For those of you who don't know, I will tell the story of my first telephone interview for my new job. It had been scheduled for Wednesday which is normally the day that I watch Lucas. I assumed I would be able to find someone to watch him for the hour or so of my interview, but as it turned out my dad was out of town on a business trip, my mom had a board meeting and my grandma's day was full of home visits. About 45 minutes before my interview I started trying to get Lucas to fall asleep. I had kept him awake for most of the morning to make sure he would nap while I was on the phone. At about 1:25 Lucas fell asleep in my arms. My interview was at 1:30. I was so thankful. At exactly 1:30 the telephone rang and Lucas' eyes immediately opened. I answered the phone and the man said "Erin, we have an interview scheduled with you, is this still a good time?" And I look down at Lucas whose huge eyes are open and staring at me and I explain my situation: "Well, right now it is, but I happen to be watching my nephew...." The man begins to introduce the 6 or 8 people who are present on the conference call and Lucas starts screaming. I mean screaming like I am cutting him or pinching him or something. And the man on the phone continues to speak but I can't really hear what he is saying. We chat for a few minutes and I explain that part of why I came home was to help with Lucas and the interviewer explained that each person in the room had children of their own and they understood. My interview was rescheduled for the end of their day, after Julie and Jason got home and after they had completed the rest of their scheduled interview.
Today, Ken, one of the men present in my interview came to my office and told me that I should thank my nephew, because he made a big difference in their opinion of me during my interview. Ken explained that that particular situation was stressful and he thought that I handled it very well. He said that witnessing me struggle through explaining myself and rescheduling the interview said a great deal about the type of woman that I am and how I deal with stress. Even though my mother said that Lucas was crying to sabotage my interview because he didn't want me to leave, apparently it actually was what made the committee believe that I was right for the job. So thank you Mr. Lucas Moreno.
2.28.2006
The weekend
My weekend was great and very rejuvinating. My first week of work was exciting but also very exhuasting as I explained in an earlier post. I have some big challenges ahead of me. After being so tired, at first I thought it would be a good idea to sleep the weekend away but finally decided that sometimes the best way to recharge isn't through shut-eye. Jenny and Nick came down on Saturday and we completed what I am sure will soon become the typical visitor circuit: Sierra Vista, Bisbee and Tombstone. It was so good to see them and even though we spent time together in Southern Arizona, being with Jenny and Nick felt like home. Walking down the street in Bisbee I heard myself laughing so hard (actually at a man on the street accompanied by a dog and a cat with two mice crawling on its neck, but that is a whole different story) and I realized that I felt more comfortable in that moment than I had since I arrived. And it's not that I don't know that being here will get eaiser, but it's nice to have time to rest and relax - a moment to let down my guard.
I also considered sleeping in on Sunday morning and going to church at 5, but I know myself and my amazing talent for making excuses so I decided to bite the bullet and wake up to go at 9. I am considering learning Spanish if only for the opportunity to sleep a little longer and go to the Spanish mass at 11. Ha. The service I attended was really nice and the church this weekend was different from the one I went to with Grandpa and also much closer to home. Once again, about 5 minutes after mass began there was standing room only. I feel encouraged to be a part of this community and am feeling more sure of my decision to move here.
I also considered sleeping in on Sunday morning and going to church at 5, but I know myself and my amazing talent for making excuses so I decided to bite the bullet and wake up to go at 9. I am considering learning Spanish if only for the opportunity to sleep a little longer and go to the Spanish mass at 11. Ha. The service I attended was really nice and the church this weekend was different from the one I went to with Grandpa and also much closer to home. Once again, about 5 minutes after mass began there was standing room only. I feel encouraged to be a part of this community and am feeling more sure of my decision to move here.
Jenny and Nick visit photos
A view from Miller Canyon Road, near my house.
A man with a dog and a cat and a few mice.
Jenny's awesome photography skills catching some plant life on the hike.
This is Nick and I on our hike behind the house
Jenny and I in Bisbee at the Review, which is the Bisbee paper.
Downtown Bisbee.
Nick pretending he is a miner.
Jenny and Nick on our hike.
Grandpa and Erin's Trip Photos
This photo is the beginning of our visit to the memorial in Oklahoma City where the federal building used to stand. This statue of Jesus is on a corner across the street from the memorial. This is on a church's property and is in reference to the shortest Bible verse, John 11:35 "Jesus wept."
These pictures are grandpa at the memorial, the first is the entrance and the second is a small area that overlooks the park. There is a saying engraved on the wall that ends with "Our deeply rooted faith sustains us."
These are photos of the memorial park. Each chair represents one person who was killed in the bombing. It was a beautiful day for photos but was very very cold with the wind blowing so hard.
The photo on the left is documentation of Grandpa visiting his 50th state!!! I don't know how he made it to Hawaii and Alaska before visiting New Mexico, and he's even been to every state around it. But now he has visited all 50 states and I think that is pretty amazing. The picture on the right is proof that I inherited my need for gossip from my grandfather. Here he is reading an article about Celine Dion horseback riding in Star magazine. Ha.
These three photos are from Tombstone. The one on the left is a silly photo from the Boothill Cemetary. This place is full of graves of people who died in some of the crazy arguments and duels of the day. One of the famous sayings here is "Whatever happens in Tombstone stays in Boothill." The next photo is a horse and buggy tour that tells you about the city and the last one is a quilt show that we found. Grandpa can't get away from the quilts no matter how hard he tries!!!
The photos above are from a drive up Carr Canyon Road to the top of the mountain range that I live on. We're at around 9000 feet here and we packed a lunch, drove up the mountain and enjoyed the view. The road was a bit scary with one lane switchbacks, but it was well worth the trouble to check out the view.
2.23.2006
News of the day
Although my blog is not published on the blogger.com directory I decided to take my father's advice and use a bit more discretion with my posts. It is probably a good idea to be careful with what I say and I apprectiate his suggestion. The following is a truncated version of my post from yesterday:
So far my time here after work has been pretty uneventful and my boss keeps asking me if I'm okay being alone in the evenings. I told him that this time is time I can take for myself, to read and grow in my faith and just relax. I love that I have so much time to reflect and become a stronger more faithful person. Those few moments I spend alone in the evenings have been my favorite part of being here. It has made me realize that I have so much work to do to become the woman that I really want to be, but has also presented a great challenge and opportunity to really take time for myself and make the most use out of my time away from the office.
And for today:
I have met some wonderful people who work in my department. Most people have been very friendly and one lady even brought me a map today, complete with directions to the Catholic church that Grandpa and I couldn't find. Another lady and her husband invited me to dinner this weekend. And another woman invited me to come with her to church on Sunday. I am happy to be surrounded by positive co-workers who are concerned about my well being, and I have heard that the churches here are full of people my age, so I'm excited to get involved and meet some people.
Tomorrow is the last day of my first week of work and I can't wait for the weekend. I am very exhausted but also really excited about my job. And Saturday I think Nick and Jenny might come down to visit. I do feel better about the position today since I ate lunch with Jeanette, the woman who retired from my position in January. She gave me some good advice and told me to call her if I need anything, which made me feel 100% better about the job.
We also interviewed an instructor today to start a mom and tots class and also an aerobics class with child care, so Julie Woolie, we took your suggestion and are trying to make it work. I'll keep you posted and let you know if we get enough people to sign up for the class.
So far my time here after work has been pretty uneventful and my boss keeps asking me if I'm okay being alone in the evenings. I told him that this time is time I can take for myself, to read and grow in my faith and just relax. I love that I have so much time to reflect and become a stronger more faithful person. Those few moments I spend alone in the evenings have been my favorite part of being here. It has made me realize that I have so much work to do to become the woman that I really want to be, but has also presented a great challenge and opportunity to really take time for myself and make the most use out of my time away from the office.
And for today:
I have met some wonderful people who work in my department. Most people have been very friendly and one lady even brought me a map today, complete with directions to the Catholic church that Grandpa and I couldn't find. Another lady and her husband invited me to dinner this weekend. And another woman invited me to come with her to church on Sunday. I am happy to be surrounded by positive co-workers who are concerned about my well being, and I have heard that the churches here are full of people my age, so I'm excited to get involved and meet some people.
Tomorrow is the last day of my first week of work and I can't wait for the weekend. I am very exhausted but also really excited about my job. And Saturday I think Nick and Jenny might come down to visit. I do feel better about the position today since I ate lunch with Jeanette, the woman who retired from my position in January. She gave me some good advice and told me to call her if I need anything, which made me feel 100% better about the job.
We also interviewed an instructor today to start a mom and tots class and also an aerobics class with child care, so Julie Woolie, we took your suggestion and are trying to make it work. I'll keep you posted and let you know if we get enough people to sign up for the class.
2.21.2006
My first day
Today was the beginning of my first real job. It was very tiring and started at 7:15 am when Keith, my boss, called and said "Erin. Sit down and have a glass of orange juice or something. I'm running late, meet me at the office at 9" So I had a leisurely morning that I am sure won't happen very often. After I arrived Keith and I immediately drove to Staples to pick out stuff for my office. I had no idea what I needed (at this point I still wasn't even sure what my job responsibilities were) but thankfully Keith has an opinion on most things and told me what would be useful to have. After this I went to Human Resources and sat through a very difficult conversation about benefits. I have never had to choose my own benefits or even really understand them, so the whole process was very confusing to me. I felt once again like a child who desperately needed a more juvenile explanation. I felt silly for not understanding, but the lady was very helpful and answered all of my questions.
Later in the afternoon I went back to HR for a tour of the city. Now this might sound like fun but it actually was a little bit strange. The tour included visiting places like the water treatment facility, each city building in town, every one of the 26 ball fields, the airport and the sanitation department. We even learned all about the process of water treatment and potable water, how the city takes care of their trash and how many days a week the semis come from Tucson to pick up the recyclables. We also stopped to get out of the car at an overlook area complete with picnic tables inside the boundaries of the treatment plant. It was very odd and didn't smell very good, but apparently the birds hang out there while they take a break from their migration in the spring and fall. The most exciting part about my day with Human Resources is that I went through the training with a girl named Carrie who is from California. She recently moved here with her new husband because he works for the Border Patrol and we have made plans to spend some time together. I have found my first friend!!
Other than all of the orientation stuff, my job is pretty much what I expected but there is just an amazing amount of work to be done right now because I replaced a woman who retired and she has not been in the office for a while and Keith has been traveling for the past two weeks. My responsibilities mostly consist of scheduling classes (yoga, ballroom dancing, converstaional spanish, etc.) I have to find instructors for the classes, determine a rate of pay for the instructor, develop a budget to ensure that the course fees cover what we pay for supplies and instructor pay, submit a request for the class to be approved, and schedule the course. Then I have to turn in time sheets for the instructors and develop advertising for the courses.
So far I am just very exhausted. I did have a nervous breakdown driving home from Tucscon after I dropped Grandpa off near the airport. I was convinced that the car was not going to make it back, but of course it did and seems to be running like a dream today. I do miss home terribly, especially the companionship of my parents and Julie and Jason and Lucas, but I'm hoping it will become easier to be away as I settle into my life here. Hope all is well back home!!
Later in the afternoon I went back to HR for a tour of the city. Now this might sound like fun but it actually was a little bit strange. The tour included visiting places like the water treatment facility, each city building in town, every one of the 26 ball fields, the airport and the sanitation department. We even learned all about the process of water treatment and potable water, how the city takes care of their trash and how many days a week the semis come from Tucson to pick up the recyclables. We also stopped to get out of the car at an overlook area complete with picnic tables inside the boundaries of the treatment plant. It was very odd and didn't smell very good, but apparently the birds hang out there while they take a break from their migration in the spring and fall. The most exciting part about my day with Human Resources is that I went through the training with a girl named Carrie who is from California. She recently moved here with her new husband because he works for the Border Patrol and we have made plans to spend some time together. I have found my first friend!!
Other than all of the orientation stuff, my job is pretty much what I expected but there is just an amazing amount of work to be done right now because I replaced a woman who retired and she has not been in the office for a while and Keith has been traveling for the past two weeks. My responsibilities mostly consist of scheduling classes (yoga, ballroom dancing, converstaional spanish, etc.) I have to find instructors for the classes, determine a rate of pay for the instructor, develop a budget to ensure that the course fees cover what we pay for supplies and instructor pay, submit a request for the class to be approved, and schedule the course. Then I have to turn in time sheets for the instructors and develop advertising for the courses.
So far I am just very exhausted. I did have a nervous breakdown driving home from Tucscon after I dropped Grandpa off near the airport. I was convinced that the car was not going to make it back, but of course it did and seems to be running like a dream today. I do miss home terribly, especially the companionship of my parents and Julie and Jason and Lucas, but I'm hoping it will become easier to be away as I settle into my life here. Hope all is well back home!!
2.19.2006
We made it!!
Grandpa Wayne and I made it to Arizona after three days of driving, one broken muffler, and one messed up windshield wiper. We stopped at the memorial in Oklahoma City, Tombstone, Arizona and a little quirky town called Bisbee. Today we went to church for a mass that was standing room only. At home I've only seen that many people at Christmas. It is beautiful here and very warm and hopefully at the end of the week I'll post some photos from our trip. Grandpa will be home on Tuesday night. Miss you all!
2.15.2006
2.14.2006
Valentine's Day Mayhem
Tonight is my last night in Michigan and I am freaking out. To be honest, I've been in shambles for about a week. I don't remember feeling this way leaving before, but I could be wrong. It's always easy to forget the times in your life when you behave like a lunatic. I do feel very alone right now and I think it has everything to do with the permanency of the situation. This is a career move, not a place where I will go to finish school or for a five month internship. I'm leaving a wonderful family in Michigan who has sacrificed so much for me. I will miss my nephew I have seen almost every day since he was born. But I have an amazing opportunity to move to Arizona for a great job in my field and I have made the decision to move knowing that this is the best choice and the right choice for now. I can't wait to experience a new place and actually start working. I have been a complete slacker since I left my internship in October and I also am becoming very poor. The idea of receiving a paycheck is almost as wonderful as that of finally finding a job.
Now for some exciting photos:
Here is Lucas showing us all his favorite past time: chewing on grandma's shoulder. And also a photo of him being entertained by grandpa. Who wouldn't laugh at a grown man wearing a hat with ears?
Sunday afternoon I drove home from visiting Griff and Jen in the G-rap. There was an ice storm that was complete insanity -- I am sure that I have never witnessed such a crazy 10 mile stretch of highway in my life. When I looked ahead of me I saw cars in the ditch and firetrucks' lights flashing, a cop on one side of the road attending to a car turned over and a tow truck on the other pulling out an SUV. Then I looked in the rear view and saw two cars drive into the ditch. I drove 35 miles per hour on the expressway. The point is that desert heat sounds great right now. Arizona, here I come.
Tonight was my last night at home and also
Valentine's Day so my parents took Julie and Jason and Lucas and I out for dinner.
Now for some exciting photos:
Here is Lucas showing us all his favorite past time: chewing on grandma's shoulder. And also a photo of him being entertained by grandpa. Who wouldn't laugh at a grown man wearing a hat with ears?
Sunday afternoon I drove home from visiting Griff and Jen in the G-rap. There was an ice storm that was complete insanity -- I am sure that I have never witnessed such a crazy 10 mile stretch of highway in my life. When I looked ahead of me I saw cars in the ditch and firetrucks' lights flashing, a cop on one side of the road attending to a car turned over and a tow truck on the other pulling out an SUV. Then I looked in the rear view and saw two cars drive into the ditch. I drove 35 miles per hour on the expressway. The point is that desert heat sounds great right now. Arizona, here I come.
Tonight was my last night at home and also
Valentine's Day so my parents took Julie and Jason and Lucas and I out for dinner.
Lucas was my date, but he slept through most of the meal.
I leave at 8 am tomorrow with my grandfather and since it's almost 2 I need to get going. I will post updates as I can, but probably not until the weekend when we make it to Sierra Vista.
Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. ~ Confucius
2.13.2006
Go west, young woman, and grow up with the country
I am preparing to move once again across the Mississippi to the land of mountains and opportunity and this time we can include deserts and duels. Packing my belongings has been an experience of reflection and humility and also nervousness and excitement for what lies ahead.
Today I stood in my room up to my knees in papers and clothing and boxes and felt that I have literally ripped apart my life at the seams. In many ways it has been wonderfully therapeutic: a pivotal time in my life that seems a perfect reason to cleanse myself of the rest of the unnecessary possessions and memories we all keep, the ones that sometimes clutter our lives but we don’t want to let go. It has been an exercise in realizing the excessive nature of Americans to keep so many things, and a testament to the truth of my own selfish need to hold on to items that remind me of moments in my life. I have learned that I can remember a wonderful dinner without the coaster from the restaurant; I can remember a journey or an adventure without the map and I can enjoy the memory of a friendship without needing to reread the letters that document the tumultuous and celebratory times associated with it. I by no means have thrown away everything but I am filling the car for my second trip to St. Vincent de Paul’s to donate what I feel are items I no longer need. I have also filled two garbage cans with trash and things that really were just taking up space.
But all of this cleaning and cleansing paired with the excitement of moving and the irrational fear of not being enough for the new job has taken its toll on me. I have spent my last few days feeling very broken. The whole experience has been a rebirth for me. This is the beginning of my adult life and my first real job but I am also still a child asking my parents for the money to make the trek West while searching for their approval and understanding. It is so humbling to ask for help – to know that you can’t do something without support from the people in your life. My parents have always been supportive of me and my strange need to be near mountains and the ‘left coast’ as my dad calls it. Jenny and Nick provided food and housing for me during my interview weekend. My sister Sara has generously given up a vehicle so I can have one in Arizona. My grandfather has offered to make the drive West with me. And my good friend Aaron Griffith listened to my frustrations and calmed my fears through a weepy phone call this weekend.
Today I stood in my room up to my knees in papers and clothing and boxes and felt that I have literally ripped apart my life at the seams. In many ways it has been wonderfully therapeutic: a pivotal time in my life that seems a perfect reason to cleanse myself of the rest of the unnecessary possessions and memories we all keep, the ones that sometimes clutter our lives but we don’t want to let go. It has been an exercise in realizing the excessive nature of Americans to keep so many things, and a testament to the truth of my own selfish need to hold on to items that remind me of moments in my life. I have learned that I can remember a wonderful dinner without the coaster from the restaurant; I can remember a journey or an adventure without the map and I can enjoy the memory of a friendship without needing to reread the letters that document the tumultuous and celebratory times associated with it. I by no means have thrown away everything but I am filling the car for my second trip to St. Vincent de Paul’s to donate what I feel are items I no longer need. I have also filled two garbage cans with trash and things that really were just taking up space.
But all of this cleaning and cleansing paired with the excitement of moving and the irrational fear of not being enough for the new job has taken its toll on me. I have spent my last few days feeling very broken. The whole experience has been a rebirth for me. This is the beginning of my adult life and my first real job but I am also still a child asking my parents for the money to make the trek West while searching for their approval and understanding. It is so humbling to ask for help – to know that you can’t do something without support from the people in your life. My parents have always been supportive of me and my strange need to be near mountains and the ‘left coast’ as my dad calls it. Jenny and Nick provided food and housing for me during my interview weekend. My sister Sara has generously given up a vehicle so I can have one in Arizona. My grandfather has offered to make the drive West with me. And my good friend Aaron Griffith listened to my frustrations and calmed my fears through a weepy phone call this weekend.
In a sermon at Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego Pastor Mike defined grace as ‘unmerited favor’. I think that is the most perfect, simple, honest definition of the word. During my hiatus from work and school I have spent time working to grow in my faith. And while I have been blessed and humbled with God's grace and patience, I have also been blessed with the presence of so many amazing, generous, kind hearted people who grace my life with their support and belief in me. I feel in so many ways that I don’t deserve to be treated this well and I hope that someday I will be able to repay the people who have done so much to make my dreams and ambitions become real to me.
2.07.2006
A new job in Arizona
I'm moving to Arizona to work as a Recreation Coordinator for the city in their Parks and Leisure Services department. The photo above is the city's baseball field and also the view from my new office.
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