Tracie's World

This past week, after a little over 3 years at SelectHealth, I left my role there and started a new job. It's difficult to really know how to share the journey that got me to this point, but let's just say it was full of trials and miracles, all at the same time. My career at SelectHealth was difficult to begin with, and became even more so this past April. For months I had been looking for a new job, off and on, without success. But it eventually got to a point where something needed to change, and quickly.  Towards the end of April, in desperation, I applied for a couple of jobs, and changed my LinkedIn profile to allow recruiters from other companies to reach out to me directly. The following Monday, a recruiter from C.R. England Trucking company sent me a note. He didn't know if I was open to opportunities or not, or if I knew anyone who was, and sent along a job description.  Now, let's just say that a job in the trucking industry was never at any time on my rad...

About 15 years ago, I was diagnosed with something called Meniere's Disease. It's an inner ear condition, which results in episodes of dizziness and vertigo, and eventual loss of hearing. I know several people who are afflicted with it, and it is not pleasant. This last number of years, I've lived my life as a meniere's patient. I've dealt with periodic dizziness and vertigo, had my hearing tested regularly, been mostly off salt, and otherwise lived my normal life as best I could.  Earlier this year, I started having more dizzy spells, so when it was time for my annual checkup, I brought it up. My ear doctor thought this was odd, that all of a sudden I should be having more difficulty. And I've never lost my hearing, so he was suspicious something else might be going on and had me re-tested. I then went through a battery of balance tests, and an MRI, and was referred to a middle ear specialist. Lo and behold, after all these years, I DO NOT have Meniere's ...

The Church has a new self-reliance initiative, and this past few months I've been privileged to have participated in it. Last fall I went through the Find a better Job group, and this time around I went through the Personal Finance group. I have to say the program has been such a blessing in my life. Over the course of twelve weeks, we meet weekly for two hours as a group, with a facilitator. We review the materials, which all have a spiritual foundation, then we counsel together and offer ideas and suggestions to each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the Better Jobs group, and the Spirit that I had with me. This was even more evident with the Personal Finance class. I met with other members of my stake, who I did not previously know, and we all got to be very close. We had a regular text chain where we sent notes of encouragement, or asked for faith and prayers. I also got to be close friends with my action partner. We now go walking together on Saturday mornings, and continue to text ...

This past April, in what was known as a "Solemn Assembly" we of the LDS Church had the opportunity to sustain a new First Presidency, and two new members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. At the time, President M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve, encouraged us all to record in our journals how we felt about the experience, and any impressions we received. I should have done this sooner, but in an effort to follow his counsel, here goes. First off, it was a deeply spiritual and profoundly moving experience. It happens quite infrequently, so it's difficult to remember from one solemn assembly to the next what will occur and how the sustaining will go. But I felt a thrill to lend my sustaining vote to President Russell M. Nelson as our new Church President and Prophet, and he was obviously deeply moved at that moment as well, as you could tell by the tears in his eyes, and the tears in mine.  My tears became even more intense as they ann...

It's been several months since I last wrote. Blame it on laziness, or an early morning meeting schedule, or on a host of challenges, or all of the above. But much has happened since then, so I thought it was worth a report. First off, back in February, Toby and I celebrated our first anniversary as cat and cat owner. I have to say that when I first brought him home, I had no idea what to do with him. It was a pretty rocky start to my becoming a responsible pet owner, he has patiently persisted, and I have sure grown to love this enormous ball of fur. He has helped to bring out best in me. He loves to eat, snuggle on the couch, and chase his string around the house. And I love that he is always waiting for me on the stairs after I get home from a long day. I can never make it up the stairs without him rolling on to his side for a quick chin or belly rub - which can be difficult when I'm carrying a purse, a computer, and any groceries. But it's really good to have someone b...