I've never really done anything like this . . so this will be cool.
My name is Whitney Elaine Staheli, but my maiden name was Bulloch. I was born here in Cedar City, Utah, where I currently reside. I lived in the same bedroom from the time I came home from the hospital until I was 20 and moved in with my husband (yes, he was my husband when I moved in with him). I have a pretty small family; there are only four of us: my mom, my dad, and my older brother.
When I was young, I loved playing outside, especially in the mud. I never had shoes on, even though my parents persistently told me to put them on. I was obsessed with animals and wanted to be a vet when I grew up. Yet, I was also obsessed with drawing and wanted to be an artist, too. I was shy around strangers, but loud and obnoxious around my family.
I was involved in dance, basketball, softball, piano, and a little bit of volleyball when I was growing up. The summer before high school, I quit basketball and started learning how to play the guitar. Guitar was extremely frustrating at first. It took me so long to get my fingers into position to play a chord. Luckily, I was very quick at learning strum patterns, and this ability motivated me to keep going. I played softball for one year in high school and then quit that, too. (Yeah, I'm a quitter.) But I played volleyball all four years of high school and eventually I started varsity my senior year, playing outside hitter. We made it to State that year.
My sophomore year I also started competing in track. I was going to sprint, but I started throwing javelin and decided to just focus on that. (It was much less difficult and allowed for a lot more goofing around.) I never made it to State or anything, but my best throw was 75 feet and I placed 8th at Region my senior year. I know, it's not that impressive, but for a scrawny thing like me, it was pretty exciting.
Tenth grade was also the year I met my future husband. Not that I had any idea then. He was in my Trig class, and I remember seeing him and thinking "Wow, that boy has the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen."
My senior year of high school was an eventful year for me. Going to State in volleyball, competing in track . . I was also awarded Art Sterling Scholar and a significant amount of time was dedicated to preparing my portfolio and getting ready to compete at the regional competition. I didn't place at region, but the experience was well worth the effort.
Toward the end of my senior year, six of my classmates and myself were gathered together. We were told that we all qualified to be Valedictorians and they needed to choose one to be the "Outstanding Scholar" and represent us all. I didn't even give that a second thought. I was a Valedictorian, there were other people who were smarter than me that would surely get it. But one May afternoon, I was surprised to find out that I had been chosen to be the Outstanding Scholar and to speak at graduation. I walked out into the empty hallway after hearing this news and did an extremely nerdy victory dance. I couldn't believe someone actually thought I was the best.
After graduating, I "went off" to college (approximately 4 miles from my parents house, where I continued to live while attending). I knew immediately what I wanted to study: psychology. It was a complex and diverse subject that had always fascinated me. Of course, studying and going to class are not the only things you participate in while going to college. Less than a month before I turned 19 years-old, I met my first boyfriend and started my path on this journey of love. With more than my fair share of upsets, I finally started dating the amazing man I would eventually marry.
So here I am. Almost 21 years of living here in this town I love. Now in a tiny apartment with my husband, as we work through school and get ready to start our adult lives and our family. It has been a good ride so far.
Whitney facts:
*I love shoes. I own too many and I have a very hard time resisting when I see more. My favorites: Vans Lo-Pro classics, heels (as long as they are not ridiculously high), boots (especially Blowfish) & flats.
*I love music. I DO NOT understand those people who say they don't really like music. What the?? You just don't know what you're missing out on. I love to sing as loud as I can in the car, and I love to play guitar.
*My favorite band is Thrice. If you don't know who they are, and you like incredible music, you should check them out.
*My favorite color is the purple-y one.
*I am a Psychology major. I love Neuropsychology so dang much. I hope to become a Marriage and Family Therapist one day. My dream job would be to work at LDS Family Services.
*I love my husband more than anything in the whole dang world. He is the closest thing to perfect I have found in a human being. He is sweet, loving, kind, affectionate, optimistic, quick to forgive, slow to anger, and basically the best person ever.
*I love skinny jeans. I think I look fabulous in them.
*I love to draw and I wish that I did it more often.
*I am a proud Latter-Day Saint and living the Gospel makes me immensely happy.
UPDATE:
Rather than editing any of the above information, I just want to add to it. I look forward to seeing how my description of my life evolves over time.
Changes that have happened:
Jacob and I have been married for four and a half years at the time of this edit. Oh, and we have a BABY! Just a small detail, really. He 13 months old. His name is James Dustin Staheli (he may or may not be named after the front man of Thrice). He's pretty cool.
Some edits to the "Whitney Facts:"
*I no longer hope to become a Marriage and Family Therapist. I certainly no longer want to work at LDS Family Services. For lack of a better word, I have become "disenchanted" with human services. I still love psychology, but I have discovered that all of the job options I would actually enjoy relating to psychology are research or teaching related. And there is no way I am getting a doctorate. Sooooo, my career ambitions are foggy currently. I have thought about going back to school and getting an accounting degree. I have also thought about taking some graphic design/digital art classes and doing some freelance design. Basically, I am a college graduate and have no idea what I want to do with my life.
*I still love to draw and I do it all the time. In the past six months, I have made $225 in commissioned pencil drawings. So that is pretty cool.
*I still love shoes, music, Thrice, purple, skinny jeans, and being a Latter-Day Saint.
