Home, One Year Later

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Trip Start Aug 27, 2007 Previous
Entry Trip End Jan 30, 2008

  Anaheim, California
Friday, January 30, 2009

Hello All!
I bet your surprised to hear from me! Today marks the 1 year anniversary of my return home from the incredible around the world adventure and I thought you might be interested in hearing what I've been doing over the past year.
I'll start waaay back at the begining! When my plane landed in LAX it was freezing, I had just come from summer time for 5 months and wasn't ready for my lovely tan to start fading immediatly. Bummer!  Air Force One was there out on the runway, surrounded by police escorts, didn't get to see the Pres though, aw what a shame...
My sister and Priscilla  greeted me with a welcome home sign and outside my mom was there with my dog Gracie. She was freaking out and making a crying sound we'd never heard before but could only be interpreted as sheer happiness at seeing her mother again.  The novelty of being home quickly wore off after a couple of hours and it was as if I had never left. Because I had kept these blogs of frequent updates, no one really had any questions to ask me, although I felt like I had heaps of things to talk about.  I felt like maybe I made the wrong discision in coming home, and I would have continued traveling, but I was nearly out of cash, and I missed my Gracie and missed my family a little too.
I didn't have time to sulk about being home because the next day was the worst day of my life. Grace was running around the front yard as she always does, Priss was out there putting stuff in her car, and I went inside to get something and in a matter of seconds she was gone.She was hit and killed by a truck right in front of us. I ran outside, fell to my knees and screamed and screamed and cried.  A f***ing horrifying site and experience. The terror of that day plays over in my mind frequently. I think my Gracie all the time and still cry for her, as I can't help but do now as I write this. She was my baby and my best friend, but I have to be grateful that I at least got to spend one last day with her.
With the loss of Grace, our hearts and our house felt sad and empty.  A few days later we contacted the breeder I got her from to inquire about puppies. He had a litter ready right away and we picked out two little guys. They are related to Grace, and we see her personality traits in both of them. While I was away, my sister Angela was Gracie's temporary mom so she obviously grew very attached to her.  We had to get two dogs this time around one for me and one for her, but mostly for eachother.  There names are Dino and Desi. ( Aka Jack and Beano. My mom refuses to call my dog Desi cuz she says it's gay. And Dino is a little stinky, hence the Beano.) They are our babies, they bring so much happiness to our lives. They've also brought a lot of destruction, they like to chew and have eaten holes in our couches, pillows, blankets, clothes, underwear, socks... just about everything... but we love them!
Ive had some visitors since I've been home, which has been great! Tom & Guy, the English guys I met on the Kiwi Experience in New Zealand came to stay with me for a week.  My dad cleared out the trailor in the driveway so they had their own little home.  My family absolutely loved them and called them their adopted sons.  We did all the touristy stuff, going to L.A., Hollywood, the beach, Disneyland, etc etc.  I had another vistor, Karina, also from England, who I met in Australia. We also did the same tourist stuff and managed to include a weekend in Vegas!
Besides my visitors, these months were very non-eventful.  I was applying to so many positions and meeting with temp agencys, but nothing. I thought I had it all planned out. I would return home and work for Flight Centre at the Block. How could they not want to hire me??!! Well surprise, they didn't. I don't think my application even got read because I don't have hard sales experience, which most agencies require. Well wouldn't they rather have been working for them who have actually been to the destinations they are selling??
My life consisted of getting up and having breakfast, watching I Love Lucy, going to the gym, having lunch, watching I Love Lucy again, going to Walmart or the grocery store, cook dinner, go to bed....boring!
A few days a week I worked for my mom's co-worker, and I also went back to school. I took 4 classes. A Career planning class, Spanish, Travel Sales and Apollo (Airline reservation system). Hopefully these will spice up my resume a bit.
The summer was a usual summer at the Kading house, pool party bbq's every weekend! Sometimes the backyard looked like a public pool we had so many people over. I went to the river with my family only once this summer.
The best thing that happend was I reconnected with some friends from high school and over the last few months we've grown to be good friends again and we go out every week. It's awesome to have a social life again, I'm super excited about that!!  We had our 10 year high school reunion in November and we went together, hard to believe we are 28/29 years old now..we were just in junior high i swear.. The reunion was lame. Hardly anyone showed. Nothing like the movies, but my friend Tonya had fun telling everyone I invented the post-it.
After being home for 9 months I finally got a real job. I had one interview out of all the jobs I applied for and by some miricle, I got this one.  I'm working for a U.S. Government office, just doing office work but the hours are great and the pay is the best yet, and I've made some friends here. I'm basically just so so thankful to even have a job right now with the state of our economy. But, I'm not able to save a dime because I'm paying off the credit cards I survived on the whole time I wasn't working! It's going to take a looong time to get rid of that debt.
As for future traveling plans...I actually don't have another big trip in the works. About a month ago I had this major revelation, it was like a light bulb went off and I feel like I am ready to meet someone now, to settle down and stay home for a while, and start a real relationship. I don't think I've ever felt that way, I've revolved my entire life around traveling the last 5 years that I wasn't interested meeting someone, but I think I am now. So wish me luck in my search for someone special .. it's going to be a long tough road I bet! 
I do hope to take a few weeks off to get over to England this next year to visit all my traveling friends. Katie (Liverpool girl who I met in London in entry 1) wants me to go to South America with her next year. If i can save the $ and get the time off I'm there. Becki (Also my Liverpool friend I met when I met Katie see entry 1)  wants to start a tradition of me coming there or her coming here every year. Sounds good to me! 
In a few weeks I'll have another visitor, another Katie (From Isle of Man, who I met in NZ on Kiwi Experience) and can't wait to take her all over So. Cal and Vegas and who knows what other adventures we'll get ourselves into! So I'm really looking forward to that.
I just started school again, but only taking one class, Travel Office Management. Who knows if I'll ever get that dream job of being a travel agent, I certainly can't leave my job now for something that is so unstable.  Hopefully someday I can acheive that goal, but in the meantime I'll enjoy taking classes and increasing my knowledge of the travel and tourism industry.
I got a new car in December! For about 6 months I was driving an old contraption named "Juanita", she finally gave up and died and I gave in and got a new car, which i was putting off because I want to use all my extra money to pay off my debt.. but i am in love with the new car.. it's pre-owned, 06 Honda Accord, the luxury model with leather/heated seats..sun roof, black tinted windows.. and 3 dvd players!! Yes , 3!  It's pimp. I feel sooo cool driving it! haha.
So in summary.. currently my life is going pretty well.  I have a good job, a cool car.. friends that i go out with every week.. i'm dating again.. i have my puppies... and over all, I'm happy :) 
I hope you enjoyed my update and hopefully next time you hear from me it will be from some place better than Anaheim!!  x Kristin

Anaheim hotels Slideshow Share

Post your own travel photos for friends and family Pictures

My adopted brothers Tom & Guy at Huntington Beach	Me & Karina at Huntington Beach	Elton John	Pretty eyes, pirate smiles..
KK & Ashlee with Snoopy at Knotts Berry Farm	With Prissy, 21st bday!	KK Loves Beer	Me & Tonya in Fullerton
Ashlee Kisses Desi	The boys	Out in Downtown Fullerton	Yep we party with our Moms!
Party	One of many summer pool parties...	Backyard fun times!	Little Red Riding Hood
Me and Debizzle	We love ghetto bowling alley popcorn	My fav. girls!	That's Warren G up there!!
With Cousin Brooke from NY at Disneyland	Disneyland Castle lit up for Xmas	Out for Debbie's Bday in Hollywood	With our favorite bartender at Throwbacks
Fat Tuesday's	Me & Amber partying in Vegas

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