Becoming Jeane

Over the past few weeks I've had the chance to reflect on just how much I have changed since I moved here 4 years ago and even the changes I've experienced over the past few months. Often these reflections would come as I visit with my friends here in Colorado, most of whom I've only recently become close to. Those who knew me when I was growing up in Louisiana knew me as a quiet, reserved girl who very rarely would open up to those around her. Even in college I was quiet and shy and would often spend most of my free time at home by myself. When I moved to Colorado I decided that this was an opportunity for me to reinvent myself and I would make an effort to be more outgoing. But this change was in no way immediate. Though I was making more of an effort to be social I was still very reserved and kept to myself more than I reached out. I went to the church activities but left feeling just as alone as always. Slowly I became friends with people at church, more because of their efforts than my own.

I remember having a conversation with my good friend Ashlee one night. I was having a rough time and was frustrated with dating or more accurately the lack there of. She encouraged me to be more outgoing and flirt more with all the guys. My response to this: I don't know how to flirt. Fast forward to today. I am now one of the more flirtatious among my friends and quite enjoy my adventures in shameless flirting. Those who've met me within the last few months have a very hard time believing that I wasn't always this way. I even like flirting with all the
guys and seeing the different reactions that come from everyone.

There have been other things that have changed about me since I moved here but I think the flirting is the best example of how I have become the Jeane I am today. And what's even better is that I feel more comfortable with who I am than I ever have before. There will likely be times when someone around me doesn't like the way I act or what I say or who I am but the way I see it that's there problem. I am who I am at all times. I don't change who I am because that would make me a hypocrite. Plus, I know there are plenty of people out there who like me just the way I am.

On The Passage of Time...

I realized today that it's been 5 weeks since my last post. I want to post more often but several things happened all at once leaving me no time to blog. Since my last post I have started working again. I was talking with Katie on day about how I really needed a job when my phone rang. It was the staffing agency I interviewed with back in May telling me they had a long term temp assignment for me. What a tender mercy! I started the assignment on July 25. It's with a small-ish company called InterCall in Highlands Ranch. This is my 4th week there and though the pay isn't as much as I was making and it's only temporary (through about the end of the year) I am loving it so much more than my time spent at Dish Network. I work with some amazingly fun people and the atmosphere is so much more laid back. Granted, the work could be more interesting to me but for now it's a source of income and a means to occupy my time.

In addition to working again I'm still being kept very busy with church responsibilities and finding time for family and friends. The week that I started working turned out to be very, very busy for me. A dear friend needed some cheering up so I decided to have a movie night at my place. Well, my place was still a bit disorganized so I had to do my best to make it presentable. I needed bookcases more than anything else so my friend Candi and I made the quickest IKEA run ever at 8:30 on a Thursday night ( IKEA Centennial had just opened the day before) after I got off work, went to the grocery store, went to see my nephew for his birthday, and played volleyball at church. I got the bookcases I wanted and it was quite the trip getting them into my car. I hadn't exactly thought everything through so I wasn't sure how I'd get these long, heavy boxes into my apartment. I decided to call a friend who lives just a few miles from me to see if he and his brother would mind helping me. He agreed so I was able to get my twins named Billy into my apartment and put together without killing myself in the process. Thank you so very much Candi for going with me and helping me piece together my furniture and to Ryan and Eric for willingly being the muscle when I really needed it. (Yes Mom and Katie, I have learned how to ask for help from men!) Anyway, on Friday I still had lots of cleaning to do before people started coming over and I had to work. Luckily, I found out that on Fridays at my new job most people worked through their lunch break and left early. This was exactly what I needed because I had so much to do at home. I some how got everything done and was able to enjoy the company of friends.

The next day I went down to my aunt and uncle's place in LaJunta for a visit. My cousin Philip had just returned from his two year mission to Argentina so I figured it was a good reason to go Katie, et al, came down too and John even made the trip up from Lubbock. It was really nice getting to spend time with family though I couldn't stay long. We had a bbq on Saturday and went to church with them on Sunday to hear Philip speak. After the meeting we took some pictures and then I headed back north so I could make it to my own church meetings (I made pretty good time too). It was a good thing I did go back for my own meetings because I ended up being the only member of the Relief Society presidency there for all 3 hours. It was a little frustrating and I was exhausted but it was a good day.

There have been other things going on in my life. I've got an amazing new friend (she's the Louise to my Thelma) and I don't know what I'd do without her right now. There has been much shameless flirting on my part. It's my new favorite pastime and I've got some awesome stories from it too (perhaps in another post...). Some of you who read this know quite a bit about some of the other things going on with me right now. For the rest of you, all I'll say is that I'm waiting right now and if/when I have something more to tell, rest assured that I'll let you know. In the meantime know that I am happy with my life and am very glad I stayed in the southern suburbs.