Continuation of July 20th:)

Well, it's been about a week since my last post and A LOT has went on since then, so I'll just pick up from where I left off. A few days after calling my district manager (DM) I found out that I would not be working in Rincon, and that I would be placed in the Savannah Mall. To be honest, I was pretty upset about that move--I know I asked for a transfer, but the mall was not on the top of my list. But, reality hit home quickly and I accepted the fact, and began preparing myself for the move. In fact, yesterday was my first day at the mall and I actually enjoyed it (but how long will that last?). Now that Jesup is understaffed my transfer will not be final until after my vacation, which would be the second week in August. I have to work this week Monday-Wednesday (20 hours) in the mall, and Thursday-Saturday (20 hours) in Jesup.

Yesterday may have been my first day working in the mall, but today was my first day as the opening manager. I'm used to coming up to the Jesup store, unlocking the door, getting the deposit, and leaving for the bank all within two minutes. Today, on the other hand, was much more complicated. This store does not have a door, instead, it has a gate that lowers of a night and locks at the base of the floor where the gate meets it. Let's just say that me and that gate did not hit it off well--I seriously could not get my key out of the lock once I turned it over to unlock it. It seemed as though the key was stuck. I turned and turned, and pulled and pulled--nothing!! I ended up calling my DM just to tell her not to freak out if I didn't get the store opened on time. Haha! She was actually on her way to the store, so it worked out perfect. It nearly took me thirty minutes to get into the store this morning. Wow!!

Today, I not only got a visit from my DM, I also got a visit from my regional manager. He stopped by just to say hi, and welcome me to my new home at the mall. Both he and my DM believe that I will be a great asset to this particular store. I'm a great visualizer, and I can make that store look a million bucks (and they know it--not to sound conceded or anything, but when you're good you're GOOD). The DM told the other assistant manager today to not feel intimidated by me, but to watch and learn from me. I guess I am now a personal trainer when it comes to visualizing walls. I taught the assistant that I used to work with in Jesup, and now I guess I'm going to have to teach these I work with now. Lol.

July has seriously went by SO fast! Can you believe that my second trip to Canada takes place this Sunday? My mom and I leave out of Jacksonville Sunday morning at 6:15--the earlier the better.

Having a good week:)

This past week has been going great, and it has continued over to this week. Last Friday morning Amanda and I got our keys to our first apartment, and we're so excited. It is starting to feel real to me now. When I got to work Friday, I finally built up the courage to call my district manager and I asked for a transfer. She told me that there really wasn't anything for me in the mall, so I told her I'd work in any of the Savannah stores. She then told me that Rincon was about to have a 1st assistant spot come available after the demotion of their current employee, so needless to say, I'm getting pretty excited about that.

Yesterday, I took my parents to my apartment for the first time. I mean, I've shown them where it was located, but we couldn't see the demo room at that time. We moved in a few things, and my dad put up the ceiling fans in each of our rooms while my mom and I worked on setting up my bathroom. It's pretty.:)

Tomorrow I'm going to the best place ever (in my opinion anyways). Amanda and her boyfriend Robbie, his friend Brent, and myself are going to the Atlanta Braves game! I got us behind the plate seats (section 103 and 23 rows up). I think they're going to be pretty good ones. I'm so excited about that too. I haven't been to a game since May 24th when the Braves beat the Toronto Blue Jays.

Vacation #1

I had a great time in Canada! I spent the entire time with JT and Jordan-more so than my brother and sister-in-law (everyone worked). The first full day I was there JT kept calling me babysitter since he wanted me to stay there forever and keep him. :) If only it were that easy... While there, I did see their true colors. Some days they were good, some days they were bad, but that didn't matter because we had a great time. We went to the park a lot, which is the coolest park ever-playground and water. They enjoyed themselves. The weather was great too.

My last day in Ontario was pretty fun. We stayed at the house, went for a ride, went to a store, went over to April's brother's house for a grill out, and I played with the kids. When we were on the way back "home" April told me that her sister-in-law thought I needed to move up there, and that way I could be all of their babysitters. Then she went on to tell me that I needed to call up Dr. Pepper and tell them I wanted to use my scholarship internationally, and go to University up there since they do offer Student Visa's. Now, if I recall correctly, she told me that I wouldn't be able to move up there.

Yesterday, to top my trip off, the five of us went to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side of the boarder. It is BEAUTIFUL, and I would definitely recommend people to go visit it. We all, even JT and Jordan, had a good time.

Interesting fact: They say that 19 million gallons of water fall every minute there-amazing!

After leaving Niagara Falls, it was time to head over to the boarder and then onto Buffalo. My flight was scheduled to leave at 4:10pm, but we didn't board until 4:30pm. I had an hour flight to New York, New York, and from what I saw, NYC is very nice. I did see the Statue of Liberty from a distance, and Citifield where the New York Mets play was less than five miles from the airport. After spending most of my day in New York it was finally time to board the plane headed towards Jacksonville at 8:30pm. I arrived safely at 10:50pm, and shortly after getting everything together it was time to head home. I had an awesome time, and I didn't want it to end...I'm definitely looking forward to Vacation #2 in August.

Canada Bound!!:)

Yesterday was a great day! Friday night I got less than 3 hours of sleep, and at 2:45 Saturday morning I woke up and began preparing myself for my journey to Canada. I arrived at the Jacksonville Airport at 5:45AM. Getting my ticket, dropping off my luggage, and getting pass security was not as bad--considering that the airport was quiet busy at that time. I ended up having to wait by the gate for right at 45 minutes before loading my plane. I had a connecting flight in Washington DC, and I was not at all impressed with that airport. Not to mention, I had a layover for 2 hours! I wasn't too happy with that because I wanted to get on up here! Instead of loading the plane to Buffalo at 10:30AM I ended up loading it at 12:30PM, and at 2PM April was there to pick me up at the airport.

Despite my delay we arrived here at 5PM. JT and Jordan was sleeping when we got here. Jordan woke up first, and when she realized I was here--let's just say, we are inseparable. It took JT about an hour to come to the realization that I was here--he is always grumpy when he wakes up from a nap. BUT despite that, they are SUPER DUPER excited that I am here and neither one wants me to go back to Georgia! :) JT told me that he wanted me to be his babysitter, and at dinner tonight while he was eating some corn on the cob he said that he was SO glad I was here! Now that makes me HAPPY!:) And Jordan, well, I can't get enough of her loving--she is SO lovable!

EXCITED!!!:)

OMG! You'll never believe this--my friend Amanda and I got our FIRST apartment Thursday, and we both LOVE it! Now it is a toss up for the master bedroom. Our move in day is anytime between July 17 to August 17.:)

Today was a VERY long and tiring day at work. I worked 12 flipping hours-as I was basically the only manager there today. Go me!

Tomorrow, on the other hand, is going to be a GREAT day!!!! I'm flying out of Jacksonville at 7:15AM, and I can't wait for my plane to land in Buffalo. I'm SO beyond ready to see JT and Jordan's faces.:)

One more week:)

A week from today my plane will be landing in Buffalo, New York at 12:15PM, and I CAN NOT wait to see those little faces!!:) Making this trip alone will be an adventure-being that I have never travelled this far by myself, but it'll be well worth it.

Last night I booked another flight to visit them before the summer is up. If everything goes to plan, and I quit my job, then I have to use up my paid vacation hours or I'll lose them. But do I really need an excuse to go back for a visit?! This time I'll be travelling with my mom. The only reason she isn't going next weekend with me is because "she didn't have the money." Now, that is full of bologna because I told her I'd pay for the ticket, and plus, I don't think she wanted to ask her boss. BUT she did ask for the first week in August, so I bought the tickets last night. Since her birthday is in September-my brother and I are going to split her ticket, so she still doesn't have to pay.

*An update about school: I registered for my classes! It is really slim picking for me because I've taken SO many classes. I managed to find 16 hours worth of classes for the fall. It looks like I'll have my hands full with World Politics 1150 (online 8/17-10/5), Macroeconomics 2105, PHSC 1211 (which is physics) and the lab, some kind of Philosophy 2251 class (which starts 10/14-12/7), and RESP 2110 (which is medical terminology and it's online). I thought I'd never have to take some of these classes, but I am. I SERIOUSLY need to get into a program! Lol. Wish me luck--hopefully all A's and B's!:)

The countdown is ON!

The countdown is indeed ON!! 10 more days and I'll be in Ontario, Canada with my family! I can't wait to see my babies! Since their move my brother and sister-in-law signed JT up for t-ball, and April went today and signed Jordan up for gymnastics. JT loves t-ball, and Jordan, well I can't wait to hear whether or not she likes gymnastics. When I was a kid I loved it, and gymnastics was a huge part of April's life growing up (more so than mine)--so we'll see!

OH, by the way, my scholarship will pay for off-campus housing! Yay-I'm so excited!:) Now, all we have to do is find a reasonable places, go to school full-time, hopefully quit my job in August, and start applying for some sort of program. I've almost decided that I'm going to apply to every medical program offered at Armstrong, and which ever one I get accepted into then that is what I'm going to do. At this point, I'm just ready to graduate and get on with my life!

Rough week

This past week has surprisingly been rough. It all started with work, of course. Since an irresponsible manager left her keys in front door over night on May 17th, and was demoted the next day she came to work--her position become available for either myself or another manager to be promoted into. With no real intentions of taking the position, I indeed wanted to be offered the spot. I've been with the company longer than any other employee in our store, and I thought that I was WAY past due for the offer. Well, the week before last I let my district manager know that I was capable of doing the job, and maintain my school. I knew that I was taken a stab at even bothering to let her know my feelings about the situation, as I have already been shafted the senior first assistant manager position five time in the last two years (all because I'm in school, and basically, she knows that I'm not going to make this job my life). So, on last Monday (June 1st), as I was about to get off, the store manager walked me up to the door and told me that Sandra told her what I said and that the position was mine, but was I willing to put my career on hold for them? She told me to think about it, and to let her know sometime the next day. I told her okay, and starting thinking I'd take it just for the summer. After conversation with my mom she helped me realize that I really didn't need to take it just for the summer, and that I had a lot to look forward to. My life is full of promises, and that the Lord really blessed me enough with my Scholarship so I would be able to get my education. Makes perfect since, huh? But you can't help a girl for wanting to be offered a promotion-I'll just keep my first assistant manager tag until I quit. Lol.

My weekend was pretty eventful! Friday after getting off work at 9:30PM, I drove up to Savannah to stay the night in the hotel with my friend Amanda and her mom. Saturday morning was orientation at Armstrong, and check-in was at 9AM. We set through about an hour and a half of "getting to know AASU" PowerPoint, and about their financial aid department. It was quiet boring, and pretty pointless. After that we went to an area for an advisement session. Once advised we went over to register for the classes ourselves on the web, and got our student Id's. Lastly, we took a tour to one of the Campus housing complexes. The room we saw was horrible, and I wouldn't waist my money to live in those Apartments. Not to mention, for that high price they are asking for-they sure did have a lot of rules that was insane! SO now I'm kind of at square one-where will I live? We so thought before seeing the Apartments on campus that we would be living there, but that will definitely NOT happen now. Let's keep our fingers crossed that my scholarship will cover me living off-campus... since it looks like it's going to be that way anyways.

Christy had her baby! Yay!:)

Today was a great day despite having to work this morning. What made it so great is that at 8:00 this morning I got a text message from my friend Christy informing me that she was in Savannah in hopes of having her baby today. At 9:48 AM, Christy underwent a c-section (since the baby's heart rate was on the rise). She and Jonathan now have a beautiful-healthy baby girl, and her name is Skylar. Skylar weighed in right around 6.5 pounds. Being a baby that went full term-she sure is tiny. :)

What a long day

Wow-it's hard to believe that June is already here and half of 2009 is gone! Yesterday after I got off work I went to Savannah in hopes of getting a proper advisement, but the lady was absolutely NO help-which was kind of a bummer. When I decided to come to Armstrong I put my major as undeclared since I've changed it SO much, and all that lady had to say to me is, "you've got a lot of classes... don't you think it's about time to declare a major?" No crap lady! That is all that I want to do, but I'm not wanting to just pick something and wish that I didn't five years down the road. She then proceeded by telling me she wouldn't want to make an "advisement error," so therefor, she didn't know what I should take. I think that she is full of bologna because of that kind of attitude--you're an adviser for pete-sake. Needless to say, my trip wasn't completely a waist, after all, she did remove the advisement hold.

Last night after returning from Savannah my mom and I watched the Bachelorette. Power to those that think they can find true love on a reality TV show. Ha, we love it though. During commercials I found time to tape my bathroom. I'm off tomorrow, so I think I'll do some painting. I was planning on just painting my bathroom, but once my mom realized what I was going to do she had me tape up the kitchen and her bathroom. Needless to say, it looks like a simple job is turning into a project.