There's No Place Like Home.....

Preface: There are a lot of people struggling and hurting out there due to the state of the economy. I hope this story comes as an inspiration to everyone, that good things are still happening, and this whole mess WILL turn around.

Exactly 2 months ago, I was sitting in Hartsfield-Jackson airport, on my way home from visiting Terri for her 80s prom party, and crying my eyes out on the phone with my husband. My friend Liz and I had just had lunch, and it was the first time I had seen her in months. She asked the same question everyone always asks me....."So how are things in Chicago?"

Instantly I teared up. It is the same story over and over again. Chicago is a nice enough city, but I don't like living there. It's cold and gloomy 9 months a year, the other 3 months when it is warm its fine. So for 3 months out of every year, I am semi-happy there. I have met some great people, but I miss everyone in Georgia, I miss my family. I am depressed every holiday that I can't come home. I go to Atlanta all the time, because any chance I get to get out of Chicago I jump on it. I gained 30 pounds because I go to work, I come home, and I am typically by myself because Ken works so many hours. I don't want to do anything when I get home except curl up on the couch and watch mindless television. The worst part about it is, I don't see an end in sight. The blessing and curse of being married to an overachiever, is that he is doing so well at his job.... 3 years and 3 promotions with his company......why do something to shake that up? I can't move, the economy is terrible right now, and we would have to sell our house and find new jobs. That is NEVER going to happen in this RECESSION!


Elizabeth said something to me that instantly changed everything. "You and Ken are talented enough to get new jobs, smart enough to get your condo sold or rented, and young enough to make a mistake that you can make up for later."


She was right. Since when did i let obstacles get in the way of something i wanted? Since when did i start believing that extraordinary things can't happen in my life? I have always been a person of GREAT faith. When did i start letting what people tell me effect my course in life?


I went home to talk to Ken about it, and at first he didn't really take me seriously. He has heard this before. He knew that I wanted to move back but wanted to wait a few more years. Ken was born and raised in Chicago, and had only left to go to college. He wanted to stay in Chicago, for the same reasons why I wanted to move back to Atlanta. I knew that he was going to say the same things that I did, think the same things that everyone thinks about making any changes right now. After about a week, he came home and very simply told me that if I wasn't happy, then he wasn't happy. He had called his boss, told him the situation, and submitted a request for a transfer to the Atlanta office.

When things happen in my life, they happen like a tidal wave. If I am suppose to make major changes in my life, it's like the sky opens and a bright light shines down showing me the way. The next series of events showed that to be true again. So much so, that even my husband was amazed.

The next day I gave a call to a recruiter and asked her if she knew of any jobs in the Atlanta area that I would be qualified for. She had the perfect job. An Atlanta hotel, looking for someone with Midwest sales experience to take over their Midwest accounts. Two days later, I was on a phone interview with the VP of sales, 2 days after that I flew into Atlanta for an interview, 4 days after that I was faxing them a signed offer letter accepting the new position.


When I let everyone know at my current job, they were sad to see me go but happy that I was leaving. They all knew how desperately I wanted to get back to Georgia. I left with warm hugs and well wishes......and was paid for 2 weeks and didn't have to work! It gave me a chance to begin packing my house, have a FAB trip with my Four Fat Chicks, and spend some time with my Chicago friends before I had to leave.


My new job was so flexible with me. They were going to allow me to work from Chicago until Ken got everything settled with his transfer. Well, that never happened, because Ken was hired, and they needed him to start a project with them immediately. So, in 7 days, I had to pack my house, find movers, get the condo cleaned and painted, get it on the market....oh wait...did I mention that I had to be in Atlanta training for 5 of those days??


It all worked out. We got everything done, moved, and it all happened in perfect timing with my aunt and uncle's townhouse in Atlanta being recently vacated by their renter. This place was in a perfect location for Ken's job and mine, the perfect amount of space for the two of us, and in a great location filled with lots of fun dining and shopping options. When I was training in Atlanta, i got the keys to our new place. When we pulled up on the day that we moved in, there was a whole team of my friends and family waiting to help us unpack and get settled. You would not believe the amount of work that we got done that afternoon.

I hope this post does not come off like I am bragging, or that I don't know what is going on right now. I am very aware of the unemployment rate, I am very aware of the state of the housing market, I am very aware that there are tough times right now. But I am aware of something else too. There is nothing that is too big for GOD. I had everyone i knew on their knees praying for Ken and I, and I know that it made all the difference. I had just met Tiffany Mendenhall and her sweet family in Chicago, and after knowing them for about an hour, I even had them praying too!
Ken and i have a new motto. WE ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THIS RECESSION. I truly feel that if everyone took on that attitude, things would get better. Whether you believe in God or not, i think we can all agree about the power of positive thinking. Your thoughts create your reality, you attitude creates your environment. If you consume yourself with thoughts of how bad things are, and live in fear of what could happen, you don't leave room for positive things to come in.

These past 2 weeks have been wonderful. I have spent time with friends, seen my entire family, watched my little brother graduate from college, and have had my whole attitude and outlook on life completely change. I am happier now, I love my husband even more, and there is a peace in my spirit that I haven't ever felt.

I am thinking about buying some ruby red slippers and putting them in my house just to remind me of exactly what can happen in your life when you have the courage and faith to change it, despite all the odds. There truly is no place like home.....

Here I am....

I took a little break from blogging because, well...there has been a LOT going on. I spent the weekend in Atlanta 2 weeks ago and had a BALL! But unfortunately, I left my camera at Paul's house....so that post will have to wait for another time.

They say there are five most stressful experiences in life, and I am literally going through 3 of them. I have a long detailed post coming your way about all the changes in my life, how encouraged and inspired I am, and exactly how just being a person of great faith can change everything. Still sorting some things out, and have to get ready for my weekend with the Fat Chicks, so it will have to wait till next week!

i love the 80s......

Terri throws the best parties...we all know this, but this one i think by far takes the cake. There is a running joke with Terri's friends that i don't live in Chicago, because every time she throws a party, i fly 800 miles to be there....they think that in fact, i probably live at Terri's house. When she told me that her and Adam were throwing an Ultimate 80's Prom Party i knew i had to be there... big hair and sequence?? I'M IN!!

So then comes the biggest question... what to wear? I had been searching online for a few weeks, and lost a couple of bids on E-bay. This was very frustrating for me, because i decided very early on that i HAD to have the best costume, so that i could be voted Prom Queen. This was my one shot! The week of the party, i found this atrocious dress, and knew i had to have it.

Terri went all out as usual.... there were balloons EVERYWHERE, beer pong and darts in the garage, lots of yummy 80s snack food, and an awesome playlist of music. To top it all off, there was a prom picture setup where everyone got their picture taken. The pictures were then printed and posted on a wall so that everyone could vote for Prom Queen and King. Can you guess who won Prom Queen??
The Prom King (Sean) and i both had our high school dream answered...about 10 years too late. Next year we will have to hand off our crown to someone else, but we will be sure to enjoy our reign until then! Here was some of the competition:

My Jamaican Vacation....

My sweet friend Shari got engaged last year, and had always known she would have a destination wedding. After the excitement of it all, she decided on the Riu Montego Bay, a brand new resort in Jamaica. I wasn't completely sure if my recession budget was going to be able to be able to handle the extra expense (I am working on my 6-8 months salary savings...Suze Orman called me and told me to tighten up) but my husband the workaholoic, insisted that he needed a vacation. Who am i to argue with that?

So I did all my beach shopping, and was completely excited about leaving Chicago's -20 degree weather and wind chill to relax on the beach with a mai-tai in my hand and a stack of books to read. I was jilted from this dream on Tuesday when my hubby came home from work early because he was sick. After running a fever of 103+ for 3 days, we decided that unfortunately, instead of heading to the airport, we were heading to the hospital.

He had the flu, and spent 7 days sick and shut in. I know you wives and girlfriends out there know what its like when you have to take care of your guy when he is sick. Men become the most pitiful, helpless human beings on the face of the earth. It gave me a real reality check on how life would be if i were a single mother. He woke me up in the middle of the night sick, i was waiting on him hand and foot, and cleaning up vomit. But all in all, after the first couple of days it wasn't so bad. Don't get me wrong....i certainly wanted to choke him half the time. I think it just provided an opportunity for both of us to reflect and be thankful for each other. After cleaning the house from top to bottom, doing all the laundry, taking out trash, walking the dog (in the snow!), grocery shopping, cooking 3 meals a day, and several Walgreens runs, i realized even more just how much he helps me out, and how much i appreciate it. I impressed him with my caretaker, and suzy homemaker skills, so i think i might have made a good enough impression that he might agree to giving me my dream job one day....... HOUSEWIFE!

GOTCHA!!!....

I am waiting for Callie to send me the pictures from our trip to Vegas, but here is a little teaser. I found this picture in my camera and busted up laughing. It took me thirty minutes to take this picture of a man asleep at the slot machine. Every time i got my camera up and in focus, he would wake himself up....as if he knew i was trying to get a picture of him... it took about 10 tries, but i finally got it. He seriously would wake up and look dead at me while i quickly tried to hide my camera and pretend like i was doing something else..... in his defense it was about 5am, but still, why are you falling asleep in the casino at the Palm?? I love Vegas.....

Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago

I can dig art....i wouldn't say i know much about it, but i enjoyed Art History in high school! On the first Friday of every month, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago has a "First Friday" happy hour event. My friend and co-worker Gina invited me to go with her, and since MCA was on my list of "things to do before i leave chicago" list, i thought i should definitely go. Additionally, who can really say no to food, drinks and a live DJ in a cool museum??

Here are a few of my favorites from the night....

The sculpture on the right is a seal balancing balls.

This was a display of a miniature city. I thought the layout and the lighting was super cool.

These next few pictures were just a section of an entire room filled with silhouettes. They were drawn by a southern woman, who wanted to convey images of african-american people during the time of the civil war.

I wish i had more pictures to show you, but as i was very forcefully informed, picture taking is avidly prohibited in the Museum of Contemporary Art. However, pictures are allowed in McFadden's....which is where we topped off our very sophisticated evening....

I'm Alive....

Last week i had surgery and had to take off a week at work. I think it is so sad that it takes drastic medical procedures and large amounts of anesthesia to make me take a break, stay home and not think about work for more than 2 days. My sweet mother came to take care of me, and i literally cried when Ken took her to the airport. Nobody takes care of you when you are sick like your mother. The last time i had surgery, my mother left, and Ken had to take care of me the rest of the time. The moment she was gone, he came down with a cold, and flopped down on my sofa while i made HIM tea and soup. This was before we got married so after about 6 hours of that, i politely kicked him out and made him return to his own home....

Thankfully, this time the surgery was much more minimal, so i was feeling better by Sunday. It happened to be Super Bowl Sunday, and the last thing i wanted to do was stay home and watch any more TV. Since neither one of us were too interested in the game, Ken appeased me by going to see Revolutionary Road and a trip to Trader Joe's.

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I heard back from the doctor today, and everything checked out fine. I am so glad to be, for the most part, back to normal.

On a lighter note, when i returned to work today, i learned about a new movie starring my GIRL....BEYONCE! Check out the trailer below....its like Fatal Attraction but a more modern version...the soundtrack is probably going to be AMAZING!