Well....It's Been A While....

So, who knew having a job from 8-5 would take up so much time? ;) Just kidding. I realized as I sat on the couch tonight that I haven't updated this thing in a few weeks. I am really enjoying my job & I have a few stories/interesting things to share....because who knew that working at a doctor's office could be so funny?

1) The person I work for (who shall be called Rick from here on, although some of you probably know who he actually is because you get to hear all my stories at church) is crazy. He is nice crazy, not mean, not hurtful, just crazy. There hasn't been a day yet when I haven't come home to tell my parents "you will never believe what Rick did today" & then I go into a comedic reenactment of what he said or did - complete with hand motions, mannerisms & accents. As an example, the conversation we had on Wednesday -
"Rick" - Why are you wearing a raincoat Miss Natalie, it isn't raining outside, it is snowing...
Natalie - Well, it's actually a windbreaker, not a raincoat
"Rick" - (looking around in confusion) Is it windy in here Miss Natalie?
Natalie - well....no. I was just chilly
"Rick" - no matter, no matter Miss Natalie. It is a matter of personal preference, jackets.
Like-what was the point of that conversation? I'm pretty sure it only happened to provide me with a funny story to tell after the fact. And he comes out with stuff like this EVERY day. Without fail. Except on Tuesdays & Fridays when he is out of the clinic....hahaha!

2) Who knew there were so many drug addled/drug addictted people in Meridian? I have discovered in my 3 short weeks of work that there are a lot of people who need their medication & they need it bad. And that's all I'm really gonna say about all that. Craziness.

3) I am so thankful for the other ladies that work at the clinic. They have welcomed me with open arms & been so patient while I am figuring out all the numbers, codes & numerous other tasks that are now a part of my job. I've been brought in on the daily ritual of watching "Days of Our Lives" (what is going on with Stefano & Kate???) in the breakroom while we all eat lunch & it is so nice to feel so accepted by all these nice ladies. They are a blessing to me, even if they don't know it. And I found someone else that watches "True Blood"! When season 4 starts - it is gonna be great to have discussions about that over lunch!

4) Who knew guardian & protector of the Christmas ornaments & the figurines in the Nativity was a part of the job? We've had the Christmas decor up a week & I was informed that I would have to watch the tree & the nativity because someone has stolen ornaments off the tree & someone actually took the Baby Jesus from the nativity!! When I asked what type of person steals the Baby Jesus from a nativity scene, I was told very matter of factly "the same kind of person that steals the Glade Plug-Ins from the wall". Wow. Just wow.

So - I suppose that is about all for now. I've let you all in on some delightful antecdotes from my new life as a member of the working 8-5 set. I'm sure the stories will only continue to get more interesting. I'll keep everyone posted.

So Much to be Thankful For....

This week has been such a wonderful week that I thought I'd blog a little bit more. I always love the holiday season & it always starts with Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful, even more this year.

I started my job on Tuesday & it has been great from Day 1. I certainly hope it continues to be as good as it was this week. The people I work with are nice - no yelling at me this time, which is certainly a plus! I'm still settling into figuring out what all exactly I'm supposed to be doing, but I think that given just a few more days I'll probably have the hang of things. My job is something I'm so very thankful for. After almost 7 months of looking, I think the Lord has given me a place where I can enjoy myself while I'm making something of a living. One of the unexpected "perks" of the job is that there are certainly some interesting people that come in & out of the clinic that provide some amusement, not to mention the fascinating; if not sometimes too graphic phone calls that I get to field.

I'm so blessed to have been able to spend time with my family this week. Every time Lindsey comes home to visit, I realize how much she is growing up & how much I cherish the few days that I get to spend with her. I am so lucky to be able to have such a wonderful little sister that is also my very best friend. It's awesome. I also feel blessed that I am able to do simple things with my family & enjoy them. When you're with people you love, it doesn't matter if you're just sitting around watching TV or on a grand adventure, you can have a good time.

Well, this was short & sweet...kind of not much of a point, but I felt like I wanted to write a little bit. It's time to go have a lovely supper with my family, enjoy some quality time with them & then get to sleep since tomorrow starts my first full week of work.

I GOT A JOB!

Yep, in what has to be the strangest & yet also most awesome ten minutes of my life (thus far) - I got a job! So now for the story....

I was baby sitting Hayden & Ashlan this afternoon & actually had my phone on silent because I was busy cuddling a sleepy & slightly upset Ashlan. I just happened to look down & see that my phone was ringing, so I picked it up...even though I had no clue who the number was. I talked to Gayle (who I know from church) & she asked if I would like to come in tomorrow for an interview at 8. I said yes & thought that was the end of it. I remembered that I hadn't gotten the address & so I tried to call back about 3 times & all I got was a busy signal. I don't know how I thought I'd get there tomorrow without the address but I thought "oh well". I went to the bathroom & when I came out, I noticed that my phone was ringing again. It was still on silent, so there is yet another mirace in that I actually saw it ringing.

This time Dr. Ahmad himself was calling me. He asked me what types of jobs I'd had before, what I majored in at Southern & if I wanted a job. When I told him yes, he asked if I could start tomorrow! I'm pretty sure that I was about to have a break down right then & there, but I maintained my composure long enough to find out what time to be there, what I needed to bring with me, how much I'd be making & say a decent thank you & good bye. Once I hung up, I totally lost it...thankfully Hayden & Ashlan were engrossed in watching "The Penguins of Madagascar" & didn't notice me having my moment. They probably would have thought I'd completely lost my mind.

So, there is the whole story. I actually have no clue what the name of the clinic is. I was in a total state of shock & bewilderment during the whole conversation. It's another miracle that I got the address because I was so blown away by what was happening. I'll try to figure out the particulars tomorrow when I start my new job! :)

I'm Still here.....

Wow-I guess I kind of fell off the planet for a couple of weeks!

I don't really have much to report because my life is (at this point in the journey) alarmingly monotonous. I sleep late, excercise, look for & apply for jobs, do some random housework for my Mom & then watch "Smallville" reruns. I often either help with supper or cook supper for myself, my Mom & my Dad. I guess while I may not be honing my job skills, I'm certainly honing my domestic skills. Maybe this is a sign that one day the Lord will bless me with being able to lead the life I most desire - that is, being a wife & mother!

The Lord may not have led me to the perfect job yet, but he never fails to provide for me. Just when I think that my funds might be getting low, someone calls me to baby sit & my funds are replenished. Granted, I'm not rich but I am never broke & at the end of the day, that is what matters.

So, for now I am continuing to patiently wait upon the Lord to guide my steps on the path he wants my life to take. Life isn't really living if you aren't living in the Lord's will. So...until next time, I'll be here, patiently waiting.

Life is a Rollercoaster Ride...and I've Been on a Doozie!

Well, I realized a long time ago that life isn't fair & life isn't always "a walk in the park"...I got a big dose of taking a walk somewhere other than the park this last week.

I got a temporary job & was pretty thrilled with the prospect of finally working; even for a little while, & making a little bit of money. That was the climb on my roller coaster. Things were looking up. Well, I was in for a shock. I learned very quickly this week that some people are just downright mean & next to impossible to be around. My new boss (who shall remain nameless...I wouldn't want anyone coming after me) assigned me tasks to do without explaining how to do them - asking for directions got me yelled at, while trying to do the work to the best of my knowledge & making a mistake also got me yelled at. Fun! After 2 days of being made to feel incompetent by the boss, as well as some words of advice from a co-worker (that woman will drag you down in a matter of days) I decided on day three as I was en route to work that it just wasn't worth the money to be beaten down each day, dreading the next day of work the minute I left at 5.

I had a really rough day on Wednesday. I wasn't too happy with myself about quitting. Luckily, I have the love & support of some wonderful friends & a great set of parents who I was able to talk to about the whole mess.

So...now, here I am again. Just waiting. Praying for direction & purpose in my life. I know that the Lord has a divine purpose for each person & so I'll wait faithfully to see what the next step is.

God is Always Faithful

Well, I blogged so despondently just 2 days ago & I've managed to have a pretty quick turn around. Thanks to a family friend, I now find myself employed! Now granted, the job is a temporary position & may last only a few weeks (although it could last a few months) but it is still a job!

Getting this temp position reminded me that I should really be more thankful. Yes, I have been looking for a job since May & even now I can only get a temporary position but I haven't actually been suffering. When things seemed to be getting tight for me & I thought I was going to run out of money, the Lord miraculously would supply me with a baby sitting job, a chance to be a substitute teacher or even the random odd job. Even now, I was lucky enough to have a baby sitting job this week & step right into my new temp job on Monday.

So, basically I'm just saying that I'm thankful for the blessings I've been given. The Lord is going to provide for me in the way that he sees fit; in the way that works according to his plan for my life. I just have to be patient & take my time letting the journey unfold. It will all work out in a way that I can't imagine but I know that whatever the Lord has planned, it will be wonderful.

Now all I have to do is wait for the plan to unfold....

Just Another Week....

Well, I haven't written anything in a while. I haven't exactly been busy, I suppose I just haven't had anything to write about. I guess that is what life is like when a person is unemployed. I have lots of time on my hands but usually I don't have a lot to do with all that time.

I spent the better part of this morning looking for jobs & I don't know how fruitful my search was. I applied for 4 different jobs but considering I've applied for so many so far & with so little luck, I'm having a hard time being optimistic about these. I usually manage to have a positive outlook but in this one area, my optimism is waning quickly. I guess it is time to up the prayers about remaining confident in the Lord's will & direction for my life.

I suppose this wasn't the perkiest blog, but then again people are allowed to have days when they are less than positive. Hopefully things will look up soon.

Seriously?

So, in my last post I talked about subbing with some delightful little 1st graders. Well they really aren't as wonderful as they seem. They are actually just tiny little vehicles for carrying germs. I subbed one day & woke up the next day with an awesome cold. I guess the numerous trips to the Kleenex box & that one little girl who told me "my throat feels scratchy" should have been the major warning signs.

I really am kidding about kids being tiny vehicles for carrying germs. I mean, don't get me wrong; they are. They are also sweet & wonderful. I enjoyed my first subbing experience, although I probably would have enjoyed it more if it hadn't come with a parting gift that involved a raw nose, a ravaged throat & a pounding headache. My head is actually pounding as I write this & my meds are starting to kick in...although the part that is supposed to help the headache doesn't seem to be working. So, in the spirit of sickness this post will be short.

I have learned that even if you use the hand sanitizer 5 times when subbing, you should probably have used it 10 times. And if a kid tells you her throat is scratchy, don't hug her...back away...quickly. Heres to hoping I feel much better in the morning. I have to teach a room full of 5 year olds Sunday School...yikes!

I Didn't Miss My True Calling....Hallelujah!

I was a sub today at good ol' West Lauderdale Elementary. I was a little apprehensive at first, but not for the reasons one might think. I was a little concerned that I might spend the day with kids & decide that I had missed my true calling & needed to be a teacher. I spent my day with 1st graders. I had a revelation, but not that I had missed my calling.

I was never meant to be a teacher. I love kids; kids are awesome & amazing. I don't want to be a teacher though. I can handle "teaching" in substitute teacher increments. I will keep on subbing (Lord willing) until I get a job. I can now say with confidence that teaching won't be that job.

Spending time at the elementary school today brought back a lot of memories. I watched the kids all playing together & it made me remember being little. A time when your biggest worries were subtracting 2 from 8, coloring inside the lines & getting your friend to trade snacks with you during snack time. I remember running around with wild abandon on the playground, holding my best friend's hand & thinking that boys most certainly had cooties & were impossible to understand. But who am I kidding, boys still have cooties & I think the older I get, the harder it is to understand them.

It was nice to be a "teacher" for a day. I wouldn't want to do it every day for 9 months. I think that teachers are special people that the Lord blesses with a gift for teaching. The Lord gives everyone special gifts & I know that being a teacher isn't one of them. So, for now I've removed one job option from the list. Teacher = nope.

Besides, I'm sure my parents are thrilled to hear that. If I came home & announced that I was going back to school, they might faint. :)

Happy Birthday to Me!

Wow...how did 26 years really go by so fast? Or is it technically only 25 years, since I am just at the start of the 26th year today? I'll ponder that one later.... I am certainly a blessed person, so I thought I'd take a little time today to mention some of the most wonderful people/blessings I have been given in the 26 years I've been hanging out on this little planet we call Earth!

-The first blessing I recieved in life was to be born to my wonderful parents. I couldn't have picked a better set of parents than the two I have. They have raised me with constant love & support. I don't remember a single softball game, peewee basketball or football game (go Red Team!) dance recital or school function that they weren't at. My parents are not just a Mom & Dad, they are my cheerleaders, my coaches & most importantly, my friends.
-Another really important blessing in my life is my friend Nickolee. I'm doing this whole list in chronological order, so she makes the list at number two...cause I think we may have been younger than two when we first started playing together. We started out as big buddies when we were small & though elementary school seperated us, high school pushed us back together! We stuck by one another through homecomings, tests, break-ups & boys...the ups & downs of high school & yet again, we were pulled apart by college life. God blessed me by bringing us back together after college & I couldn't be more happy to have her in my life. I think with a true friend, you can be seperated by time or miles, but you will always find a way to get back to one another. So, after all these years I am so blessed to have Nickolee in my life!
-I kind of think this next blessing is one of the most important...and that is my little sister. Now, when she was first born I can honestly say that I just wanted to send her back. She was red, wrinkly & she cried far too much for me to think that we really needed to keep her around...but boy how those younger siblings can grow on you! We fought plenty as we grew up & I know sometimes my Mom thought we'd never get along. Boy, how things have changed! I just didn't know how lucky I was getting that night in November. I cannot imagine having a more wonderful best friend in my life & I'm lucky enough that she is also my little sister.
-The MOST important blessing I have in my life is my salvation. I aaccepted Jesus as my Lord & Savior when I was 6. I certainly haven't been perfect since then, but God doesn't call us to be perfect. God loves & accepts us all as we are - works in progress. We are called to live according to his will & be a light for him on Earth. I made the decision to do that 20 years ago & it has & will always be the most important decision I will ever make.
---Gonna make a big jump in time! Not that from ages 6 to 17 weren't great, but I'm hitting the high points---
-When I was a Junior in high school, this 8th grader joined the WL Chorus. I can't remember if he joined because he played the piano so well or just sang that good (probably both) but unbeknownst to me, that 8th grader would become my best friend. Over lunch in the choir room, I got to know David. Our relationship progressed from those lunches to movies, dinners, concerts...well...since we live in Collinsville, that is really about it. Even though he is 3 years younger than me & is also a guy, I found in him someone who just "got me" & everyone needs someone like that. I've been able to call him my best friend for the past 9 years (cannot believe it has been that long!) & I am so thankful for him!
-The final thing I am thankful for (that I'm gonna put on this list) are the friends that I made while I was at school at USM. I never planned to go to USM but the Lord had different plans for me. I met so many wonderful people during the 3 years I was there, some of whom will probably be my friends for years to come. I am so blessed to have friends like Kristen, Lisa, Kayla & Bart. There were so many people who made my time at Southern great, but those 4 just added so much to the experience!

I guess that isn't so long a list, but those are certainly things that I am most thankful for at this point in life. I have a wonderful family, amazing friends & a personal relationship with my Lord. I'd say for 26 years that I'm a pretty blessed person. Now then...I'm gonna stop blogging & go do whatever I want - because its my birthday! :)

Well...Here we go...

Well, I've always wanted to have a blog of my own & so while watching "Dancing with the Stars" tonight, I just decided to get to it! I started one about 6 months ago but I just kind of forgot about it, haha!

I am definitely in an interesting place right now in life. As a recent college graduate (Go Eagles!) I am busy looking for a job in a job market that isn't so friendly. The past few months have proved beyond stressful at times but I am really learning that I have to trust that the Lord is guiding each step that I take & that he will lead my life in the direction it is meant to go. I am becoming quite the pro at going on job interviews - I'm learning that there isn't anything wrong with bragging on yourself, although I am learning that bragging on myself is not one of my strengths. They seem to like asking "what are your strengths & weaknesses?" At least now I have an answer, ha ha!

My exciting life (that is sarcasm, in case you couldn't guess) also includes living at home. I never imagined that I'd be living at home at 25...26 in just 2 days....but I guess I can't complain. I don't have to pay rent or buy my own groceries, which is a good thing since I don't have a job & therefore don't have any money. I really can't complain - I have wonderful parents who are a constant source of support & love.

Well, I guess that is about all for now...not too much to say this time around. I am gonna try to keep this thing updated pretty regularly. I think if I have things written down like this, I can look back & see how much my life is changing from one week to the next.

I'll leave you with my favorite verse; my life verse actually. "I have been crucifed with Christ & I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me & gave himself for me." That is really exactly what I'm trying to do with my life, live by faith that the Lord will guide my steps.