Continued....

It was around April that construction on my new home began....










Which continued through May...











And finally was completed around June 18th. Just in time for the first day of our so called "Mock Services." Opening day was on June 22nd. Thank goodness I had class that night and missed the Chaos of our first dinner rush. On the 24th our General Manager walked out, on the morning that marked opening weekend. Somehow we recovered and everyday from that first weekend on was a step in the right direction. I will never work in the food industry again but I now enjoy looking back and being able to say I opened a resturant.






July Consisted of 70-75 hour work weeks with just one day off a week because I was enrolled in a summer school class at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Not the best idea in the World but now looking back, it was a decision that made the timing of this coming year ever so perfect. I was also blessed with the presence of Meghan for the summer. Probably one of the only reasons I made it through those long days/weeks at Fridays. She kept me company on many nights where I was working until 4am. See we shared a car for the summer and since I was working the long hours she would give me rides to work and pick me up.



In August we were joined by Ronda for a couple weeks before she and Meghan took off to Mexico for a few weeks. After their trip they both headed back to the Northwest. Meghan was back at Corban/Western Baptist in Oregon and Ronda back to Seattle where she would begin a new chapter of life as she prepared herself to have a baby boy in early Feburary.















September meant the resturant would finally slow down and I would start to wonder what I was doing to myself. September then meant taking on a second class with the intention of finishing school in the next year so I could plan on moving to Seattle. September was when I listened to God as he had been hinting all along at my future in the NW. It was when I realized why I had just enough credits to finish school before the summer, it was when I found out Ronda would need a roommate in Seattle right around the time I wanted to move up there. It was a month where I smiled as I looked ahead and tried to see what God had planned for me.

October...well October was a month where sales hit an all time high. Bar sales shot through the roof as I met a wide varity of interesting people compliments of the Halloween Haunt at Knott's Berry Farm. Our employees were finally allowed to express themselves and have some fun through costumes and I once again got to work long hours into the wee hours of the morning.












November was supposed to be relaxing. The begining seemed like it was, right up until our 3rd manager of the year announced he was quitting and his last day would be the day before Thanksgiving. November was a month in which I seriously considered making in 4 in one year. But I stuck it out and actully got to spend Thanksgiving with my family...first time in years.






December....well December was busy. December meant more long hours, which seem all the longer when you have family in town and gatherings to attend...some of which were missed. In December we got another manager at Fridays just in time for our General Manager to head off to Texas for some formal TGIF training. December did however host memories of family gatherings, movie outings, and lots of shopping. December is a good month because I can't help but look ahead and smile at what is to come.


So that was my 2005 in a nutshell. January is slowly becoming one of my favorite months because it is a month to remember. To stop, look back and see how far you have come. I hope and pray that we can all look back and see growth, which is usually accompanied by change. If not...well guess what! were about to start a new year! "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9