A house divided

That's right.  

We're one-part UNC and one-part Duke.  

One half makes the money and the other half takes the money.

For any of you who may have been curious about my job situation - here's my story. The WHOLE story.

By this time last year I  graduated with a Master's Degree in Architectural Engineering, got married, moved to Durham NC, and played all summer long with Ryan until he began school in mid-August.  It was then that I began my hunt for a big-kid job.   There was one problem.  I had a degree in a field in which I really didn't want to work.  I discovered this just over halfway through my education but when school is free you graduate and figure it out afterwards.  I was told I could get any job I wanted with a Master's in engineering.  So here I was trying to figure out what to do.  I knew I didn't want to be an engineer - that's boring.  I thought a good compromise would be a project engineer/project manager at a construction firm.  They get to be in the field a lot and deal more with people than numbers.  So I started looking and there weren't many options.  I had to "cold call" companies.  I looked up every single company I could find but NO ONE was hiring.  I had two official interviews and a whole lot of unreturned calls.  That was the worst.  I then got angry at these companies and had even less of a desire to work for them if they wouldn't even call me back.

I WAS MISERABLE.

I spent my days crying as I looked through pages and pages of job listings online.  I started applying for anything I could find.  I wrote countless cover letters and revamped my resume tailoring it to each job.  But no one cared.  Still no one called and I was getting truly depressed.  Finally it was time to just work SOMEWHERE.  I was only going to get worse cooped up in the house all day.  I got in the car and drove to the retail areas near my house and started filling out applications.  I took the first job I was offered - at a craft store called A.C. Moore.  It paid squat but it was a job.  After the holidays, instead of cutting my hours like they did with most employees, they offered me a management position.  It still paid crap but it was more hours and we needed money.  So I took it.

I wasn't AS miserable anymore.

I was glad to be working, but retail hours suck.  I had to work nights and weekends (including Sundays which I have NEVER worked in my life).  I was missing out on time with Ryan and friends.  And I couldn't help but think about the money I could be making if I were working a "real job."  Once a month when my hormones were out of whack I would have my night where I would lay in bed and sob.  I felt worthless. But then all would be well the next morning! Aren't hormones AWESOME?  I didn't know what to do but I knew it was time to look for something else.  We were praying and fasting that something would come up - and it did!  

I received an email from a woman at church saying that she was looking for a part-time assistant.  Taunja, my savior, works in the Gift Planning department at UNC.  This is the department that deals with all the people that leave their estate or property to UNC or put UNC in their will.  When I read the email I knew that job was for me.  I felt it in my gut!!  It took about 6 weeks or so for everything to go through and the first week of June I got a call to see if I could come start.  FINALLY.

My work for the Gift Planning is a lot of computer and admin stuff. - creating reports for departments of who has given gifts, formatting excel and word documents, filing papers, etc.  But I don't care, I'm good at that!  I even get the opportunity to work on some marketing postcards, which I LOVE to do.  Two weeks ago I had the week off because work was slow and Ryan had a week off from school, too.  But I got an email from Taunja saying that another department will be contacting me to see if I want extra hours.  Allison called me that day offering me 10 hours that week that COULD potentially lead to full time.  Although, she wasn't so sure when I told her I'm leaving in a year.  Not wanting to pass up the chance, however, I showed up for work the next day only to find out she wanted me to work an extra 10 hours EVERY week.  What a blessing! And the blessings kept on coming.

I LOVE my new job.

So I'm actually working for two Elizabeth's now.  Elizabeth 1 or EA is my Gift Planning boss.  Elizabeth 2 or ED is EA's boss - the Senior Associate Vice Chancellor of University Development (whatever that means).  I just know she's a big deal.  She is having me do a lot of online research to prepare for some of her big upcoming projects.  The university is gearing up for a fundraising campaign which usually lasts 5-10 years and we will probably have a goal of $3 BILLION or more!  The numbers I deal with at this job are mind-blowing.  So remember how I said the blessing keep coming?  Well I found out this week that ED does have the funds to pay me full-time.  I was SO EXCITED!!

I know this job is still new, but I have really enjoyed it so far.  I am learning so much and I'm doing things that I'm good at!  I had no idea what the Lord was doing when he wasn't giving me a job and then put me at A.C. Moore but I really am happy here at UNC.  I've always been jealous of people who have passion for their job.  I definitely didn't feel it in engineering and I don't know if I'm feeling it yet, but I am HAPPY. 

I cannot thank Heavenly Father ENOUGH for finally giving my life some sort of order.  This trial was especially difficult for me because it was the first time in my life I didn't get what I wanted when I wanted it.  Up until now, if I set my mind to something and put in the effort, I got it.  

I guess it was time for me to learn patience. :)

The hardest part about this past year and looking at the next two years is that without a career or a family (aka a baby) I don't feel like I have a purpose.  I'm just living.  I was working at a job just to work but it wasn't benefiting me at all.  And it scared me that my life would be like this until we moved out of Durham next year.  And then it would continue that way as we moved around the country for Ryan's clinicals.  I would just exist.  At least now I feel like I am accomplishing something at work and I am growing from it, too.  I guess now that I have a job I can wait to have a baby!

So there you have it - how I've really felt the past year.  

And if you made it through all of this blabbing, you're a champ!!

Chop, Chop, Chop!

Ryan and I made a quick decision on Sunday that it was time to cut my hair.  So before either of us could back out - I did it! And I loooooooove it!!! It's just "me."  I feel like I have so much more personality when my hair is short and sassy.  Don't you? :)

Don't think twice...

... Or ask Ryan :)

That was my motto for this evening as I decided to purge my closet for the 2nd time this year.  (If you read my post from earlier today I took a nap and gained the energy I was lacking this morning.) Isn't it amazing how much STUFF we can collect?  I go through almost everything I own at least once if not twice a year and I am shocked that I still have plenty to give away each time.  Tonight I went through my side of the closet, the coat closet and our 2nd closet that has all the things we never wear.  Here is what I ended up with:

Four full bags of clothes and one half-full bag of shoes/accessories.  AND I still have a full closet and drawers.

Here are some thoughts that I had through the process this time around:

• Don't ask Ryan's opinion.  The majority of the clothes I'm giving away are items I bought when I was shopping with Ryan because he likes them.  Now don't get me wrong, Ryan has great style, but it's not my taste.  Maybe that means I have bad taste?  Either way, some still even have the tags because if I don't love it, I'm not going to wear it.  Lesson learned.
• Only buy it if I love it.  Similar to the last bullet point - I shouldn't own it if I can't pull it off the hangar on any given day and feel totally comfortable with it.  If my hair, my outfit, my make-up, the alignment of the starts, and my shoes all have to be perfect for me to wear it, I shouldn't have even bought it.
• Clearance just isn't worth it. Same point as the others.  Just because it's only $3, I don't HAVE to buy it.
• Maybe Clinton and Stacey are right.  Maybe I do need a closet full of staples that I can mix and match and accessorize.  It would make my life SO much easier.
• I can't seem to get rid of tanks/camisoles.  I own the whole rainbow in cami's - some with lace at the top, some with lace at the bottom, some are to hide cleavage, others to add length to short shirts, etc.  I have quite the collection and I think I only found the courage to get rid of 3.   I just can't do it.
• I'm growing out of t-shirts.  Not size-wise, but style wise.  Does that mean I'm a grown-up?  Instead of lounging in my college tees, I rarely even change from what I wore to work.  I also am buying more actual "work-out" gear so those old t-shirts aren't needed for the gym anymore, either.  But, I can't bring myself to get rid of them.  In fact - my oldest item of clothing is a t-shirt I bought when I was 8-years-old.  Yes, it still fits and yes, I still wear it on a regular basis.
• Don't keep it just in case it fits someday.  I know I'm one of the odd/lucky ones with a wardrobe full of clothes that are TOO BIG, but it's true.  I still haven't gained back the 20lbs I lost in grad school so I finally got rid of all the clothes that just hangs off of me.  The hardest part is the memories I have in these clothes.  Many of them are ones I wore or even bought in Australia, or on dates with Ryan, or clothes that said I did have style once-upon-a-time!
• I'm a fitted-tee kinda gal.  I swear I used to follow the trends, but every time I walk into a store now I walk out with a solid-colored fitted t-shirt.  That seems to be all I can find to buy that I like these days.  The styles need to change ASAP because I'm tired of not finding anything I like.  I refuse to wear baggy shirts and skinny jeans.  I was very excited to see a commercial for Old Navy Flare Jeans today!  Please tell me they're coming back - they're my FAVORITE!!!
• THE END

Not feeling it today

I really just don't want to be at work today.

So I'm going to blog. And by blog I mean blab.

Ryan is getting over a cold and coughed all night long. Being a Luke Light Sleeper means I was up all night, too.  He eventually moved to the couch and by that time I was so hot that it didn't matter.  Sleep was hopeless.  Ryan once informed me that your body temperature constitutes whether you are a "night owl" or "morning person."  We are opposite so we trade covers during the night.  I shiver and take all them all as we go to bed and then cover him up around 4:00 a.m. every morning as I'm suddenly sweating in my sleep.  I've been waking up hot and needing the bathroom around 5 a.m. every morning now for the past 2 weeks and then my body doesn't want to go back to sleep. Maybe it's my sign that I should get up.  But really, 5 a.m.?  I didn't even wake up that early for 6:00 a.m. seminary in high school.

We are also blaming our lack of sleep on our bed.  I'm very grateful to my parents for giving us a bed from the house but let's be honest.  It's old. And firm.  So we finally broke down and bought a mattress topper.  You may be wondering why we didn't just buy a new mattress.  Well, in a year's time everything we own will be packed up and stored away for a year and it just didn't seem worth it to us to store a brand new mattress.  I know none of this matters to any of you, but I warned you that I'm just blabbing!  Anyway, the mattress topper arrived today so hopefully our sleep will be improving in the next few days. Finger's crossed!

I think that's enough blabbing for now.  Happy Monday! I hope your weeks is starting better than mine!

Do we look related?

I'll post more pictures soon.  

But here are the original Lukes!

Do we really look as alike as everyone thinks?

We're moving to...

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA!!!

For 3 months next July - October.

Late last night we got text messages from Ryan's classmates that the clinical site locations were posted.  But no one told us WHERE they were posted so we searched and searched trying to find them.  (Ryan never pays attention to computer-related things).  30 minutes later, there it was - Anchorage, Alaska! It was definitely our first choice because we get to spend time with my best friend in the whole world - Brianna and her hubby, Andy!  Just look at their blog, they see the most amazing things EVERY DAY.  I'm so excited for this new adventure that is now just less than a year away!

Why Charleston?

We've had a few people ask why we went to Charleston for the weekend. The answer? Because we could!  Ryan's friend (and now mine!), Kristy, served with Ryan in Ukraine and is spending the summer with her sister in DC.  When we discovered she was so close it was decided that we must spend some time together! Ryan was a little doubtful though because when Kristy and I first met he was hesitant of our friendship. He was worried we would gang up on him.  He was right to be worried. I love Kristy! Ryan sacrificed a lot for this weekend.  His sanity, for one, and his study time.  It's finals week. :)

But he agreed and after a 5-ish hour drive, a night with the three of us in a King Size bed (me in the middle of course) we woke up and went to the Boone Hall Plantation.  You may recognize it as Ali's summer house from The Notebook (which by the way Ryan had not seen until we watched it 2 weeks ago!).  OR my family will recognize it from North and South.  The plantation has been around since the 1700's but this house wasn't built until the 1935 owners (I think?).  Someone still lives in it today even.  So weird to have people tour your house daily, but whatever.

The plantation is also famous for its "Avenue of Oaks" which were planted all the way back in 1743! I think there have been three hurricanes that have destroyed much of the plantation since then, but they held strong.

 South Carolina's mix of trees is so much fun.  I know it's on the coast, but I still think palm trees belong in California or Hawaii.  But South Carolina?  Palm Trees?  I wouldn't have guessed it.

Oh, remember that heat I mentioned? Well it was hot, hot, hot while we we there, for sure.  But at the plantation we were able to spend time in the house, in the shade or on a carriage around the property.  

We were also told it was a MUST to go on a carriage tour through historic Charleston. So we did!  

If we can let a horse take us around instead of walking - sign me up!

The homes were AMAZING.  And only a few million each.  No big deal.  

Some people use them as collector homes.  I wish.

That night we went to dinner with some of Kristy's friends and walked along the waterfront park.  

But it was dark, and not much for pictures.  We wanted to do a lot more in that day but at the same time, we didn't want to jam-pack our day and exhaust ourselves.  All-in-all I'm very happy with what we saw!

Day two was beach day.  Remember how Ryan was nervous to let Kristy and I be friends?  This is why:

We went shopping together for less than an hour and we came home with these.  We made sure to point out to Ryan the romper's we saw around town so that he would recognize the ridiculousness of our purchase once we finally surprised him.  He was just as unimpressed as we thought he'd be. :)  

We don't have any other pictures from the beach because we just enjoyed it.  

The water was so warm - warmer than I've ever felt it. Just perfect!

After the beach we made the trek home. 

However, it was impossible to pass by the gem that is, "South of the Border."

It was full of Pedro this and Pedro that - everything from sketchy carnival rides to restaurants to mini golf and tacky gift shops.  Gotta love it.

Ryan was also not pleased that Kristy also got me hooked on "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding." I spent my lunch break the next day Googling "Irish Travellers" and I think my next South Carolina destination is Murphy's Village (the largest U.S. settlement).  Who's with me??