Fate2010

Anyone who knows me at all, knows that I'm not a religious person in the typical sense. I'm not Christian...I don't "Bible"...but I do believe in fate and signs and alternate meanings in things. I try to read what fate is telling to do and where it wants me to go. Sometimes I'm dead on and other times dead wrong. Let me just share the last few days with you and perhaps you can read into my fate as well.
As I said before, I was invited to my company's All Staff - which I also heard referred to as "Some Staff" (since they cut back on invites due to size of the company - too funny!). Only program managers (PMs) were expected to be invited to the event and I somehow got on the list!!! My PM asked me to help our marketing team put together a portion of their slide show for the All Staff meeting. I created a couple of slides describing how our field staff approaches our events. As terrifying of a thought getting up in front of my entire company and giving a speech is - I knew that if the speech went well it will put me in a better position...more in the forefront of everyone's brain and perhaps open up doors for me with other programs. The speech went great. Although I couldn't tell you what exactly I said and how I said it (I think I blacked out a little bit) I know that people seemed engaged with what I had to say. I was approached by other employees (higher, much higher up employees) thanking me for giving them insight into what our field staff experiences.
Prior to standing up for the events portion of the speech, I was also given the HONOR of being named the Volunteer of the Year and received recognition for all the hard work that Mark, the kids and I have done for our community. In addition to this honor, I was named the Community Service Team leader and am now going to play a greater role in our company's impact on the environment and in all communities that our company has representation. I am extremely excited about this.
However, I felt a little like All Staff was turning into the "Shelby Show" :-) It felt good to be recognized on both a personal and professional level. I feel good...I feel confident...I love my job. I know that some people have found our restructuring challenging - but I understand that with growth like this there is bound to be great changes and being across the country in the field shields me from much of the challenging part of the restructure. I feel like greater things are on my horizon and to quote an email I received, I feel like I "definitely made yourself known this week in Portland."
In addition to all the wonderful strides in the workplace - I was able to meet up with two of my favorite people. My girl who helped my connect with my company in the first place and another girl I went to high school with and haven't seen in 14 years! It was great to spend time in Portland, drinking, fooding, laughing, farmer's marketing, laughing, laughing, laughing...I wish Mark could come out to Portland with me though - just the two of us - so I can expose him to that part of my world.
So after all that...here is where some of the fate part comes in...prior to going out to Portland there was talk about a potential program in upstate NY. Which would be great! But Florida would be better - any where south would be better. So the first conversation I have - a potential new program...in Florida!!! On that same day, the high temperature was the same in Dayton as it was...in Florida (Mark is tracking temps with his class). On that same day, I received my new credit card...the first step in building my credit to potentially buying our farm (...in Florida???).
It is less than 8 weeks until Mark's graduation! Less...than...eight...weeks!
Wheels are turning faster now.
Oh! I forgot!!! I checked the garden after being gone for a handful of days...blueberry and strawberry blossoms galore, green pepper starts, more watermelon and cucumber starts. Oh!!!! BABY!!!! It is looking good out there.

Dayton...We have Vegetables

This are really starting to blossom and bloom and grow around here. Our potted plants have made it through the winter and we only lost one blueberry plant (which I think was pretty dead when we bought on super-duper, end of the year clearance). Onions are in the ground and seem to be poking up. Our process of bringing our seeds outside for their daily visitation with the sun and then inside at night away from Mr. Frost seems to be working! We already have little babies popping up through the soil...cherry and regular tomatoes, an eggplant, a bunch of daisy plants and a couple watermelon plants! I'm hoping that this means something good for this year. OH! and the neighbor kids - I think my plan of keeping them involved really is working. I've had them help me water some of the plants and they are taking some ownership and actually wanting to learn about the whole process. I love it!

PDX bound

Finally! There was one...one beautiful daffodil. I love love love daffodils but for one reason or another have never grown any. I remember when I was young, still living in upstate New York young, there were a bunch of daffodils that would wake up and let us know that it was spring each and every year. As you can imagine, upstate New York winters aren't too good on the soul and those beautiful yellow blossoms popping up in our hedge row were always just what I needed.
This place eats at my soul too...this apartment is a nightmare - I hate apartment living and hope it doesn't have to go on much longer. We are doing what we can to brighten our world...including planting a garden that we know may lead to more frustration with neighborhood kids and animals causing damage...it's not their fault...it's the fault of their parents who don't understand that it is their job to teach respect and manners. I'm hoping that our patience will show these children that there is more to life than what they know...that there is beauty to be respected...that a flower left on the plant stays beautiful MUCH longer than the one picked.
I have an important (hopefully) trip coming soon and I couldn't be more excited. In less than two weeks I will be going to where my corporate offices are located for an "all staff meeting"...funny thing is that this year, for all staff...only program managers have been invited to actually come out to the corporate offices...program managers and me! How freaking sweet is that!? I'm hoping this means that (potentially) REALLY good things are on my horizon. Our horizon. It could mean nothing...but it could mean everything. To top things off...I get to spend time with one of my favorite chicks in the whole world! ...and maybe one of my other favorite chicks from high school (haven't seen this one in many moons...so many that she is a mama to two that I have never met!). Hoping just to chill with them for a bit and exhale...while holding my breath a bit on the professional side of my world.
First, there was one beautiful daffodil and now there are two!