Two roads diverged and I, I took the one less traveled by

Ladies and Gents, I am pleased to announce that 2010 is wonderful. I guess it seems silly for a single lady to have a personal Blog to tell you all about herself, but I am kinda jealous that everyone has these cute blogs and I don't have cute baby pics of my kids or beautiful Wedding pics. Well here is the deal, I want to share with those of you who don't see me very often and let you know what I am doing. I will not attempt to make up for lost time, but I will share with you the events that have happened since my last post on this Blog WAAAYYY back when in 2008.

What happened is that I did actually stay in Vegas. At first it was because I felt the compelling need to be a part of something bigger and I felt that the Lord had things for me to learn there (and I was probably a bit blinded by the flashing lights and the nostalgia of living in VEGAS). I went home for Graduation, got the diploma and set out on my journey to discover who Jen Maughan really is.














I set up base in a little apartment just off Silverado Ranch Blvd, Las Vegas Blvd, and next to I-15. I spent a lot of time that summer searching...searching for a job, for a teaching position, for a reason for my frustrations, etc. I finally found a part time summer job (would have been full time but I refused to work Sundays and they really wanted to have me be their manager, but Sundays were out!). I liked my job but it was way out of my way and it didnt hardly pay enough to drive to work and back.







One fine day my friend Lola called me with some news. She gave me personal "insider information" about this great school and program that I had previously been to, and I jumped on it. Within two weeks I had a teaching Job secured and I gave up on living in the blasted heat of Vegas for the rest of the summer, so I kept my apt and drove home for the rest of the summer. August came and I was back to Vegas and that blasted heat. I started my Job at Las Vegas High School and I thought life was good......

Well things started to cause me problems, it took me 30 minutes to drive to work, and the heat was sooo terrible (110 on a good day) that my car would overheat and I would end up sitting on the side of the interstate or pumping up my heat and driving home while cooking my body.... Within the school year I lived in three different places with three different sets of roomates. I kept trying to fix my problems that way....Don't misunderstand.....things were nice at Las Vegas High, I had everything a Foods teacher could ever want, it was a well supplied well thought out class and I basically had to step into the shoes of the teacher who came before me.

It is strange though, as the days and weeks passed it became apparent that even stepping into her shoes would not be enough to make things work in Vegas. I feel like I did above and beyond what a new teacher should ever be expected to do, and I really honestly feel like I gave it my best work, but the end of the year coudn't come quick enough for me. After a whirlwind of a Christmas I realized how it was too much and how alone I felt and I resigned from my position teaching there (effective the last day of school) and promptly prayed to know where to go. An answer came to me that both shocked and amazed me while bringing me peace... GO HOME!

So I began looking for a job within driving distance of home. It is a shock to realize that Vegas didnt work out and the saddest part is that the money is good there. Montana pays far below what Vegas does and so I thought I would look in Wyoming and Montana. Unlike Montana, Wyoming actually develops their resources and places a large amount of time and money into their education system. The pay scale is Night and Day difference and that is a shocker! Well somewhere along the way I sent my interest to a tiny place in "no where" MT.
After a series of somewhat "tender mercied" events, I was offered a full time position teaching mainly Spanish and on the side adding in a few FCS classes (home ec for you old folks who don't know the new "politically correct" acronym.) So now my life is in Tiny Town "no-where" MT. I live in the parking lot of the school in a brown trailer that is from sometime in the seventies. I drive 40 minutes to church, and I live 40 minutes from the temple. I was the Mission Prep teacher, but currently teach Gospel Doctrine. I have great friends, have developed a wonderful relationship with two of my aunts (Michele and Pam) and am genuinely happy being here.

I recently looked at the list I made of things that influenced my decision to stay or leave Vegas, and I can honestly share that of my whole list of things (pros and cons of vegas) I have all but one of them here, this town is not full of lush trees and streams and lakes etc, but I am close enough to those to compensate...I have everything I wanted here. I can confidently say that even thought my paycheck is less than half what it was in Vegas, there are no potential marraige prospects (to date), and I am 40 minutes from social life, that My life is very wonderful and that I am happier than I have been in two years at this moment!

It is interesting thought to note the changes that Vegas brought about in my life...I am now sure of who I am, confident of my life and who I want to be, and I have a lot of experience that stems from my time in Vegas. I know my priorities, I know my desires, and I know what is not important to me. I am happy, confident, focused, and ready for whatever life brings next. I am not concerned about a lot of things that I used to worry about, I know I am in a good place and that has made all the difference.