Relaxing at Home

I figured since I still have a few weeks before I enter the "real world" and have to actually get up and go to work every day, it would be the perfect opportunity to spend some time at home with my family and just relax. So, that's what I'm doing the beginning of this week.

I came home last night, Sunday, just in time to play some Bingo in Westside with my mom. I love playing Bingo but it's just so frustrating when you don't win! :) And that's just what we did... we didn't win. But it was fun anyways. It was so fun that I decided to do it again tonight in Vail! And once again I did a lot of not winning. But oh well. Grandma Kock told me when the night was over that it's probably a good thing that I didn't win because then it wouldn't encourage me to gamble. I really thought there was no way that I could go two nights in a row and not even win one game. But oh well I guess.

Today was a great day, though. I did my usual sleeping in late and then headed over to Grandma Kocks. Of course she offered to make me some lunch which was GREAT! Fried eggs, toast, and ham. What more could I ask for!?! We watched some Game Show Network (my favorite) and I worked on some Sudoku and Word searches and things while she made some food for Bingo (which I gladly tested for her). I didn't leave without some things for my apartment either. She gave me some plates, silverware, and a bedside table... I love hand-me-downs :)

Then, when she had to leave for town to get ready for bingo I headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Jons'. We had a good time catching up and talking about my new job and apartment and things. I also got to see all the cards Grandpa received for his 80th birthday card shower (over 60 Grandma said!!). I didn't make it out of there without having an ice cream break either. Good times with the Grandparents!!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do the rest of my time at home. Hopefully get some time in with Aunt Doreen and Uncle Nick, as well as my parents and my Jared. Jared has his Grand Opening for his Amway business on Wednesday night which I hope goes well!

Then I'm back to Omaha by Thursday morning for a doctors appointment to be sure that I am healthy enough and all that jazz to work at UP. Wish me luck ;) Then....... Friday morning I get my wisdom teeth out. EEE!!! I'll let you know how that goes. Trent and I have made a grocery list of the foods that we need to pick up so I have food to eat afterwards. I'm pretty excited about the tomato soup, applesauce, yogurt, and, of course, the ice cream!! And I'm certain Trent is very excited to get to take care of me. :) He is the best boyfriend, and even took a day off of work to bring me to my appointment and then hang out with me to be sure I'm alright the rest of the day. I'll let you know how it all goes. Wish me luck!

A Job!!!!

So, it has been a while since I have posted anything, but I didn't want to write anything until I had good news about a job. And now I do!!!! Last Wednesday (the day after my birthday!) I got a call from Union Pacific and they offered me a job!

I had started to get pretty discouraged with the whole job thing and even had told my roommate and my mom that morning that my hopes were really down about the whole thing. And then, that afternoon around 2:30 or so, I was just getting on the treadmill to work out and a lady from HR and Union Pacific called and offered me the job. I was soooo soooo happy. I could barely even listen to what she was saying and all the details she was sharing with me about it because I was so ecstatic. As soon as I hung up the phone with her I ran (yes really ran!) through the parking lots back to my apartment and grabbed my car keys and drove as quickly as I could to Trent's office. I don't think that it has ever taken me that long to get there! Then when I got there to tell him, he wasn't even in his office!! Figures! So I waited ten minutes or so for him to get back and then I finally could let all my excitement out and tell someone. I just couldn't stop smiling and jumping around his office. It was great!

Then, after I told him I got back in my car to go back to my apartment and as soon as I got in my car I started to call people and tell them. First my parents and my grandparents and my sister and then Melody O'Connor who I babysat for in Sioux City all through college. I am sooo grateful for her because without her I would have never even gotten the opportunity to interview there. She used to work at Union Pacific, so she passed on my resume and got it in there in front of the right people. I am so thankful and amazed how everything works out in the end!

Lauren, my roommate, was gone babysitting that afternoon until about 7 and she was the last person I had to tell that day. And I couldn't wait for her reaction. Trent and I were at my apartment when she got home and we were in the kitchen starting to make supper for the three of us (tacos that night!). I didn't really know the right way to tell her or the right moment, so she kept telling me about her day and I just smiled nonstop and couldn't stop looking over at Trent waiting for that right moment. Then, Trent asked Lauren if she liked trains, as an opener into the whole UP/job conversation. That is when Lauren started going off about why she hated trains. :) And she has a lot of reasons why she doesn't like them!! Finally, she figured out what was going on and looked at me and her eyes got really big and said, "You got the job, didn't you!" It was quite humerous and great to share that news with her.
There was only one more thing to do after that.... Update my Facebook status!!!! :)

The job that I was offerred is in Union Pacific's Accounting and Finance department. I am not certain as to the actual division of accounting or what my daily job duties will be yet, but I will know in the next few weeks. My job title is an Analyst. I start on the 26th of July, so I still have some time to enjoy being unemployed, too. But I get to do that without the worry of finding a job and stuff. I am very very excited to start work in my first "real job" and go to work in the big glass building in downtown Omaha! It is so great to have a little more certainty in my life as far as knowing that I will soon have income again and know that I can start saving for my future and stuff and it is fun to just think about the possibilities I'll have with this job and with this company and things. I am very excited to learn more about what I'll be doing every day at work and actually get to go and do those things every day.

Real life... almost!

So, I'm officially an Omaha-ian!! I got the last of my things moved into my apartment on Saturday, but I have to say it doesn't really feel real yet that this is actually my home. As Lauren has said, it just kind of feels like we are staying at a hotel... Having my whole family leave town on Saturday evening and me staying here was a little weird.

Thursday was our actual move-in day, so, of course, it was raining all morning! I got up bright and early in the morning to get as much as would fit out of my apartment in Sioux City into my car and into Kellsey's car. We got as much as we could and headed down south. It was a pretty scary drive between the rain and the mounds of clothes and other things we both had in our cars. It was a team effort to get here trying to weave in and out of the traffic.

We got here and I got my keys and everything and went to explore my new apartment before beginning the process of bringing everything back out of our cars and into my new apartment. And I have to say our apartment was even better than what I had remembered when we came to see it about a month earlier. I was super excited to get everything inside and put away. Before we really started moving things we also ordered pizza, too (much needed after all the packing and the rainy drive!) The rest of the day, after everything was unpacked, was just spent organizing my closet (which is the best part of it all) and unpacking boxes and running to the store with Trent to get a few of the first essential things.

Friday, I did a little more unpacking and also found some time to lay out at our pool. Then, Friday night I went to hang out with two of my roommates from my freshman year at Morningside, Miranda and Kelli, and my sister. We had tacos and margaritas and just hung out and talked. It was a great night!!

Then Saturday, it was back up early and back to Sioux City to meet my parents and my brother to load up all that was left in my dorm room and the furniture from the storage unit that was holding all of the furniture I was getting from Trent since he didn't need it after he moved to Omaha to his new place. So after all that was in my apartment and in place, it was a lot better, and on its way to feeling more like home!

Every day there is a few more things added to the apartment to make it so we can function and cook real meals and stuff. Last night was a new vaccuum and today was a new TV!! So slowly but surely it's getting there... All it takes is a little money, that's for sure!! :) I will post a few pictures of my apartment in the near future when there aren't empty boxes and things sitting around anymore :)

So, tomorrow resumes my job search. I have four different interviews and things this week, so hopefully something will come of one of them!!! Tomorrow morning is a position in Accounting with Union Pacific. I will keep you all posted on my job search, and hopefully it's good news sometime soon!

Fingers crossed!

More Goodbyes...

Tomorrow just may be the saddest day in this whole transitioning to Omaha process... It is my last day with the kids that I babysit, John Paul, (5) Anya, (2) and Cooper (4 months). I have sat for John Paul since he was 2, and he has grown up so much over the past 3 years. When I first met him, he barely talked. He was very much of a 'whine and pointer'. But now he talk A LOT and always has something to tell everyone he meets, which keeps everyone entertained. Next fall he will be off to kindergarten. What a big boy he is now!

Since I've started babysitting, two more children have come into the family. Anya Marie came into the family from China when she was a little over a year old. She has also grown up a lot over the past year. She was born with cleft lip and cleft pallate, so she has undergone two surgeries to repair them, and will have a couple more at least to go through in her life. She has always been a very smiley and energetic little girl, but she has a little bit of an attitude. It's an attitude you can't help but laugh at though. She adores her big brother like no other and always copies everything he does. She is still working on talking and forming words, and the progress she has made so far is so great. I can't wait until she can speak everything on her mind. It is bound to be great entertainment!

And then there is Cooper James. Cooper was born on February 10th, and with that brought much excitement. He is also a very happy little boy who just melts your heart with his smile. He has grown very quickly and will make his parents very proud someday as they sit on the 50 yard line at the Husker games watching him play :)

I have been so very lucky to be a part of their family for the past 3 years. Bill and Melody are supportive of everything I do and always there when I need advice or someone to talk to. They have raised wonderful children and even if they don't know it, they set a wonderful example of what a great marriage looks like. They are always there for each other and work as a team in everything they do and are patient with each other. They have really made an impact on the way I look at marriage and family and how I will go on to live my life.

Tomorrow is going to be a rough day for me as I soak up my last day with the kids, but it will be great when I see them next to see just how much they have grown.

The end and the beginning...

Hello everyone! I am starting this blog so I can share all the new and exciting things that are going on in my life with you all as things are changing in my life. You can then read about it all at your convenience! I'm not sure how good I will be at this, but hopefully I can keep everyone updated.

Well, I'm sure you all know that I graduated from college about a month ago, and since then, I have decided that I was going to move to Omaha. I decided that would be the best for me as I search for a job. There are a lot more opportunities there than there are here in Sioux City. Also, my boyfriend, Trent, moved there in the middle of April to begin his job as Assistant Director of Residence Life at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. So, of course, I want to go there to be closer to him. I can't wait to be able to see him every day again. Texting and talking on the phone is just getting a little old!

I am moving to Omaha with my best friend, Lauren. She also graduated from Morningside this past May with a nursing degree. We found and apartment kind of in the middle of Omaha, close to a lot of good and exciting places. We move this coming Thursday, the 10th. YAY!!! I'm super excited to have my own big bed and my own big room and my own bathroom and my own big closet!!!

I finished my last day at Wells Fargo today, one day after my one year anniversary from starting there. So I guess I am officially unemployed for the time being. But, I am going to enjoy these next two weeks of not working, and then hopefully I will have had success in my upcoming interviews and have a job.

As of right now I have two interviews set up. I have one on the 14th at Union Pacific for an Accounting position and a phone interview at Gallup later that week for accounting as well. I would love to work for either of those companies, so hopefully something works out...And sooner than later!!

So the next five days will be dedicated towards finishing packing, and spending my last few days with John Paul, Anya, and Cooper (the kids I babysit). I will miss them and their parents soooo much!! But I am so very excited for the next stage of my life (and to finally move off campus!). I'm excited to be in a new place and experience new things and to get a job. And I'm super excited to be close to my wonderful boyfriend again so we can experience life together, too!

That's all I've got for now. I'm sure it will be a crazy next few weeks and I'll be sure to let keep you updated!!! :)