Well, it's Christmas time again, everybody, and once again, time for an update on how the year has progressed. Hopefully this year, you'll have a fun time hearing more about what has happened in my life this year. I've chosen a little different technique than just sending out a mass email.
Generally all I have to say about this time of year is "yes, I made it through another year of school and didn't die of severe exhaustion", but this year has been the first year out of college, and that's really just the skinny of it!
Well, for beginners, last year this time I was just finishing up at Northwestern College. I had moved home to live with my parents again until my frantic search for a job came to an end. With funds running short and nerves up the wazoo, I was happy to receive an email from my advisor at Northwestern which mentioned an opening at a agricultural company in Sioux Falls, SD. He said he thought I might be interested and should give it a shot - so low and behold, 3 weeks later I was starting my first post-college job! I have been at Raven Industries in Sioux Falls since January 17, 2005, and I love it! I do web design and programming here and have really grown since I began!
So I moved to Sioux Falls January 15 and started working. I happened to run into a few fellow Northwestern alumni shortly upon moving. It sure helped me adjust easily! I fit a few trips into this incredibly short year, including my first ever trip out to the Black Hills in western South Dakota and out to Noblesville, Indiana to visit my brother and sister-in-law. However, I'd have to say there were really just five major things that happened to me this year:
- I moved to Sioux Falls, SD and started my first real job out of college on January 17!
- I met Mark Johnson at Coconut Joe's on April 9 and we started dating shortly after.
- I took my very first trip to California with Mark over labor day weekend, September 5, visiting his brother and sister-in-law out in San Diego. Click here to read more about my trip out there!
- I became an aunt for the very first time - my brother, Dan, and his wife had a little boy on November 22!
- I said YES! That's right! Mark and I are engaged!! What a wonderful surprise and Christmas present :) Click here to read the full story how he proposed and see the ring!
My Christmas plans, as always, are super busy! I'll be all over the place and meeting lots of new relatives in Mark's family as well as spending some good quality time with my family. I always enjoy this time of year, even when it's nasty outside! I sure do miss the college days where I had 2-3 weeks off for Christmas, but I suppose I'll have to learn to deal :)
I'll have a couple new websites going live the first week in January, so you'll have to check them out!
Also, hopefully some more recent pictures will be up soon. I am waiting to fill up another memory card or two so I can take them in to have a CD made out of them. Once that's done, they'll be up here :)
Anyways, I'd best be on my way! Merry Christmas!
Amy Jo Ropte...soon to be Johnson!
