer is a degree in Early Childhood Studies. I had been planning for a very long time to be a high school Social Studies teacher and while I still think that could potentially be something I would love, I came to realize how much I love what I am currently doing (and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Right?!) I would love to continue to learn and grow in a daycare or preschool with young children. Honestly that's the age I have the most experience with. Newborn-5. And I love it. LOVE IT. Of course right now I work with the youngest age group and imagine that's what I'll be doing for most of the near future. But I've worked a lot with toddlers and pre-k ages and have no doubt of my ability to love the "older" young ages as well. So although it will be slow moving to get my degree (I still have 50 some credits to go) I am starting to feel excited about starting my new classes in 2 weeks.

Really I had the urge to write tonight because I am so happy. I just feel so overwhelmingly lucky tonight. I have the most amazing husband who works so hard and who makes me laugh and feel so happy. My family is incredible. My job is wonderful. I have some really fantastic friends and co-workers. The families who I have met and the babies who I have in my life are all so wonderful (seriously - what is better than going to work with little people who smile at you and love you because that's all they know how to do? - SO LUCKY!) I try not to do this too often because I know (or at least I think) it can be annoying to listen to people talk about their "perfect" lives. But tonight I needed to do it. It's often way easier to think about the things in life that are wrong and it's all too easy not to see all that is right. It is also good for me to tell those who make me feel so lucky that I am grateful they're in my life.