Turning South

One year ago on February 9, 2011 I had an interview for an internship with the City Manager of Centerville. As I pulled out to the street when I was leaving city hall I looked south toward Bountiful and thought to myself I should go see my dad and tell him about my interview. I knew he was home because he had been feeling tired and sick for a few days and finally decided to stay home to go to the doctor. Instead, I turned north to get to freeway and go home.

The next day he died.

I don't remember the last time I talked to my dad, but I will always have a vivid memory of the last time I had a chance to talk to him. As I looked south I can still see the street  in my mind with the yellow-green dorment grass poking through the spotty snow, the barren trees, a grey sky and a road vanishing in the distance. I don't remember the last words he said to me, but I will always have this image in my mind of a last opportunity lost.

Do I regret not turning to the south? No... There was no way of knowing that in less than 24 hours I would be in a hospital emergency room helping my brother give him a blessing, and praying for a miracle as the nurses and doctors stop chest compressions. I am saddened to think that I could have taken the opportunity to see my dad one last time, but I don't waste time regretting what happened. I thought I was doing what was best. I thought he needed his rest and I didn't want to bother him. So I turned north.

I am left to wonder what would have happened if I had turned to the south. I miss my dad. I really miss sharing my life with him.

By: Dallin Koecher

Thumbing through the planner

As my planner gets closer and closer to the end of its pages and the need for a new one becoming more apparent, I took some time to thumb through the pages to see where the year has taken me.

My planner begins in December 2010 with things like classes and finals marking the pages along with holiday parities, reunions, and other responsibilities. Marked down on December 13, 2010 is a special Family Home Evening we had with my parents at their home in Bountiful in which we honored the one year anniversary of my brother Steven's disappearance. Also I see December 9, 2010 with these words "Grandpa Meeting with Social Worker." This day we discussed the growing tumor in my grandpa's brain and the decision not to operate meaning the inevitable was finally coming.

2011 began with a celebration of New Year's and the birthday of my cousin KC. I was unemployed, stressing about finding a job, gaining experience, completing school, and taking care of my family. But other than that there would be no signs that this year could possibly be worse than last year. Nor did I know that by the time we celebrated another 10 second count down to New Year's that my family would survive the a storm that would leave us stronger and more unified.

My planner has scribbled reminders of both the ups and downs. The good times are filled with appointments to keep, lists of things to do, and activities. Blank pages serve as reminders of the bad times when it didn't matter what I had to do the next day. February and July in particular are blank. Who can forget the day of their father's funeral? Who needs to write down the day you bury your grandfather?

Much good would come from 2011. In January I would embark on a path of internships and interviews that would ultimately lead me to August 16 the first day of  my first career job. As I look back  now how could I have known that taking an unpaid semester long internship with the mayor's office over a paid internship with the state of Utah would make all the difference?

In November black pen highlighted in orange highlighter marks the days when all the Koecher family embarked on a trip to visit my sister in Louisiana, something we probably wouldn't have thought necessary in January. This trip was really a pivotal moment for our family because we defined ourselves as a family who stays together no matter the cost, no matter the distance, and no matter how crazy it is to travel with four young kids on an airplane.

December holds one of the most significant appoints of the year for Amber and me. In addition to the press releases, the press conferences, and other hoopla regarding the 2nd anniversary of my brother's disappearance sits a quiet little date that would change our life forever. An ultrasound appointment. After a year long struggle to get pregnant, our prayers and fasting were rewarded when the doctor tells my wife the baby is doing fine.

My planner ends as it begins, with holiday parties, family reunions, and celebrating a cousins birthday. 2011 was a ride that I don't wish to go on again anytime soon, but I'm grateful for the way we came out in the end. Before you throw away your old planner take one more look and see what memories lie inside.

Oh and the next post I promise will be funny! No more of this sap stuff!

By: Dallin Koecher

Teach For America...not this year

Dear Admissions and Staffing Offices,

Third time's the charm? Not with Teach for America.

In the past six months I have applied to three different positions within Teach for America, one a public relations job, the other a marketing job, and finally now a teaching position. I believed in the mission of Teach for America so much that I just had to be a part of this amazing organization.

My final hope was to apply for the teaching route. I had wanted to all along, but I had to wait for the application to come out for the 2010 year. I was so excited to be able to finally apply for the main corps, because I was hoping that someday I could take my own adventure of a two year commitment to teach. So I did ALL that was asked of me I jumped through the hoops, crossed all the "T's," answered all the questions openly and honestly, studied the mission of Teach for America, and anything else to give it my best shot. Then today, "Thanks, but not Thanks"

I find it hard to believe that I didn't rise to the top, and make it to the next round. I garuantee that if you would have taken the chance to interview me you would have seen how my personallity would have been perfect for teaching, how my experience acutally teaching qualified me, and you would have heard the innovative ideas I have that would have revolutionized engaging students in the classroom. In my spare time I actually think of better ways to teach people. In my spare time I watch people and take note of how they learn. In my spare time I make lesson plans that are highly interactive, fun, and educational. If I do all that in my spare time, imagine what I could have done for Teach for Amercia. Imagine what I could have done for those students.

I want to thank you for your time. I hope you had a chance to read this email. Feel free to contact me if you want.

Sincerly,

Dallin Koecher
Public Relations Specialist