A cool breeze and knife class

I'll start with the knife class :) it was so much fun. It was a two and a half hour class and all of it was devoted to how  to use a knife properly. We learned to hold it and how to make cutting up things easier! I went with three other people and all of us enjoyed ourselves! It was a fun class but it was also really useful information. I am always cutting up produce for the animals diets and now that I know how to use a knife properly and the technique behind it I can cut things so much faster than before. And here were everything is go go go it's nice to not have to spend as much time cutting up food. Now to the breeze story (I'm running out of time)...
Last night I had to go out back to check on some things. I was kinda dreading it because I was clean and in the cool air conditioning. It has been hotter than hot sauce here. For the past four days it's been close to the hundreds and the humidity is crazy. Well I start walking out back with the mission to do it as fast as I can. While on my way I was thinking about how different it is here. How weird it is for it not to cool off at nights and I started to reminiscing about nights I've spent in the summer where I thought I was going to freeze my butt off when a cool breeze passed me by. It caught me off guard. At first I thought that my mind was playing games on me and I just imagined it. I stopped and waited for another one. Just when I had decided that I was going crazy another one hit me! I have never felt a cool breeze here. It was refreshing and ever so welcomed! It was a logan breeze here in spring :) Now that really did throw me back to Utah. So instead of going as quickly as I could to complete my tasks I took my time and enjoyed being outside!

First Contact

Three weeks ago our Black and White Ruffed Lemur had two babies! they are so stinkin cute

Sometimes one would be hanging on the Mommy, Mercedes, when she came out of the bucket and we would get all excited to see them outside! Well today I went in to feed and clean them and Mercedes had both of them out an they were walking around! It was so cute. We sat there and watched them for a while :)

There was one adventurous one that would go venturing on their own, not very far but sometimes far enough that Mercedes will go grab in and bring it back. Well one adventure it came over and saw me! It was so cute and unbelievably soft. I was just glad that mom was okay with me holding it.

Sorry I can't write more... life calls! But know that I am still happy and loving life :)

Life's on track

Okay let me clear some things up first. One: I came to Texas on my own free will. Two: I love it here. Three: Yes I still miss Logan, but I'm here so I'm going to enjoy it! Four: I feel like this is where I need to be right now in my life so the chance of my coming home next week is none. Five: Plane tickets are expensive and it is rather difficult to get days off in the animal world.
Sweet, now that's all good time for my real post!
Its good to be back. It's been crazy though. When I arrived last wednesday I was thrown right back into everything. I got full responsibility of  my five kangaroo joeys and Winky, the baby aardvark. I was also getting taught diets. Now last year I was an intern. Interns are never aloud to be at the zoo alone. They don't make the diets, although they can help put it together. So for the past week I feel like I've had an information over load! But it's been good. So far I have loved being a full time keeper. But the whole "I'm the one in charge" thing is going to get some taking use to.
I decided that life has a funny way of working things out. The other night I was just thinking about how I got here and all the things that "went wrong", according to my plan, that got me here.

Graduated high school

Went to college

I didn't have enough money to continue with college

Happened upon this internship

Came down and spent an amazing 5 months

Went home and searched for a job

Went back to another semester of school

Searched for a job

Searched for a job
Got my CNA

Searched for a job

Didn't get a job so no money for school, again

Came down for a visit

Got offered this job

Accepted and moved to Texas

Dang in almost all of those stages I didn't understand why it was happening. I was frustrated that life wasn't working out the way I planned. But I'm very thankful it didn't work out the way I thought it was going to. If you would have told me my senior year that in two years I was going to be living in Texas and working at a zoo I would have been up for the adventure but I never would have thought that you were being serious.
I love looking back at my life and seeing that things do happen for a reason. That my life does have a plan, a purpose and is going in the right direction!
Here is a pic of my kangaroo joeys. Boy are these five messy! But i love them to death. It'll be hard selling them... but for now they are mine!

Far back: Lemon Pie. Left to Right: Scar. Duchas Marie. Malificent. Rufio

my kangaroo joeys

it's been a grand ride

Dear Logan Utah,
I have to thank you for pretty much everything! Twenty some-odd years ago you kept my parents here with you and for that I will always be in your debt. I can't imagine growing up anywhere else. You have provided the perfect atmosphere for me! We've had some amazing memories together! You have awed me with your beautiful night skies, stunning Autumn colors and bright shimmery snow. I have grown up to love the mountains and the outdoors because of you. I will miss your changing seasons and the new start and excitement it gave me. I will miss the family kite flying wars and the picnics that would follow. I'll miss my little house. I'll miss the little house that contained 6 loud people. I'll miss my cramped bedroom of three girls and the always-full refrigerator. I'll miss the backyard; the trees, the garden, grass but most of all rope swing! This list could go on forever but I hope you see the point that I love you, I couldn't have chosen a better place to grow up.
Logan, you gave me the opportunity to learn and grow! I can still remember songs and poems memorized at Hillcrest Elementry School. I remember, with a cringe, the awkward stage of Middle School at Mount Logan and then the exciting change into Logan High School. There I learned what I liked and what I couldn't stand. It was there where I started to define and discover myself!
But most of all, Logan, you have placed in my lap some of my biggest blessings, my friends! For the past two years I could not have been more happy with my choice of friends. They have made the difference in my life :) I have enjoyed their company and looked forward to the next time to be with them. We always had a fun time together be it playing nerts, analyzing each other late at night, playing Tetris, watching a movie or making a music video in my garage. I am constantly reminded how lucky I am when I turn around and see so many friends around me and I wonder how in the world did I get so lucky. Now Logan, you are aware that I am leaving you. This happens to be a goodbye letter, and I decided I really don't like goodbyes. Last night I had to say goodbye to some of those amazing friends and it was awful. It was a short little goodbye but it didn't make it hurt any less. I cried. Freak, I CRIED! I don't cry. So Logan I'm asking you a favor... will you watch out for my friends? I want them to have an amazing life, they deserve it :( let them know I miss and love them!
So you have now discovered this is a goodbye letter. Ya, I'm upset to be leaving but I'm so excited! I got offered a full time job in Texas as a Zoo Keeper at the same place I did my internship last year! I left this morning, early this morning, for my new adventure and home in Texas. I know what question you are dieing to ask... How long will I be there for? And the answer is I'm not sure. I have come to the conclusion that making plans and keeping to your plans are two TOTALLY different things. But I will say that I feel right being here! I could see myself here for the next chunk of my life. I don't know if that is going to happen but I am going to stay for the next year, for sure. So that is the "plan" as of now, is to stay, but I'll go with the flow and see where life has to take me!
I'll miss you Logan, take care. Watch over my family. I'm going to miss them, a lot. Ya they tease me like none other but I love them! So be good to them. I know I'll be away from them for a while and I am going to be missing out on family memories (which I am bummed about) but I get to be with them for all eternity :) so it's all good!
Fare thee well. I shall miss thee.
Love,  a very distant, Michelle Althouse