My MINI Adventure

NOTE: Somehow the entire month of June passed me by and I never once composed a blog post. Not because I don't have a story to tell, a lot has happened in the last few months, but I simply don't know how to tell it. You know those moments, those events that keep you in awe, blow you away and you can't even find words to explain them? Yeah that's why I haven't been blogging lately. I want to properly convey my feelings. But true feelings are so difficult to verbalize, even to write... but at least with writing I have time to organize my thoughts.Writing is so healing, so inspiring. You get to work through your thoughts and really make sense of yourself, your hopes and your dreams. You come together there on paper, and right now I have so much on my plate, so many things happening so quickly that it's nice to sit down and sort it all out. To rediscover what it's all about.

Last summer was crazy- to say the least. Once we got married we moved across the country to Charlotte in May, New Jersey in June, Ogden in July and St. George in August. We learned a lot of lessons that summer and it drastically shaped our mindset regarding future decisions. So when this summer came creeping up on us, J and I went about things a lot more methodically.  We'd been weighing different scenarios almost since February, so when May came upon us (all too soon I might add), we were forced to make a decision. Well... a lot of decisions. School, housing, transportation, and work weighed heavily on our minds. Even smaller decisions, like what to do with our little Ollie seemed huge to us. Fear of failure, I've learned, has a funny way of second-guessing.

But like I said, May came upon us. We made our decisions and ran with them- all the way to Chicago in fact. Things worked out for a while, but over the span of a few days we decided it would be best if I went back to St. George. We didn't really know why, we didn't have any good reasons, it was just something we both felt good about. I didn't have a place to get back to, I didn't have a car since we'd sold the Acura, and the online class I was taking I really could take anywhere. It didn't make sense, but I bought a plane ticket anyway.

The very next day my phone started ringing. A New York number was calling and I promptly sent it to voicemail. But upon listening to the message I called it right back. On a whim a week or so before I had contacted the communication department for a list of internships. Once again it wasn't a really thought out process, but I found one that interested me- an adorable little boutique in a historical shopping district in town and I applied. So when Maybeth asked me to come in for an interview, the timing couldn't have been better. I flew into Vegas, hit up Ann Taylor for a new interview dress, and waltzed into the boutique.

First though, was housing. I had a loose plan of living with my friend Leana, back in student housing. But after a few days of single guys, messy roommates and a cranky manager, I couldn't do it. With a contract in front of me and money in hand I backed out of the deal and started looking elsewhere. I didn't know where to go, but I had to do something. The day of my interview Leana and I began the hunt for housing. But it didn't prove as promising as I'd expected. I looked at four places and nothing was a) available, or b) liveable. Stressed, distressed and sweating, we picked up berry smoothies and I headed to my interview.

Within five minutes I knew I had the job. (Good thing too, because while I was in my interview I was called for an interview at Express in IL- seriously... now??) Anyways, Maybeth and I sat on her chaise for two hours learning of her divorce, her kids, her business adventures and her dream to empower women. Multiple times she'd say, "I don't know why I'm telling you this..." or "I just feel like I can tell you this..." She was so intriguing to me, so determined and hopeful. At one point during the interview I mentioned my housing hunt and she thought for a minute, wrestling with her own thoughts. "This might be strange, and/or completely inappropriate, but I feel so comfortable with you I guess I should just ask. Do you want to live with me?" She'd had an ad on KSL for weeks, looking for someone to help around the house and with her kids. See, for a single mom, an entrepreneur, and a business owner, she needed help on the side. And me, a (geographically) separated married woman without kids looking for a job to keep me busy and a place to sleep at night, we were a good match. I don't pay rent or buy groceries and she doesn't do laundry or dishes. That night we discussed it over Thai and Monday I was moved in.

It's been a perfect fit. I live out in the country where I pass gorgeous green fields everyday on my way into town. It's a quiet (well except the rooster nearby- wtf??) and beautiful neighborhood with houses like this next door to lend us a pool when we need it.Which is like every single day here in St. G.

Upon telling my mom about my new living-situation she said, "Well I think it worked out this way for a reason.You needed to be there." And I do. Everyday I feel like I'm here for a reason. Maybeth has helped me out in ways I didn't even know I needed, and she's said I've done the same. We've been a blessing to each other. Oh and they have a yorkie too! So when I'm missing Ollie like crazy, as I do everyday, I play with little Gigi- I swear the only puppy even remotely as fun as my own. :)

After I started working the boutique I realized there's no way I could live without a car. And this isn't spoiled Shan talking, it's Shan-living-on-the-outskirts-of-town-no-way-to-borrow-Leana's-car-anymore-Shan. Believe me I tried. I'd been on the car hunt for months, but I hadn't really been serious until I had no other choice. I'd been looking into Jeeps and MINIs, but when I found a red MINI for the right price I started the paperwork. Maybeth and I planned a trip up to ID and the owner and I  were calling each other multiple times a day.We were becoming great friends! But the day before we embarked I headed into the bank to close the deal.

My funds were transferred to his bank and I called him up for one last thing. "Hey Chad! Sorry to call again. I'm here at the bank again just needed to know one last detail..." He cut me off. "Shannon I sold the car." His tone was different this time. He was blunt and cold. We were no longer friends. I stammered a few questions. What?? It couldn't be gone. How was it gone? I'd just paid off his loan! The banker was printing me a receipt as we spoke! Somewhere in there I hung up. I don't even remember saying goodbye. I was just so blown away, so hurt that I'd been stabbed in the back like that. I was coming, the keys were almost mine...!  As I slowly walked back to my banker she followed my eyes knowing something was wrong. As soon as I opened my mouth I started to cry. She was so sweet, working late to help me out and here I had to tell her it was all for nothing. But she took care of me. "Don't you worry about a thing," she said. "I'll reverse the funds, I'll cancel the paperwork. I'll figure it out, you just go find yourself a car."   So I did.

Maybeth hugged me in the parking lot and took me to the drive thru- Hawaiian chicken I don't even know why I ordered. At one point J sent me a picture of a red MINI with the caption: "It's meant to be!" I thought I'd cry. But instead I laughed! The whole situation was so ridiculous that I couldn't help but to say, "well it just wasn't meant to be." I was so stressed, how would I get to work now?? But I was also somewhat calm. I'd figure something out. Maybeth dragged me to every dealership in town, tracking down every MINI she could and checking out Cadillac's for her. :) But to no avail. I searched KSL for hours, and Craigslist too. It was 11 pm that night that J recommended a different site I'd never heard of. And the first MINI that came up was this.

I couldn't believe it. It was the gorgeous aqua blue I'd only ever seen special ordered! The one I'D special order right from the manufacturer if I could. It was beautiful. And...wait for it... it was 15 MINUTES AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in shock. Was it too good to be true?? It was too good to be true. Right? But the next day as I called from work, my newest buddy Dennis told me it was still available. Dennis' wife custom designed this beauty from BMW and garaged it all it's life. It had flawless leather seats and carpet, a Borla exhaust and the Harmon Kardon stereo the red MINI from ID didn't have! I was in love. That night Maybeth and I took it for a drive. Since I couldn't drive stick she took the driver's seat and screamed as we zipped down the road. "It picks up and GOs!" she yelled. "It's just like my old sports cars!" We laughed and screamed and took that thing all over town. I knew I had to have it.

Meanwhile, J was frustrated to be in IL. He wanted to be there for me, to help me find a car, especially after Chad-stab-me-in-the-back reneged the deal over $60. He was missing me like crazy and we couldn't agree on a date to buy him a flight. But that night, probably high off MINI happiness I bought him a spontaneous flight for the very next day. A concession, I figured. Plus there's no one I'd rather teach me to drive stick. (I'd change my mind on that later of course) So as you already know, I got that car.

 
Dennis drove up from AZ and J flew in from IL the very next day. The only thing I worried about was that my dream aqua blue MINI was priced $1500 more than what the red one was and I was already pre-approved for the price of the red one. At that point I would have paid whatever to have that car, but somehow- by a strike of luck and a great deal of blessings surely- my new buddy Dennis lowered the price $1500. The owner of Pacific Mustangs and 50 years old with no kids, he was doing well for himself and he felt for me. "I remember what it was like to get my first car too," he said. Course this wasn't really my first car, I'd had a gold Chevy Lumina, a gold Chevy Malibu and my husband's silver Acura, but those aren't really mine. I wanted to pick out a car. To actively search for a car that I really wanted. So to find a car that I've wanted so long in my favorite color 15 minutes away for a great price- I was SO happy. I still am!!

I couldn't believe my luck. Not only had I found a great place to live, discovered an awesome place to work/serve my internship and purchased the funnest car ever, a week or so later I got an email from Sorenson. Now I'd been waiting on this email for a month and I'd long ago given up on the chances/kinda forgotten with all this other stuff going on in my life. So clear back in March or something I was talking to a buddy in one of my Comm classes about his weekend and he told me he'd been promoted at this awesome job he'd been working at less than a year, without a degree ads making great money already. I made a mental note and moved on. Then at Riss and I's graduation luncheon one of Riss' friends was telling me about her awesome job- also at Sorenson. So when I was out in Chicago with waaaaay too much time to surf the internet (seriously at one point I found myself watching childbirth on Youtube eeewww! But hey ya gotta prepare ;)  I snapped to attention when I saw Sorenson Communications was hiring for a Communications Assistant. Ding ding ding! Right up my alley right!?

So I went in for an interview- ran into like half the DSC comm department- how did I not hear about this before?? And passed my two tests. My typing test I blew out of the water- you needed to pass with 34 WPM or something stupid and I got 72 or so. Then my speaking/listening test you needed to get a 52 or something to pass and I got...wait for it... a 52! I start next week. :)

So you know how they say if you want to make God laugh tell him your plan? Yeah that's about how I feel right now. I planned to go car-less this summer and then I bought my dream car. I planned to be dog-less this summer and now I'm sleeping with a yorkie. I planned to be with my husband this summer and now we're on opposite ends of the country. I planned to get my boobs done this summer and now I'm still flat as paper. Haha just kidding guys just seeing who's still reading. ;) I may or may not be joking about that last one. I planned to live with Leana this summer and now I'm living with a family. I planned to be jobless this summer and now I have two jobs. What the heck happened to my plan??? Well, folks, for once in my life I'm happy to say that I'm HAPPY my plan didn't work out. You hear that?? You taking note big universe?? I said I'm happy my plan didn't work out. This summer has been so amazing, so perfectly planned and orchestrated and the ironic part is that I didn't plan it that way! That was someone else. Someone who has my best interests at heart; someone who knows all and knows me by name.

I'm learning, slowly but surely, that everything happens for a reason. I really, truly, with all my heart believe that everything happens for a reason. So if I get pregnant tomorrow, (uh well that'll be a miraculous conception if that occurs despite a 1000 mile distance) or if we fall flat on our back just like we did a year ago-- I'M OKAY WITH THAT. I really am. Life isn't always fun, it's not always blue skies and it's not always what you had in mind, but it works out.

Just the way it's supposed to.