This past few months have brought many changes and adventures and the next few months will bring many more. Six months ago I was starting to adjust comfortably in my new role of Sr. Asst. Director here in the Financial Aid office. I was adjusting to being the systems guru in the office, a supervisor, having new programmatic responsibilities, etc. Six months ago Charles worked at Apple and we were living pretty cozy on a steady and decent 1 and a half incomes, which is more than we've ever had before. We were almost finished re-painting our apartment after tearing off walls and walls of crappy wall-paper. We were renewing our vows. Things were looking pretty steady.
But if you know us, we never stay the same for long. Just a couple months ago Charles stopped working at Apple for the experience of being a major contributor (freelance) for a theological dictionary. It's an incredible opportunity and allows him to work from home (which he loves), or come with me to the UR and work at the library (which I love), and gives him the free time to cook dinners and take that responsibility off my plate (which I really, really love). It was a hard choice to make, though, because I had gotten comfortable. And moving back into an unknown, and then trying to cover expenses that he had been covering really stresses me out. Sometimes I have to look at Charles and see the change in him - the excitement in doing what he's doing and the lack of anxiety - to really trust that this was the right decision.
But I keep being reminded to "trust in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." And I'm seeing this promise come to fruition over and over in my life. It's playing out in our marriage. It's playing out in our finances. It's playing out in the fact that I just was offered my dream job. After falling into Financial Aid six years ago, I have stuck with it because I love students and I love Higher Education and because I'm good at it. But the last few years I have been wondering if there is a position that utilizes my strengths and personality traits more so than Financial Aid. And the more I looked into it and talked to friends, the more I became interested in Advancement.
At the same time that I took my position here at the University of Rochester, I was also in the final rounds of interviewing for an Advancement position at Houghton College. Due to timing issues and the fact that I really felt like I needed to work for a bigger institution and broaden my horizons, I pulled out of the Advancement job. That was a really really hard thing to do. But here at the UR I have had the opportunity to take classes on development, and get to know people in the development office here. And then one day the perfect job posted - a gift officer position that works specifically with the humanities. A job I think I would love AND an area that I am knowledgeable in (music, theater, literature, etc.) So I decided to just go for it.
And miracle of miracles (and due to a very gracious recommendation by my current boss), I got the job! It's been over a week now since they have offered it to me and I still can hardly believe it. I think it's a position in which I will flourish. I know it will be challenging, but I'm totally ready to take on those challenges. It's scary to change careers because this one is comfortable and I know I can do it. But I can't wait to try this new one.
This job will be full of travels (my cities are Boston, Cleveland and Chicago), meeting new people, helping donors find their niche at the University and doing my best to make the world (and the U of R) ever better! I start in less than three weeks now. I'm already booked for trainings and conferences and finding out some of the perks to the new position.
My 30th birthday is less than a month a way and I am so excited for the next decade. I'm starting out the decade with a real adventure - skydiving. It's something I've always wanted to do and there has never been a better time than now! And looking forward to the next phase of my life, I have an amazing husband by my side and, God-willing, in the next decade (early on, hopefully) he will finish his PhD and be done with school forever. I am starting my 30s in my dream job and will, hopefully, finish my Master's degree and continue to work my way up the ladder toward my ultimate career goals.Maybe in my 30s we'll even grow up enough to buy a house and have a baby (or 2).
I've also been making great progress toward my fitness goal to be in the best shape of my life by 30. I don't run far, or fast but I am proud to say that I run 12-15 miles a week. I have made eating healthy and exercise a part of my lifestyle (with the occasional day where I can't live without a donut or two) and I can see the improvements. I even ran a race last week with 12,000 other people in Rochester and it was SO MUCH FUN!
So to sum it all up, I'd say that life is pretty stinkin' good right now!
