Missing…

I left home this morning, flew several states away with an eclectic group of girls for a two-week training class for work. I’m sitting in a hotel room wondering why their tv selection doesn’t include the Food Network & why they only have one functioning ice machine for seven floors.

I have to score at least an 85 in all of the coursework to keep this promotion I got, and I know the stress will begin tomorrow. Tonight, however, I’m sitting in this big bed all alone watching “High Fidelity” yet again. Bored, lonely, adrift without Mike & the kids but with a quality flick.

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Tagged with: home • Work

No WAY…

That was my response… uttered twice in disbelief, in fact… right before I burst into stunned tears. I’ve been working this job for more than two years now, hating most of that time. It was late last year before I really felt comfortable with what I was doing, like I really understood what I was doing. I’ve been in the Miami division (in name and work but not in geography) since January, and it’s brought it’s own struggle, mainly with the language barrier. Geez, I wished I’d taken a language in college.

But I posted (applied) for a promotion back in late March/early April. Getting a promotion at work was one of my 101 Things in 1001 Days goals. I didn’t expect to get it, and I was so delightfully surprised Wednesday when management told me I had gotten the job. I have four more days in this job I’ve hated (but been grateful for every day) before I begin training for the new position. I’ll do a week of training here at our offices and then spend two weeks of training at the corporate office. I have never been away from Mike and the kids for that long!

I have been blessed, though, with a really good group of girls who are being promoted along with me. If I could have hand picked the people who would go with me on this journey, I’d have selected most of these girls.

This is really exceptional for me. I am so humbled to have been selected, and yet, for once, I am absolutely certain that I got this based upon my work performance. I earned this. I am proud of myself for taking a job I had no training or aptitude for… for sticking with it when I felt so overwhelmed and unsure… for sticking with it when my supervisor didn’t so much enjoy me… for being willing to do whatever management asked of me and for trying to do it with a good attitude.

In the end, I am proudest of me for the way people seem to see me. My supervisor told me - before I knew I would get the promotion - that he knew management was considering me and that I was spoken of very well. That means a lot to me. I’ve had several random (well, they seemed random to me at the time) compliments from various individuals this week. I appreciate that people respond well to me, that they see me as agreeable and accommodating and accepting, despite the fact that I have struggled with this job, been discouraged by it, wished I wasn’t in it.

I believe that if people can see happiness in me, throughout all the difficulties of this job, then it must be Christ they see in me.

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Tagged with: 101 Things in 1001 Days • Faith • promotion • Work

I wish I may, I wish I might

I have my interview today at work for a promotion. I’m not really nervous, which actually makes me a little nervous. I’m silly that way.

Anyway, I’d really like to get the promotion, but I’ve heard that no one ever gets it on their first try, and this is my first post (as they call the application/interview process). And in today’s economy, I’m glad to have a job at all, so if I don’t get the promotion, I’m still employed, so things are really still good.

But it would be kinda groovy.

Anyway, the interview is today & I’ll find out if I got it or not by Friday.

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Tagged with: promotion • Work

Thankful Thursday - tired but thankful

It’s hard to believe it’s only been a week since last Thankful Thursday! It’s been one wonderful week! And I am sooo grateful and thankful for so much of it.

I’m thankful for…

• Mandy, Josh, and Olivia - none of whom are related to us by blood and all of whom are related to us by love. These are the family of our heart, of our choice. Spending days upon days with them was bliss.
• Sunny skies and pleasant weather.
• Mike, who indulges me.
• Love. Hope. This time last year, I didn’t much believe in hope any more, and I’m surprised and delighted to find that it’s back in my realm of vision.
• Deals made between friends. I didn’t much follow the spirit of the deal in my head - sorry, Josh - but I did out loud, and sometimes that’s enough.
• Books.
• Jobs. Mike’s and mine. Mike’s because it allows him to follow his passion. Mine because it allows us good health insurance.
• Compliments and positive reinforcement at work. I honestly thought they changed my job description because I was nurturing and nice. Turns out, my numbers aren’t as bad as I’d originally thought. When I got back from vacation on Tuesday, I discovered that my numbers are pretty good in the rankings. Out of 80 or 90 individuals in my division, I’m ranked #11. I was stunned. And very pleased.
• Four and a half hours of enjoyment at work. A rarity for me. But I really enjoyed my time this afternoon helping with the training class. Who knew?
• For old friends and new connections… through Facebook, I found an old college friend & we went to dinner with her and her husband last night. It was a super time.

And lastly, I’m thankful for a soft bed. In NO way did we mind our alternate sleeping arrangements in order to have dear friends here, but it was so nice to sink back into our bed this week.

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Tagged with: Facebook • Family • love • Thankful Thursday • Work

Sit down…

You’re not gonna believe this. I know I didn’t.

I got good news today. And a compliment. AT WORK.

Glad you sat down, aren’t you?

At the unnamed company for which I work, an employee spends a certain amount of time in training for each different job, and after the classroom training, there is another period of time in something called transition. It’s a time that allows you to learn the job but with lots of help and coaching. There are people who assist with the coaching, and I was asked to be one of those four folks.

I was stunned. I assumed you had to have a number far better than mine in order to be selected for that position, and, in typical chel fashion, I mentioned this to my manager and the two supervisors in the meeting with me. They assured me that numbers weren’t the only consideration for this position, that it calls for someone who can be patient with the new folks, professional and kind.

Look, for the first time ever, nice got me somewhere. How groovy is that?!

Now, it’s only a three month position, but I plan to enjoy every one of those months. And I am going to be very grateful for the people who believed in me enough to trust me with this responsibility.

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Tagged with: Work