Sunday, October 27, 2024

New Job, New Beginning!

10/27/2024

Life sure has been busy these past few months (but then again, when is it ever not? I just did not prioritize writing in my blog...). Let me just hit on some highlights from the past 3 months!

September 20-21, I attended the annual ANWA Conference (American Night Writer's Association) and it was a good time! I was able to spend time with some of the authors from my monthly writer's group meeting as well as meet new people. Allie Condie was our keynote speaker and we had some other well-known authors attend and give workshops. Plus, I won a free book! Always a plus :). They did well accommodating for food allergies, which I always really appreciate. Friday night was the gala, and the theme was intergalactic, so we had people dressed up as characters from all kinds of shows. I went with Eleven from Stranger Things because I figured I could reuse it as my Halloween costume, lol. 



I also resigned from CLEAR Counseling after receiving a new job opportunity with Restored Counseling & Wellness Center, which I am very excited about. The owners are incredible, friendly, and talented. I am going to learn so much with them and be able to get EFT Certified! The onboarding process was a little overwhelming, as was juggling three sites for a month as I transitioned away from the one (had to give 30 days notice, so I couldn't stop right away) and started onboarding at the other place (I pretty much started the week I got hired!). Three emails & three calendars to juggle (since I am still keeping my site at AZ Connection Counseling), plus lots of new things to learn. But I've made it through!

My New Office Space

My New Headshots for Restored Counseling



In other big news, our stake split up into 18 to 25 year-old YSA wards and 26 to 35 year-old YSA wards. Basically, eveyone over 26 within the stake boundaries got put into one HUGE ward, and the other wards got a bit changed around to make them a good size. Some wards got split or combined into other wards. This Sunday was my first time in the new ward, now called the Innovation Ward, and it was so crowded! We had chairs lining all the sides of the RS room and chairs in the hallway that some sisters had to sit on! It was crazy!! It also kind of made it difficult to meet people, but I'm hopeful that with my new calling as FHE co-chair, I will be able to meet lots of cool people. During my setting apart blessing, two things really struck me. The first was the reminder that God knows me better than anyone else, including myself. The thought that followed after I heard that was something along the lines of God knowing my potential for good and knowing how amazing I am better than I do and having so much love for me. I think I am often my harshest critic and can limit myself or put myself down or think I can't do certain things, and it was humbling to remember that One who knows me even better than myself is calling me to do these things and has a perfect plan for me, better than I can imagine or prepare for myself. The second thing that stood out was him saying that through my calling, I will have the opportunity to meet lots of people and make good friends, which I felt like the Lord was saying, "See, I gave you this calling to answer your prayer to make some really good friends." Because I will admit that when I first got this calling, I was like, "Bleh, been there, done that. Kinda sick of FHE, to be honest..." So again, the Lord humbling me in such a loving way. 

I've also been working on making my Korean journals/books/logs. I have two up for print on Amazon now! One is a drama log to track and review Korean Dramas (or dramas from other countries) and the other is a Hangul Writing Practice book (for practing your Korean). I have two more that I plan to create, one is a K-Pop Artist/Group Tracker and the other is a Korean Word Search book. Then after these are created, I will move on to something else, though I don't know what. But probably therapy related workbooks... well, and I have my actual novels to be working on. I love that I joined my writing club just for the community and friendship, but they are all so diligent in their writing so it is inspiring me to want to get back to it (and also overwhelming at times since I can't always devote as much time or I sometimes feel inadequate). 




Here are some other photos I found in my phone of the last three months of things that are worth breifly mentioning!

Lucy came down from Provo between semesters and I planned to make sushi with them. I had learned from my cooking class so I wanted to teach them. They enjoyed it and the sushi turned out even better than they expected, so go me!


Boquet making activity with stake YSA RS. Note to future husband, I really like flowers! They make me smile and brighten the place :)

When Lu was down on break, she was on a cleaning spree for the first few days (I guess because she missed her custodial job so much, lol) and Gracelyn saw her and pulled a towel out of the drawer to help her! So cute!)

I invited Hanna to get Korean food with me and my mom and sisters, then we went to explore H-Mart. We had a blast together!



I decided to try and post more on my therapy social media account, so these are pics of my hair and outfits, since I decided to pick up a side job of being a model ;) lol. Figuring out social media presence is hard :(


Grandma's 80th Birday Celebration! There was a minute-to-win-it game with chopsticks moving marshmallows into a bowl, and I WON! Go ME! Hehe.

Went to hear Sister Johnson (Val's mission president's wife who is now currently the Relief Society General President) speak to the YSA. Val snuck in wither her husband so she could say hi afterward! We ran into our cousins there as well! P.S. You gotta love church lighting... haha


A sister missionary is going home this week. Sister Lee from South Korea! I was invited to go to her farewell party and made her these AZ pins as souvenirs, plus I gave her a copy of my drama log book. She seemed very pleased and touched.

I carved this at a YSA activity. They are two bats, if you couldn't tell.

My Eleven costume makes a reappearance at a FHE activity! Grabbed a super blurry selfie with the Keadles. They are so cute and I'll sure miss seeing them around the ward (now that I'm moved to the Innovation Ward). 

Went to my family ward's fall festival and got to spend some quality time with my cute lil neice, Gracelyn. She LOVES jumping and bouncing, plus popping bubbles. She is speaking more and more and remains absolutely ADORABLE!


Sis Lee and me, selfie from the going away party. They had musical numbers and food. It felt like home over there and I got to meet many wonderful people!
Much love,
Emily Burnham

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