New Year Letter and 5K

Dear Family and Friends (and anyone else who reads this blog),

I decided to write a "New Year Letter" this year instead of a "Christmas Letter." 2012 has been a growing year for me and I feel so blessed with the life I have now! Here's a review of the year:

January: I turned 28yrs old! I started a fitness plan to work up to be able to complete a 5K. Spencer and I became closer and I started to get to know his family. I also stopped receiving epidermal injections in my back.

Spencer and I on my 28th birthday!

February: My mom's house that I was living in sold, so I found a new job and moved out. I helped Spencer prepare for his mission. This month was difficult because I was preparing to say "good-bye" to Spencer which was very hard.

At Spencer's farewell.

March: I moved to New Jersey and Spencer left on his mission. I also started working out with my trainer, Alex, at My Training Gym in Morristown, NJ. I cried a lot this month because I was missing Spencer, but I learned to write LOTS of letters and to keep myself busy. I found running was fun!

 In NYC on St. Patrick's Day

April: Continued working as a nanny in NJ and training with my trainer. I started building a social life and making new friends in NJ. I spoiled Spencer with a huge package for Easter.

Spencer's Easter Package

May: Things did not work out with my nanny job and I had to start looking for another job. I moved to Alderson, WV and started working a Therapeutic boarding school. I took 3 trains and an airplane to go home to Oregon at the end of the month for my best-friends' wedding. I got to spend 4 hrs in Philadelphia during a break between trains and was only 15 mins from Spencer's apartment, but I didn't go see him. It was cool to see Philly though!

At the "Love" Statue in Philadelphia

 

June: I was the maid of honor for Sondai and Jake's wedding. I started getting use to my new job and adapting to the cultural differences in WV. At the end of June, we experienced a major windstorm that left the state of West Virginia in a state of emergency.

Jake & Sondai's wedding

July: Spent the first week of July with my power and it was one of the hottest weeks of the year. The 5K I had planned to do was cancelled. I worked and continued doing interval running.

 River by my apartment in WV

 with horse at the boarding school I worked at

August: Went to the West Virginia State Fair. Just worked and wrote letters to Spencer everyday. I started facing my past and doing a lot of emotional healing.

at the State Fair in WV

September: Spencer hit his 6 month mark!!! I finally was under 300lbs! I decided that I missed Oregon and wanted to come home to finish my schooling. Left West Virginia last September for a road trip to Oregon with my mom.

Spencer in his 2nd area.

October: Went on an amazing cross country road trip! Moved to Oregon and started looking for work.

 In front of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple in Utah

 My mom and I at the Salt Lake Temple in Utah

Ivy (Spencer's little sister) and me and the puppies at Ivy's birthday party

November: I was offered two full-time jobs. I worked both of them for 2 weeks before deciding that working one and going back to school was a better option. Worked on Thanksgiving.

My hair is getting LONG!

December: Getting into the swing of things at work. Finished all the paperwork to start PCC in January to complete some generals. Applied for Oregon State University to begin Spring term 2013, still waiting for acceptance letter. Send Spencer a HUGE Christmas package! He loved it! I spent Christmas with Spencer's family and felt so loved and welcomed! It was an amazing Christmas and got to see him on Skype and talking for him for a bit! It gave me so much strength! Found out that because of changes, Spencer will be coming home a week early!

 Christmas morning with the Wasdens :)

 I got an OSU hat for Christmas. I guess I'm a beaver now! (even though you can't see it in this picture, I'm wearing my USU Aggies sweatshirt)

 The majority of what I sent in Spencer's Christmas package.

5K: Back in October 2011, I decided that I wanted to be able to complete a 5K. I told my doctor and he said that he wanted to get a picture when I did. I will be sending him a letter on Wednesday with the picture! :) Today I walked (and jogged some) a 5K (12 1/2 laps) around the Dayton High School track!!! I was keeping good pace until the 6th lap. Then I started to drag, but I kept moving. I sprinted the last quarter lap. It's amazing how much energy you can find within yourself even when you feel like you want to fall to the ground! I decided to do it at the Dayton track because that's where Spencer and I use to walk in the mornings together. My friend, Sondai, held up lap signs that I had made, gave me water, and was an awesome cheerleader! I completed it in 57minutes and 2 seconds!!! That's about a 18.36 minute mile! I am so proud of myself!!! I have come so far and overcome so much! I decided that I no longer have any excuses! I'm still 130 lbs overweight, have a displaced disk 1/4 inch from paralyzing me,  and I did a 5K!!! I am strong! As I was jogging past Sondai on one of the laps, she said, "You are a fighter!" YES I AM! and I will keep fighting!!! I plan to lower my 5K time and start training for a 10K!

Cute signs I made for the 5K!

 Getting my music ready so I can start

RUNNING!

More Running!

 Sondai holding the signs.

Trying to catch my breath at the finish line!

I'm exhausted! But I DID IT!!!

I DID IT! 57:02!

My cute cheerleader keeping warm. (it was 32 degrees and started snowing after I finished)

I feel so lucky to have a friend like you Sondai, thank you!

I want to thank a few people in my life:

Thank you Spencer for always believing in me even when I doubted myself! Thank you loving me the way I am and supporting me along this journey!

Thank you Dad for encouraging me through sharing your knowledge of running and stories of the runs you use to do!

Thank you Mom for doing the Reboot with me that started me on this journey and thank you for the fun road trip!

Thank you to Spencer's family for welcoming me into your home and loving me! Thank you for your support as I wait for Spencer! You guys are awesome!

Thank you Sondai for always being there when I needed to vent and cry! Thank you for being my cheerleader and never letting me give up!

Thank you Erin for being such an awesome example to me! I want to be you when I grow up! :)

Thank you Alex (my trainer) for showing me the strength that I have within myself and continuing to support me even after I moved! I hope to be an awesome trainer like you someday!

And thank you to EVERYONE who has "liked" my statuses and given me encouraging words along the way! You have all helped me to become the amazing lady that I am today!

BRING ON 2013!!!

Love you all!
Stephanie Bailey