HERE WE GO.

I can not begin to tell you my life in the past few weeks. I mean come on. The word stress doesn't begin to describe it. If you say overwhelmed, you're getting a little warmer. If you were to combine those two words and their meanings and make a word... that word, whatever it might be... even closer. But still not quite there.

I have ALWAYS been a very very goal oriented person. I see something I want, I say "I'm gonna get it" and I work until I do exactly that. This past weekend, I reached a goal I have been working for about two and a half years now. I have worked at Beaches Tanning Center since November of 2009. I started as a sales girl at American Fork Beaches. Since I very first started at Beaches I idolized the American Fork manager. I wanted to be her. She was a woman in a position of power and I wanted that. So I set a goal. Eventually, no matter how long it took, as long as I was employed by Beaches my goal would be to Manage American Fork. I wanted to be a manager for Beaches. And I wanted to manage one of their largest locations. So I cracked down on sales, excelled all my expected averages, and it paid off; Six months later, I was promoted and moved to manage Beaches smallest location at the time... North Orem. This was just the beginning. I managed there until I moved out of Utah to Cali at the beginning of 2011. I found a job at a tanning salon in San Diego, started as a sales girl, was promoted after 2 weeks there, and managed there until July 2011 when I moved back to Orem. When I came back to Orem, Beaches offered me a position as manager at a larger location, South Orem. I have LOVED working at South Orem. I have put a lot of hard work into that salon, I love my employees and I feel lucky to have been able to manage them. We have worked wonderfully as a team and have accomplished SO much! I am happy that my assistant manager Rebecca Morris, (*shout out!*) is stepping up and taking over that salon, she will be amazing. The reason she is stepping up?? Cause I'm moving out, and moving up.... This past Saturday afternoon I was offered the position to manage Beaches Tanning Center American Fork! I feel so privileged and so blessed to be where I am. It's gonna be a lot of work, but I can't wait to get started and put all I have into that salon and my new employees. 

I love my job. I love my employees at South Orem. And I love this opportunity that I have been given to improve as an individual employee as well as grow as a part of a new sales team. Looking forward to the challenge and the new experiences this is gonna bring! Last day at South Orem, February 29th, and first day back at American Fork, March 1st. Here we gooooo.

Thanks orem family of friends for the surprise treat this past Sunday, (the day after i found out.).... even though i couldn't tell anyone else yet, you guys were wonderful for secretly celebrating with me :)

Tayler Myers you are the sweeeeeetest for making this for me.

Short of this new and exciting change of employment scenery, I have not too much to report. Today, I am 3 weeks from the return of Elder Rose. Ummmm.... yeah I can't even talk about it. I am going nuts. I am also considering flunking out of school and just working at Beaches Tanning Center for the rest of my life. I don't know if that's healthy, or normal, to love your job that much. Eh. Oh well. Who gives. I am just in a state of shock, and totally engulfed in the exciting change that's going on right now. Eventually I'll snap back to reality. But for now, I am gonna just go ahead and soak up the euphoria that is my life. Shout out to my girl Wesley Bird for giving me a good saying to bask in the ambiance of for these next couple weeks.... Do you have this in a shirt? Can I have it if so? PLEASE.

BOOM... roasted.

I feel so blessed. I am so happy. And I am feeling so extremely excited for the BIG changes and exciting things coming up in my life! Yay for change!.... scary... but good. Oh-so good.

xoxo,

randi.

Is this real life??

I don't even know where to start. Let's start with the fact that I am sitting on my bed at 1:15 PM, woke up about an hour ago, missed both my classes and don't feel the slightest bit guilty. What is going ON!? I'll tell you what... I am so distracted by the upcoming things in my life. My best friend, Carly, got her mission call to Brazil, leaving June 13th and I am about to find out the exact TIME that Mason will be arriving at the Salt Lake Airport on March 16th. Getting one back and sending the other off. Not to mention in his e-mails to me today Mason started talking wedding dates with me and I laid in bed giggling to myself in disbelief. We need to get married before Carly leaves and that does not give us much time, but we don't mind at all. So date pending... but I assure you all it will be before June 13th in order to have my best friend there to be one of my "maid of honors." That girl is my rock. And Mason wouldn't have it any other way... I am so blessed to have a missionary boyfriend that understands and is supportive and even excited that that means we have to get married earlier than anyone would expect :) I have tried to avoid the whole "setting of the date" in order to keep him focused but he is just as excited as a kid in a candy shop. I love that boy. He is amazing and I am so blessed to have him. I can't believe I am finally here. To this point in my life. I am 32 days away from seeing Mason again face-to-face. Only four more e-mails, a couple more letters, one fast Sunday..... This is NOT real life! 

For two years I have hand written this boy at least 3 letters a month.

For two years I have written him at least one e-mail a week

In two years I have talked to him on the phone 4 times.

For two years I have worked to be better for him; To grow, and accomplish the things I needed to while he was gone, and to nourish my testimony and the testimony of those around me.

For two years I have missed him, cried for him, cried with him, wished he was here, felt unworthy to be his, and really realized the amount of love and devotion I have to him.

Sure at times I have been distracted, or tempted, or have even fallen and made mistakes, but only to get back up and to recognize each of those weak moments as a way to make myself a much stronger, much more independent person. In turn making me better for him. A better future wife and mother, a better girlfriend, and a better support for the person who matters most in my life. It's all for him.

So here goes nothing. One more month without Mason. I can do it!

As for the rest of the week... Last Friday I threw a rocking party for my employees. They have reached both our sales and membership goals, and been the highest out of all five locations three months in a row! Workin' on our fourth ;) So I ordered pizza, Rebecca brought a cake, I made them all awards and handed them out and also got custom shirts made to show em just how awesome I think they are. Here are a few pictures of some of my favorite people! I love Beaches Tanning Center... TEAM SOUTH OREM BABY!! 

My team minus a few! Katie, Me, Rebecca, Makenzie, Ashley, and Shayla.

My assistant manager Rebecca and I.

Team shirts :)

South Orem Booty

"The Bosses" ;)

Short of that I have nothing else super interesting to report. School is boring, work is wonderful, and my life is becoming more and more unreal every minute. I swear... I might lose my mind in the next month! The only thing keeping me sane is the realization that it will be so worth it once it is here. I just am ready for that moment that it all pays off... It is hard to remember sometimes, but I know that after every trial of faith comes the big blessings. So bring it on baby! I'm ready......

xoxo,

randi j.