Six.

I have always played some sort of sport. Soccer, tennis, curling (just kidding), figure skating (again, jk) and softball. When I was in middle school, my mom dropped me off for my first game with this new team. I was always the shy, quiet kid, but I owe it to running around and team play to get me to open up. When I showed up to our first softball game of the season...they were handing out our team jerseys. I, of course, was so pumped to get a shirt with a number on my back. In the last city I played in, I was number 3, so I was aiming for that number again. Well, the number was taken and all that was left was six. I can't say that I was immediately excited, but I thought to myself, six is twice as much as three, so this has to be a good thing.

I can't tell you if we lost or won the game or even how I played, but I can tell you this fact. Once upon a time, my mom's father Antonio H. Perez played baseball for the Delores Coal Miners in Mexico. He played catcher and he was huge. I'm completely opposite in size, but we might have comparable smiles. My mother informed me that his lucky number was the same as the number that I wore on my back. :) Yeah, I was sold. Ever since then, I have always worn six each opportunity that was presented. I love it.

I realized the following today in a meeting.....

SIx months ago, I started a job in higher education in Austin, Tx working in student activities. Maintaining my practice in student development, supporting students and helping to reduce risk on campus because we all know we cannot eliminate it. I get to work as a Policy Advisor and get the opportunities to interact with students on a daily basis and help them create success for their organization. I'm in a city that I'm growing to liiiiike ;) a whole lot and given the time, I feel that I might just say the L word. :) People, I'm not going to rush love. I realized my last post was about traveling to Central Texas for an interview... as you may have guessed, I got that job. How incredible, I work 30 miles up the road from a place I called home for so long. Texas State, I love you. Please know it wasn't you, it was me, and I had to bounce and spread that Bobcat Pride.

Six months prior to my start date, takes me to February. I was sitting in class listening, learning and definitely exercising my brain in (possibly) massive amounts of thinking. The concept of oral comps crossed all of my classmates' minds on a daily basis, as well as getting a job, maintaining classwork among other things..... I got to run my dog, where am I going to live, it will be nice to live in a place I can ride my bike more often. How did I get here? Where am I going? Am I ready? Whoaaaaa - Amazing what a group can do together. Get that support wherever you go, trust yourself, work hard, but always work smarter, collaborate and whatever you say, know it always means something (2008, S. Carpenter - just that last part though). I'm incredibly thankful for my grad school experience and what it revealed to me.

It amazes me what time does to people. Everyday is an anniversary of something from five years prior, or a decade and depending on your age 20 yrs! A year ago, I had no idea I would be living in Austin with my dog and just doing what I do. I'm blessed. I'm thankful. I'm evolving.

My hope for the next six months to have completed some of my 2011 goals, thrown on some extra miles on my road bike, taught Tanner how to settle down and ridden my bike to work more than I have taken the bus. I got that BIG HOPE in my heart that seems to be growing but I'm not sure for what. I'll let it do its thing and be thankful its beating for me.

Pray. Pray for whatever you are going through that its preparing you for the next step. You will land where you are needed the most. Well, that's what I do. Its not full or fool proof, but I'm thankful for what's going on right at this very moment.

And in the next six minutes, I'm going to prep for tomorrow.

ERRRRRR