Exciting Things Are Happening

I have some exciting, scary, and nerve racking news….. I got a new job!! Monday I gave my one week notice at Home Federal and will be starting my new position at MWI Veterinary Supply on May 31st. As I say goodbye to HF I can’t help but remember some good and bad times.

I started HF in 2003 when I was 20 years old. I was excited about starting a grown up job at a bank. Previously I had worked at Idaho Pizza and Home Depot, both of which were not grown up jobs. When I got the job at HF Matt and I barely had any money (we were living together in an apartment). I wasn’t sure how I was going to buy a new wardrobe as I didn’t have any nice clothes since I mainly worked at casual wearing jobs. So after talking to my Aunt she sent me $100 dollars which I used to buy two pairs of pants and three shirts. I think this is funny since this is not the case now and funny because I am going to a place where I can wear jeans! I just had to go buy some casual clothes which was a weird concept. For the last eight years I had two wardrobes; a casual one and a professional one!

I was hired onto HF as a teller at the Caldwell Wal-Mart location. It was definitely interesting (anyone who has worked in a  Wal-Mart will know). I learned a lot but was ready to move on. After 8 months I decided to be a roving teller as this would help me move around and find the branch that was right for me. I was the roving teller for about another 8 months mainly working at the Boise Wal-Mart, Parkcenter, and Mt Home branches. I hated being a rover and got burnt out very fast. I was sent to Mt Home for six months making barely over minimum wage and not getting paid for the gas. When an opening came up back office in Nampa I applied. It was in the HSA department as an operations specialist. I got the job and loved it. It was the first time I truly enjoyed going to work, loved the people I worked with, and really enjoyed what I was doing. I learned a lot while being in that department and grew a lot as an employee. When HF created a help desk I was hand picked to be on that team. This is what I have been doing for the last six years and for the most part have enjoyed it. My role has drastically changed over the last year but I don’t regret anything. I have learned so much about business and about myself. I look back now on my first day at HF and realize I have grown so much as a women.

Its bittersweet leaving HF because its comfortable and safe. I have made some great friends and this new step is scary but its time. HF has changed a lot over the years and that spark is gone. When I went to MWI it reminded me a lot of how HF used to be and I so desperately miss that. I miss the fact that we used to feel like a big family and everyone cared about each other even the executives. I am ready for this change but will always have a soft spot for HF.

California 2011

Matt decided that we should head to Mt. Shasta California for our yearly vacation. So a few months back we started planning. I got online and searched for places to stay and was surprised how expensive things were. A basic hotel was a decent price but we were planning on staying for four days so we wanted to stay in a house or a cabin. After doing much searching we decided to invite Matt’s cousin Alex in order to split some of the cost. Matt, me, Alex, and Matt’s mom Heather all headed to Cali. The drive was long, actually nine hours long but once we reached Mt. Shasta the scenery was so worth it. The weather was awful because it rained the whole time but we went hiking, went to the caves, and did some sight seeing. It was a nice trip and very nice to be away from our lives for a while. Below are some pictures from our great trip.

Hedgecreek Falls in Dunsmuir California.

Matt and I in front of the falls.

The Caverns at Lake Shasta.

All of us feeding the birds at Turtle Bay Exploration in Redding California. As you can see I was a little nervous of the birds. I especially didn’t like them landing on my head.  They were pretty cute and we all enjoyed this.

Overall this was a nice trip. We all had a great time and the house we rented was right in town at Mt. Shasta. It was good coming home and still having a couple of days left of vacation.

My Dearest Friend

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEST FRIEND (one day early)**

Have you ever met that one person who gets you, like really gets you. That one person you can be yourself with, tell your secrets to, and stay friends no matter what. Well I have that someone and her name is Misty. Her and I go way back, back to seventh grade which is now around fifteen years. Let me explain how we met. It’s a great story that my dear friend Misty doesn’t like me to tell. But I’m gonna tell it because its our story, its why I love her, and because I want to tell it!

I had moved to Salem, Oregon the summer before seventh grade. I moved a lot so this wasn’t any big deal but I was shy and I hated making friends. The first few weeks at middle school I got on the bus, minded my business, and just tried to make it through another day. After a day or two on the bus I noticed this blonde haired girl who sat in the back of the bus with another girl. They were always being loud and getting in trouble from the bus driver. At first I was a little scared of her. They picked on all the kids on the bus and she seemed mean. I considered her the bus bully.

After a few months we started to talk and I realized this blonde haired girl was actually really cool. She wasn’t mean like I thought and we instantly became friends. We became best of friends and did all kinds of crazy dares together, hung out, and told each other our secrets. She had my back and would do anything for me and I would do the same for her.

In ninth grade I moved a town over which was hard because we would walk home together and only lived a few blocks away. Misty vowed we would be friends. Halfway through eleventh grade I moved to Idaho which was a long ways from Salem Oregon. I figured we wouldn’t be friends and I think I even told Misty it was over, I was breaking my friendship with her. Even when I tried to break off our friendship Misty said no way, we were to be friends. Because I had moved so much, ending friendships really wasn’t that big of deal, I mean it was hard and sad but soon I got over it. It was pretty normal to me. I was shocked that she wasn’t going to let me go that easy. Even though I was moving a state away she wanted to be my friend.

So I moved and we continued to remain friends. I went to her graduation and cheered her on when she received her diploma, I was so proud that my friend had graduated. She came to my graduation and did the same for me. We had each other’s backs, no matter what, and always. Misty was there for me through some difficult times and I was there for her, hundreds of miles away we always remained friends.

Fast forward to when we got married and I asked her to be my maid of honor, I guess she was surprised since our friendship had drifted a little. To me this was an easy choice. Other than the man I was marrying Misty is my best friend, she gets me. She came and helped me get ready for my big day, she calmed me down when I had a mini bridal meltdown, and she was ready to kick anyone’s butt on my big day for making me upset!

When Misty got married I went to Salem a couple of days prior to help her prepare for her big day. I wanted to help with anything and everything, basically I wanted to be there for my best friend. I got to take part in her wedding and really help her prepare. When I saw my beautiful friend in her wedding dress and I put the veil on her head I lost it. All those years of being friends flooded over me. I realized I had never had a friend so long and I had never had a friend like her. She is the best friend anyone can ask for and I was just so happy for her to be getting married. So many people get married to the wrong person and I knew my friend had found the one.

Through it all Misty and I have remained friends. She has the biggest heart of anyone I know and would literally go the extra mile for any of her friends (and she has gone the extra mile for almost all of them). She has been hurt by friends because she’s so nice but she continues to befriend people. She lets me be who I am and never leaves my side, she is my best friend. She accepts me for who I am and all my flaws, I know we will be old together and still remain friends.

I love you Misty and Happy Birthday. I hope your day brings lots of joys and here’s to many more years of friendship.

Happy Anniversary (yesterday)

Three years ago my hubby and I got married. It was the best day of my life so far. I was super nervous right before walking down the isle. I’m not sure why I was so nervous, I mean we had been together for almost seven years at this point. I think I was nervous because it was a commitment. I told him before we got married that divorce wasn’t an option. I didn’t plan on getting married to then get divorced and if we were going to have kids I definitely wasn’t going to get divorced. The last three years of married life hasn’t been all that different than the first seven years of “dating”. We were already living together and had joint accounts together and we were very much committed. I think the biggest difference was that we had a piece of paper saying we were committed.

In the last three years we have bought a house, got a dog, added a roommate to the house, and both started going to school. In these last years we have had several heartaches with my grandma passing away, my brother passing away very sudden, and learning that Matt’s step mom has cancer.

I thank God everyday for bringing Matt into my life and allowing us to connect in a way that I never imagined. He is my best friend and the person that I want to grow old with. I can’t wait to see what the next five years holds for us; even if its bad or good we will be in it together.

Happy Anniversary Hubby, its been the best three years of married life!

Karma Sucks

Yesterday was such a nice day that I pulled out my new pair of capris. I had bought them a month ago and was so happy because I was able to get a size smaller. I kept them in the closet with all the tags on just in case I happened to gain my weight back and had to return them. Well I put them on yesterday and they still felt great, were super cute, and I was so happy the weather had warmed up enough to wear them.

Matt and I got a late start yesterday but headed out for lunch and a new weed hacker (the fun outings of being married and owning a house!!). We went to Idaho Pizza and had some yummy lunch then to the gas station for some drinks and gas. On our way to Sears we saw a petition stand to recall Luna so I made Matt pull over so I could sign. Since I am going to be a teacher all this Luna stuff is much more important to me and my family. I got out and these two nice ladies told me where to sign and helped me fill out the petition. As I was signing one of the ladies told me I still had the size stickers on the back of my NEW CAPRI’S! I was mortified but trying to keep cool. I had just been to Idaho Pizza and the gas station where I’m sure many people saw the stickers on the back of my leg and just laughed! She pulled them off for me and was super nice about it. I thanked her for saving me and it was all I could do to run back to my car! Once I got in I told Matt what happened but since he’s a guy he’s pretty much oblivious to anything! He swears he didn’t see. I was embarrassed but happy and thankful that lady saved me!!

So the karma part you ask… well as Matt said to me after this whole incident, “Karma’s a Bitch” wow was he right. A few years ago this somewhat dorky guy started at the bank in the IT department. I had seen him standing in the employee entrance when I got in one day and noticed how nervous he was. As I was passing him something struck me as funny. I looked back and noticed his tag was still on his brand new pants. This tag was the biggest tag I had ever seen. It was probably 5inches by 7inches and cardboard. I have laughed at this for years and told this story to many. This is why Matt said that karma sucked because I was finally getting it back…… I hate when he’s right!