My Job

In December I learned my job would be changing.  I'll still be doing the same job but I won't be handling IL claims anymore.  I've handled IL claims for my entire 20 plus year career.  In mid March I will be handling claims entirely on the west coast, 11 states in all.  When I first learned this news I was upset.  I took it personally but as I've had time to absorb the news I am confident that in the long run it will be good for my career and the bottom line is I'd rather have a job than no job at all.  I got home today from spending the week in Cincinnati.  I met my new team and my new supervisor.  I also met my home office supervisors.  The good news is I really like my new supervisor, team and home office supervisors.  There really isn't any bad news.  But learning these new states will be a challenge.  As I get older I get a little "edgy" about my job.  I think it's because I know all things change and I work in a basement office day in and day out.  Certainly the winters can be LONG and there are some days I question my sanity and wonder if I should move to OH and end my career in an office.  However, after spending a week in a office it was a good reminder to myself that cube farms give me the creeps.  Unless I'm forced to, my behind will continue to work from my basement until I retire (if I'm lucky).  In todays corporate world I am well aware of the fact that things change but I don't have a crystal ball.  I can't predict the future.  All I can do is what is best for me and my family and move forward.  I remind myself often that God has taken such good care of Mike and I with our jobs, more than we deserve.  I have no doubt that God will continue to guide us, open doors or shut them when needed.  It is my job to make the best of what I have, continue to work on myself and be the best worker I can be and trust.  I trust that God's plan is always better and when my brain takes off in a million different career directions (none of them provide any sense of real clarity or reality) I can rest knowing that God's got this!

Snow Day

This week we had quite a snow fall along with cold temperatures.  Paired together it got the boys a snow day off from school.  I really dislike winter and every year that goes by I dislike it even more, however, even though I don't like it, it is pretty!  This snow stuck to the trees and when the sun gleamed through the trees in the early morning it was absolutely beautiful.

Here is Nick on his snow day.  He's relaxing on his deck in his lawn chair with this electric stove, fake plant and his dog.  It's so Nick!

Bosses

Tonight I had dinner with my former boss, Jill.  Jill was my boss was nearly 14 years.  I was a fresh faced 23 year old college graduate and she took a chance on me and gave me my first professional level job.  Then, when I was 37 years old I was offered a new opportunity that I now know was orchestrated by God.  I walked into Jill's office and gave her my 2 week notice.  She was shocked and probably hurt, although my decision to leave had nothing to do with her.  In my going away card she wrote, "Amy, say the word, we can stop the presses."  But leaving was what I had to do.  Since I left my former employer she retired and we've continued to keep contact.  She's hired Mike several times to do work on her house and our faith is what cements us.  I told her tonight how happy I am that we've maintained our relationship through the years. I've been really blessed with great bosses throughout my professional career - all of them women.  Wanda has been my boss for 8 years and in March I will transition to a new position and have a new supervisor who has the name of none other than Amy.  My new role will require me to learn new states but in the long run I think it will be good for my career.  What I am thankful for is the kind women that have lead me during my professional career.  I have no doubts that Amy will be the best combination of Jill and Wanda!  

Happy 18th Birthday, Jay

18 years flies by.  Kid you not.  Don't blink because it goes so fast.  There was a time when I thought my nights of giving my boys a bath, followed by reading them a story would never end.  Truth be told there were many nights I was so tired that I wished they would end sooner than later.  Those nights are long gone now.  If I could have one more night to give them baths, listen to them giggle in the tub while splashing water all over the place I'd do just about anything to get it.  I can still smell their freshly shampooed hair and I can still recite "Good Night Moon."  Today my oldest son became a legal adult.  This weekend he celebrates his birthday by taking off with his buddies and going skiing.  What a great way to celebrate adulthood!  I love Jay's group of friends! Last Friday night I had a dinner party for family to celebrate his birthday.

                                      His friends all came to eat dinner with us.  Love them!

I call this picture, Jay and his ladies.  Jenny Ausili is missing but she was sure in our hearts.  These are just a few of the women who have loved and prayed for Jay over the years and Lauren is just an added bonus as she loves her oldest cousin!  When Jay was little my mom was my biggest cheerleader.  She encouraged me and nothing Jay did ever surprised her or appalled her.  She kept saying, "Keep going, Amy, he'll be fine, he's not built yet."  Thanks mom!  Getting Jay to this age was truly a group effort. I leaned on God, Mike and my mother!  I wrote Jay a letter on his birthday and gave him some of my best "mom" advice.  I reminded him that raising boys is like enduring a slow break up for us moms.  We are raising these boys into men.  The goal is for them to flourish, move out and spread their wings.  But Jay always remember how much your momma loves you and my arms will always be open to receive you!  Now go out and live your life to its fullest and do small things in great ways (Dr. Martin Luther King)!

Hawaii Recap

This will be my final blog about Hawaii as this week will be Jay's 18th birthday!  Crazy, I know.  I can't express my gratitude to my mom for making this trip possible.  We enjoyed every minute of it and it was a trip of a lifetime that none of us will forget.  The picture above is the picture our maid, Emi, left us on NYE.  Emi was so kind.  We made sure we tipped her well at the end of the week.

Mom never ceased to amaze me this trip.  It was not easy to travel on a plane for 9 hours but she did it.  She loved watching her family enjoy themselves and we loved experiencing Hawaii with mom. 

I just love this picture.  I don't know why but I love it and I made it my picture on my phone.  My boys really don't get along and I might be stretching it a bit but on this trip they seemed to get along.  They hung out together like this often.  They will never admit that they enjoyed each others company but to this momma it appeared that they did.  This picture just shows how grown up my boys are getting.

We were supposed to go to Kona on New Years Day but the sea was too rough to tender so we spent a day at sea which was a good thing and a bad thing.  The good thing is it was relaxing.  The bad thing was no one got off the ship and it was PACKED!!!

Nick developed a love of mango smoothies on the trip.  I would stand in line at the bars - at least once but mostly twice a day to get him a mango smoothie.

We went to two shows during the trip.  The first show was a comedian who was quite funny and the second show was a magic show.  Notice that Lauren got called to be a "helper."  So cute.  I was really proud of her.  She wasn't the least bit shy and did great.

We ended the week by going by the Nepali Coast.  It was absolutely breath-taking.  Mike got better pictures than I did.  The crew told us they hadn't seen a rainbow on the coast for months but wa-la, the night we sailed we saw two rainbows.   Kim and I thought of dad so many times during the trip.  He would have loved this vacation but we knew he was with us.  Seeing Hawaii for the first time just validates my faith in God.  Who else but God could create such beauty?  Althought this trip will probably remain my most favorite trip I do hope I can go back some day!  Maholo Hawaii!!

Mud Buggy Tour - Kauai

One of our excursions got cancelled but we didn't find out about this until we got on the ship.  In its place we booked a Mud Buggy tour.  My first hint that I shouldn't have sat this one out was being the fact that the word mud was in the title!  We got up early (5:45) on our final full day of our cruise and headed out for a morning of "fun."  I knew when they gave me a mask and was told I needed it to protect my mouth and nose from mud, I knew I should have ditched the tour and slept in.  But regardless I went along, as only a real trooper can.  But trust me, I was having none of it.

This is the beginning of the tour when I was still enjoying the views and I wasn't completely drenched in mud.  Once I started getting mud drenched I was freezing and no longer cared about the views.  I couldn't see the views through my mud soaked goggles anyway.  Notice I'm still smiling in this picture.  Wait for it....

The only saving grace about this trip was Mike and Nick loved it.  They cackled like two deranged witches the entire trip, all 2 hours of it to be exact!

Yep, at this point I had reached my limit.  It was officially, I was not enjoying myself.

Jay didn't so much enjoy the excursion either.  If he could have been able to drive (you have to be 18 to drive) I think he would have enjoyed it more.  Here's me trying to make light of a bad situation.

The Luau - Kauai

On Thursday night of our trip we went to a Luau.  The scenery was once again beautiful.  The luau was good but there were over 800 people at it and by Thursday night the crowds were really starting to get to me.  The above picture is of my beautiful mom.  She did so well on this trip and truly loved every minute of it.