It’s Been A Little While August 19, 2008

It’s been a little while since I have last posted, so I thought now was about as good a time as any other for an update.  Things feel like they have been in hyper-drive ever since I started my new job.  I can’t believe that yesterday I started my 4th week.  One of my co-workers could hardly believe it either.  I am really enjoying it though, and all the people I work with.  I truly feel like I am one of “family” now.  I have been staying really busy lately.  The phone rings a pretty good bit of the time, so I have had to learn how to multi-task.  Yesterday I got handed a HUGE project which if I am lucky, I can finish in 3-6 months.  Yeah, BIG project.  It is going to take a lot of work, but I plan to give it everything I’ve got.  I think I am going to be really proud of it in the end.  I also got my first “grown-up” paycheck this past Friday, and let me tell you…that was a GOOD feeling.

School is starting back on Monday for the U of A kids, and has already started for the public schools.  You can smell it in the air.  I thought this would feel a lot stranger that it has…not starting back that is.  It is a little nostalgic, but really, I am so happy where I am in life right now that I wouldn’t trade it for my college days.  Sure there are things I am going to miss.  But I have never felt so ready to dive into all that God has for me.  I am moving forward in life. I have no idea where this road is going to take me, but I am ready for the adventure.  That’s something I feel like God has really been restoring in me lately- a hunger for adventure.  And with that hunger also stirs up a demand for faith.  Faith to go the distance; to really live in the fullness of God’s will for my life.  This used to be a really scary thing for me.  Just letting it all go.  But lately, it’s the only place that I can find peace.  I don’t want to control my life.  THAT is the true scary thing.  For the first time in a while, I feel like I can just rest in the confidence that God bringing me through the exact things I need to be going through right now, that he is growing me and molding me…making me stronger, and that makes me just want to submit my heart to him even more.  I can trust him.

I think I will just leave with that.

Hannah’s Wedding August 5, 2008

I haven’t done such a great job of posting this week, I know.  It went by so fast, and so much happened.  Also, I have been waiting to post about the wedding once I actually got some pics on my computer that I could include in this update.

The wedding was absolutely beautiful!  On a surface level, and on a much much deeper level as well.  I had no idea that I would feel as emotional about the whole thing as I did.  There were lots of tears…really happy joyful tears.  I am pretty sure that I have never cried tears out of sheer joy so I think that this might have been a first for me.  It was an amazing feeling to watch my best friend walk down that isle…one I am never going to forget.  The whole two days was just so much fun, and I felt so honored to be in the middle of everything that took place.  I sure do love that girl!

Also, I got a chance to hang out and reunite with a lot of other friends in Conway Friday night after the wedding.  For any of you reading this, I had such a blast hanging out with you all again!  I seriously didn’t want to leave, haha!  You guys really are something special…there will never be another group in my life quite like you!

I drove home on Saturday to spend time with my mom.  The trip to Central Arkansas this past weekend will probably be my last one at least for a little while.  I have GOT to start conserving on gas.  Right now it is costing me about $55 for round-trip and I just can’t keep affording that.  That is the ONE thing I don’t like about living up here.  But I must say, it does make the moments that I do get to spend with friends and family even sweeter.

Work has been going really well!  I have been so busy this week that I haven’t even had a chance to update about that either.  I am really liking the people I work with.  They are so kind and encouraging to me.  And I DO get hugs   I feel like I am feeling more comfortable answering the phones, and managing other assignments.  They aren’t trying to overload me yet, which has also been nice.  I will try to update more about that when I get time.

Until then…I will leave with some wedding pics!

At the rehearsal dinner

The beautiful bride and I

The Bridesmaids!

So funny!

Decisions, decisions July 26, 2008

I start my first day at my new job on Monday! I passed my drug test, and it came back early so now I am set to get started. I am pretty excited about it, but slightly nervous too. Not much though, mainly just excited. I will be doing mostly orientation stuff the first day anyways. My new boss gave me a link to look at the Benefits section under the UAMS page. I still don’t totally understand the organization structure, but somehow or another, we semi-kinda fall under UAMS so all of our bookkeeping and benefits are handed through them. This is something completely new to me. This will be my first full-time job, the first time I will be having to fully support myself. Somewhere between trying to figure out medical insurance premiums, and trying to understand what retirement plan sounds good (wow)…it really hit me. I am a grown up now. I know it sounds childish, but it’s still true nonetheless. I guess that I will never actually quit the process of this thing called growing up, but in my former adolescent mind…there are babies, kids, teenagers/young adults, and grown ups. It’s not like this realization just hit me all the sudden either. I have been progressively coming to this place of acceptance and anticipation since probably the beginning of my senior college year. But it is definitely starting to feel more real. I can’t imagine how I am going to feel after my first 40-hour work week.

And now…continuing the process of my “growing up” means making another very important decision. The job thing is secured, and the only major thing that is left during this stage is to decide what I am going to do about my housing situation. At the beginning of this summer (when I moved in with Jessica), I told her that I was going to try and find another place to live by mid-August. Not because I am unhappy here (that is the farthest thing for the truth) or that she wants me gone, but because this was always meant to be semi-temporary and she is really wanting to get another international student to host here in her home. The housing deal has not left my mind the whole time I have been here, but it has been sort of on the shelf, waiting for the job to come through first. Now, here I am…only about 3 weeks till the U of A is back in session for the fall term, and I have to figure something out. I have been extended the offer to continue living here through the semester with Jessica if there is just nothing that works out in this short amount of time, but I feel like I need to continue looking at my options.

Pro’s and Con’s…
There would be a lot of benefits of staying here, but there are some things that would be better maybe in my own place. Then that begs the question…do I live with a roommate or try to get a small studio place of my own? I was not even questioning the second option until a recent turn of events that help put things in a possibly more long-term perspective. Despite the fact that there is part of me that feels kinda scared to not have someone else around (I do a lot better around people than spending a lot of time to myself)…there is also a lot that is appealing to me. Like the fact that I could actually decorate the place all by myself, and maybe even start investing in some home items like cookware or furniture. Also, its not like I would really be by myself that much. Not unless I chose to be. I am constantly busy with social activities not to mention that having my own space would allow me to actually have people over! But I just don’t know. In most all cases, it would be cheaper for me to live with someone else, to split everything with. And…what if God is really calling me to cultivate a relationship with a certain person?? I am still really up to whatever, but I feel in desperate need of some direction relatively quick. Jessica needs to know in two weeks. Okay so that’s really quick. Right now, there does not seem to be a potential roommate option available ( a few maybees). However, Sarah called me today to tell me that there is a large historic home split into several apartments (like theirs) that just posted a sign up today for a studio apartment in just my price range. It sounds just like what I have been wanting…Is this an open door?? I tried to call the people to grab a look at it tonight, but have not been called back. I don’t know. I am just trying to keep my eyes, ears, and my heart open

I GOT THE JOB!!! July 22, 2008

I GOT THE JOB!!!  I GOT THE JOB!!!  I GOT THE JOB!!!  PRAISE THE LORD!!!  The joy and the relief I feel right now are almost indescribable!  After all this waiting…it is finally HERE!  I just have to go take the drug test today (no worries, kids) and in a few days the position will be “officially” mine.  They estimate that I will probably start on Monday.  Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers!  This is just…awesome!

Anxiously Waiting July 21, 2008

Well…I had my THIRD job interview today with the Schmieding Center today and once again, things were seamless! Everything…from my demonstration of my Microsoft Office skills to my meeting with the head Director and his assistant…it was just perfect! So…your thinking…I got the job right? That’s what I was hoping for but instead I heard something else. The director kind of let it slip in my talk with him that they have had the pleasure of having two absolutely incredible final candidates. He assured me that whether or not they picked me, I was going to have a very bright future ahead of me. My stomach fell to the floor. I shook his hand, and thanked him for the opportunity. Outside the door was Paige (my potential boss) ready to walk me to the door. She told me that they hoped to get all the directors together by the end of the afternoon or first thing in the morning to make a final decision. She told me that I would know one way or the other by no later than NOON tomorrow. So yeah, here I sit. I know that I shouldn’t really be “anxious.” I mean, my prayer this whole time is that God’s will would be done. After all, he knows what is best for me and he can see into this place a lot better than I can. It really has been a positive and uplifting experience, one that I can definitely walk away and feel good about. But…I do REALLY want this job. I guess more than anything though I am just ready to know one way or the other. I will update just as soon as I do!

Interview Update July 18, 2008

Things seem to be going very well on the job front.  On Wednesday I met with two of the directors at the Center for Senior Health and Education.  I felt really excited the whole time, and I think the enthusiasm showed!  Then yesterday I got a call back, saying they wanted to meet with me again at 10:30 this morning.  I walked in, and there was a board table full of about 6 or 7 other employees waiting to get a chance to drill me with questions, and decide if they thought I could be right for the job.  It wasn’t that bad though.  They were all really nice, and I felt comfortable.  I have now come to the place where I feel really invested in this organization.  I have to be honest, I am going to be really upset if they don’t choose me in the end.  I know that ultimately God has the best plans for me, and that I can trust him to lead me to the right place about it…but from what I can tell so far, this would be a phenomenal place to work for.  It’s mostly old women (which is fine with me), and one of them described to me today how their office is like I family.  She said that they share their lives together, they go through through the valleys and celebrate with each other on the mountains…they even pray together.  I almost got a little emotional when she said this.  It’s just the kind of environment I always wanted to work in.  I have one last meeting on Monday at 11 with the head Director, and to demonstrate some of my computer related skills.  I was told today by the lady leading the process that I came out in the top of those they interviewed, so I feel like I have a really good chance that they will extend the offer to me on Monday.  I can’t wait!!!

Interview!!! July 15, 2008

I have my first big job interview this Wednesday at noon!!! The lady called me today, and I was so excited I almost started dancing in the restaurant (PF Chang’s for those who are interested, haha)!  I was really confused at first because I had no idea what job she was referring to.  When she made reference to the “Administrative Assistant” title I knew she had the right person but could still not figure out when I had applied with “The Community Center for Senior Health and Education.” It appeared that the job had just fallen right out of the sky and I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised.  I finally put all the puzzle pieces together tonight after doing some research.  The Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education is affiliated with UAMS and the Area Health Education Center-NW.  I had applied for some random jobs on the UAMS website but at the time had no idea what UAMS-AHEC-NW exactly meant other than that I appeared to qualify and that it was in Springdale.  SO!  YEA!!!  She wanted it to be at 4:00 on Wednesday but I asked her if she could move it up so I could still make it to Hannah’s shower in time.  Now we are doing it at noon “over lunch.”  I am a little bit nervous about what “lunch” entails, but I am so excited I could almost care less.  Anyways, please keep me in your prayers this day.

Things of Late July 10, 2008

Well, I guess if I am really going to be serious about this whole blogging thing I should write a real post. So here it goes:

As most of you know, I have been living in Fayetteville for the 2 months. Sometime around February I really felt God telling me that this was the next step in my life, and after much prayer and consideration I made the leap of faith. It is so hard to believe how long I have already been here. The time has really just flown by. I have been spending a lot of time getting to know people at my new church (The Community- see link for more info). There are a lot of young couples/families involved so I have also been hanging out with a bunch of kids as well. I have not really spent a lot of time around kids growing up, so it was a total surprise to me just how much I like them. They just have a way of getting inside your heart. And on top of all the kids…there are 3 beautiful baby boys (Shepherd, Simion, and Issac). They make me melt. I really love my new church family, and I am so excited to journey with them throughout this next year.

When I am not hanging out with people, I am job hunting. Actually, a big portion of my time is spent job hunting. Things haven’t necessarily gone as planned in this department, but really I can say that about a lot of my plans coming up here. I have found that since moving here God is tearing down just about everything in my life in order to strengthen me and force me to depend solely on Him. This is not a very fun process needless to say, but I am growing. And really that is exactly what my heart desires most so I am learning to “suffer well.” But anyways…no job yet. I have put in at least 20 applications so far, and I am constantly looking for just about any opportunity. I have even started applying for small-scale receptionist type jobs just to help me bring in a little money while I keep looking for something more degree related. No interviews yet, but I am still hopeful.

Right now I am living with one of my friends from church (Jessica). She is older than me, and has been settled on her own for quite some time. She has her own house, and it has an extra bedroom that she often rents to people short-term or hosts international students during the school year. Living here has been great! It will be hard for me to leave, but the plan is to have another place by August (assuming all goes well). I am talking to one girl who is moving here to go to grad school about getting a place together, but I have also started to consider getting an apartment of my own (which is totally a stretch for me).

I feel like this post has been kind of bland, but I just wanted to give those who are interested kind of a catch up about how I have been, and what I have been up to.

Last weekend my Mom and Step-dad came up to spend the extended holiday weekend with me. We went to the annual 4th of July Extravaganza that Newcomb’s have out at their farm every year. We ate, shopped, went to the movies…and really just had a great time. This weekend my little sister is finally coming up to see me, and I was told this morning that I will now be seeing my Dad and Step-mom too. Very cool!

Anyways…I guess I will leave you with some pics!

This picture was taken in March sometime before moving here so it's a little outdated, but this is my new church family

This is me and Issac at the pig roast in honor of Jeff's graduation

Babies!!!

Me and Jessica (my rommie) at the 4th of July Extravaganza

Hanging out at the pool with my mom

Me, Mom, and Eddie after eating the most amazing Sunday brunch at Emelia's

The Blog Begins July 8, 2008

I had no idea that so many people I know use wordpress!

Seeing how xanga is a dying breed, I thought I would give in and join the club.

So if you would like, add me to your links or subscriptions or whatever you call it.  I don’t promise anything exciting or insightful or even interesting…but maybe I will keep from boring you too much, haha.  Oh, and I love comments.

Until next time…