Thursday Thoughts: Job Update: Not the Answer I Was Hoping For

Well I guess it's time that I update you on the job situation.

I originally had a long post written to share with you about how I'm feeling and the things going through my head, but I knew it would only lead to everyone under the sun putting in their two cents.  I'm simply not in the mood for any of that.

All you need to know is that I'm 98% sure I was not chosen for the Schumacher position.  They took the job posts down and are no longer answering or returning any of my calls.  In my experience, that means I was not chosen.

People keep asking what my plan is now, and every time I get that question my heart sinks into my stomach.  I don't have a plan anymore.  I can't find any design positions that I haven't already applied for. Literally, all of the job search links are purple now because I have applied to every. single. one.  I've exhausted my resources, and have decided that design is simply not where I'm meant to be right now, maybe ever.  I'll have to find something part-time working minimum wage, and as much as I absolutely hate that idea, I'm out of options.

I'm disappointed, frustrated, and feeling pretty defeated.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me and this whole job situation.  I really do appreciate it, I guess this just wasn't where I was meant to be.

Thursday Thoughts: Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!  

Thanksgiving is one of my all time favorite holidays.  I love the time together with family, the reminder of how blessed we all are, and the food...I mean come on, who doesn't love the food?!?  But seriously, my absolute favorite part is getting to spend time with my family.  Un-rushed, relaxed, one-on-one time with family where our main focus is each other.  It's like Christmas without the presents, which almost makes this holiday better since no stressing over gifts is necessary.  I love the holidays!

How does your family celebrate?

My family always makes it a point to get together and enjoy a ridiculously large amount of food, combined with lots of reminiscent stories, laughing, and hugs.  On Thanksgiving day, we spend time with my mom's side of the family.  The location varies each year, but a pot luck meal is always to be expected.  My favorite items of this meal are the macaroni and cheese (I know, no surprise there) and my great-grandmother's cake (or at least my Aunt Missy's best attempt at it, which is just as good!).   This cake is literally to die for.   It's incredible.

Then on Friday, we head up to my Grandma's and spend the rest of the weekend with my dad's side of the family.  Since they live two hours away, we typically spend the weekend to make the drive and gas go a little further. The best part about this meal is Grandma's stuffing.  I like stuffing, but her's is a-ma-zing! Friday's dinner is also where I can typically be found laughing so hard my sides hurt.  I mean you put Pa, Andy, and the rest of the family in one room together and this is only to be expected (anyone that knows Pa knows what I mean).

I literally love this holiday, too bad it has to come and go so quickly.  However, in true thanksgiving fashion, this post would not be complete without a list of the things I'm thankful for.  So here goes:

I am most thankful for:

• My Savior.  I know I say this a lot, but I can never truly express how grateful I am to have a Lord that loves me so unconditionally that He would send His only son to die for me and you.   I'm so thankful that my Lord is not only unconditionally loving but that he is full of grace, mercy, guidance, forgiveness, and goodness.  I'm thankful that He pushes me every day to be better than I was the day before.  I'm thankful that he never gives up on me.
• My Family. This may seem cliche, but I seriously have the best family ever!  I'm so thankful that they love me unconditionally, support my dreams, push me to grow, and teach me how to be a better person every day.  I am most thankful however, that I am blessed to have a family that taught me to love the Lord and show me the importance of having a relationship with Him. They never give up on me and I can't thank all of them enough for that!
• My Friends. A few years ago I did not have a lot of close friends in my life, due to some very selfish decisions I made.  It wasn't until college that I learned the true importance of friendship and formed some of the best relationships a girl could ever ask for.  I'm so thankful that my friends support me through anything and everything, and that they laugh hysterically with me through it all.  I'm thankful that my friends are always there when I need them.  That they teach me to be more patient, understanding, and loving of all people.  
• Laughter. This may seem silly, but I thank God a LOT for the gift of laughter.  It is by far one of my favorite things in life.  The way it brightens your day, lifts your mood, and is oh so contagious.  You simply can't have a bad moment if it's filled with laughter.
• The simple joys in life. You know, things like a comfortable bed to crawl in each night, food on the table every day, an abundance of clothes in your closet, or the joy of enjoying your favorite items.  And then there's things like the way your heart races when you meet a guy you like, or the comfort found in a hug from a loved one, or for that high you get after a job well done.  There are so many little things in life we take for granted and today I'm reminded to be grateful for them all.
• Second chances. I love the freedom, forgiveness, and sense of hope that comes with second chances.  I've seen this recently in my life and it truly is an incredible blessing.  To give and receive forgiveness and form a stronger relationship from it, is an amazing gift that I am so thankful for.
• Haiti. You all know how much I love Haiti, so it's no surprise that I am thankful for the country, people, and friendships I've formed there.  My only regret is that I cannot wrap my arms around those sweet children in Haiti and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving in person; but I do send my love to them!
• Love. Love is the greatest gift any of us can ever receive or experience. It is the glue that holds this world together, creates bonds, and blesses relationships.  I never ever want to take love for granted, it's a true blessing!
• The unnecessary blessings in life. Like my car, iphone, computer, TV, music, movies, etc.  All of these little things that make life that much more enjoyable can be so easy to overlook.  It's easy to forget that they are blessings, not necessities.  I am thankful that I am able to enjoy all of them, but am reminded that they can be taken away as easily as they were given, and I'm thankful for that.
• Hope & Dreams. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I am a dreamer.  Sometimes the things I dream up can leave me disappointed, but usually they remind me of how powerful a little hope can be.  When things get hard, I'm grateful to have that hope and promise of a future as written in Jeremiah 29:11.  I am thankful that the Lord gives us a hope and that we have everything to look forward to, even when things are really hard.
• My education. I am so thankful to have been born and raised in a world that allows education to be readily accessible.  I'm thankful that my parents pushed me to be more and allowed me the privilege of going to college.  I'm thankful that my education allowed me to explore my hopes and dreams.  I'm thankful for the opportunities that my education has and will continue to bring me. So many people in this world never get the chance to go to school, I am so thankful that I was blessed with the opportunity. 
• Our Freedom. I am so thankful to live in a Country where we are all free. I am beyond thankful for the sacrifice all of those who have or are serving our country give.  I can't thank all of our service men and women enough.  You may our world a better place, thank you!
• My sweet puppy dog. Again, this may sound silly, but I am so thankful for my sweet puppy.  I'm thankful that his cuddles, sweet face, and cuddles can brighten any day.  I love how he lights up when we get home, and always wants to be in the same room as us.  He is a part of our family and I love him oh so much!
• Everything. Literally, there is nothing I'm not thankful for.  My life has been beyond blessed.

Hope you all have an incredible, joy filled Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

In a Place of the Unknown

Anyone that knows me, even the slightest bit, knows how much I love to have a plan.  I like to make lists, have a schedule, and know what's coming around the next corner.  However, right now I am in a complete and unnerving place of the unknown.  All my life I've had this "ideal plan" for my life.  A step-by-step manual if you will.  You know, the typical go to school (elementary, middle, high school), pick a college, get into college, choose a degree, graduate with that degree, find a job, fall in love, get married, have kids...so on and so forth.

While this little path I had planned out went pretty smooth all the way through graduation, I am at a huge pivotal spot in my life right now.  I could go anywhere with this degree, but finding jobs has been such a battle.  Even more so, landing the job after an interview has proven to be more difficult.  The hardest part however, is the waiting and not knowing.  The doing your absolute best but not really having any clue as to how you did, if they liked you, or if you'll get the position.  On top of all of that, me being the dreamer that I am, I get hooked to the idea of these positions.  I start day dreaming up ideas of where it could take me, the possibility of getting an apartment, the new adult tasks in life I'll be taking on, etc.  While that may seem all fine and dandy, it makes the waiting and not knowing that much harder.  My heart is invested in getting this position, but my brain keeps realizing that I truly have no stinkin' clue whether I'll actually get it or not.

I have no idea what tomorrow holds for me, let alone next week or next year.  Up until this point in my life, I've had a very specific schedule to follow (the school calendar).  I always knew what was next, what I had to do to be successful, and how to get through it.  That comfort zone is gone now, and I was not as prepared as I thought.  No one teaches or tells you how difficult the steps after college can be.  No one walks you through finding jobs, let alone how to be successful in your career.  No one can tell you what step to take next, or where the next path is going to lead.  No one really truly knows what tomorrow holds.

This is a scary thing for me.

Part of me wants to fight it and try to regain control, but the other part of me knows it's not possible.  This is the time I have to fully, 100%, put my faith in Christ and believe he will take care of it all.  Relinquishing this control is hard and the not knowing absolutely terrifies me.  I know it will all work out.  I can see from my past how incredible God's plans have been for my life.  I trust Him, but my heart is heavy tonight.

Drooling over these

Ok, so if you've been following any of my posts on Facebook or on here recently, you probably noticed I've entered a LOT of giveaways.  The reason for this is because, one of the blogs I follow does a HUGE set of giveaways each year.  In order to enter those giveaways (each one valued at easily over $700 each) you have to like all of the participating vendors' Facebook pages.  At first this might seem a tad overwhelming, BUT most of the vendors in these giveaways are small businesses.  Lucky for all of us who liked their pages, they get really excited when they hit big milestones like 2,000 or 5,000 fans.  I would say almost half of the vendors I've "liked"  have done an additional giveaway on their personal pages for reaching these big goals.

I say all of this to say that because of the BIG giveaway, I have found my new favorite online shop.  It's called Personalized From Me to You.  They specialize in custom monogrammed goodies.  I overlooked them at first, thinking this would be just another monogram store, but don't be fooled like I was! They have absolutely STUNNING pieces.  Everything from monogrammed scarves, sunglasses, home decor, and jewelry.

Oh the jewelry!  I'm swooning over all of it!!  Seriously, if you love jewelry go take a look.  BUT be warned, you're going to want to buy every. single. piece!

At the moment I'm eyeing their cut out monogram ring.  I don't typically wear rings, but this one is special, one of a kind, and so cute!!  At first the $70 price sounded outrageous but when I googled other stores I found that $70 is a steal, seeing as how they retail at over $200 at other stores.  I haven't bought it yet, because well...I still don't have a job, but no worries it will be one of the first things I spoil myself with when I can! Here take a look, I'm telling you I've got to have one!!  (Size 9.5 in gold if you'd like to buy it for me.  ha!)

And if that piece doesn't have you drooling, this monogram necklace will!  I've been seeing gold monogram necklaces everywhere, and have entered every possible giveaway I can find for one.  If I don't win, then well I'll just have to buy my own one day or ask for it for a Christmas gift.  They're gorgeous!

Seriously, I'm in love with this shop!! I wish I had an income and could actually afford their jewels!!  For now, I'm going to keep window shopping (via computer screen).  Here are some of my other favorite pieces:

Monogram Candy Bracelet

Wooden Monogram Large

Large Purse with Interchangeable Monogram

eGift Card

How'd that last one get in there!?!  Haha oops ;-)!

Seriously go check them out, you're going to love it ALL!

**All pictures, products, and links are from www.Personalizedfrommetoyou.com, they are not my own!**

Wishful Wednesday

Well it's that time of the week again where I get to share a little taste of items on my wish list this season.  About halfway through college I noticed my wardrobe went from being 75% everyday clothes to becoming 75% business clothing.  The further I got into my college career and my actual career pathway my professional wardrobe really needed to expand.  I fell in love with cardigans, pencil skirts, and great printed tops.  It was shortly after that I found and fell in love with my first blazer.  I've always had trouble finding the right fit in blazers, but I absolutely love how versatile and flattering they are.  I've got two basic neutral colored blazers, but I've been seeing a lot of bright colored ones making an appearance this season.  My absolute favorite is this pink blazer from Old Navy.  It sold out so fast that they are making more, but you have to pre-order to get one!  I haven't pre-ordered, since I'm trying to save money, but oh how I want this blazer!! It's gotten great reviews, I love the color, and am dying to add it to my closet!

**This would make a good Christmas present for all those family members reading this post. Size large should work great.  (How's that for a *hint hint* haha)**

Giveaway Maniac

There have been all sorts of fabulous giveaways on Facebook recently!!  With the holiday season coming up, I have been sure to enter every. single. one.  I can get my hands on!  I love the idea of snagging some free items!!  Just the other day I won a beautiful bracelet and I cannot wait to get it in the mail!

For those of you who may not have seen some of the fabulous giveaways, here is one I just entered and am DYING to have!

Trend Snag is a new jewelry auction that I just found through a blog I follow.  The set up is similar to the Ball + Chain auction, I've told you all about, except Trend Snag features fixed price auctions.  I'm so excited to participate in their first auction coming up on November 15th at 8pm!!  Head to their facebook page for directions on how to register for and bid during their auctions!

For now, I am crossing my fingers I'll win this beautiful custom monogram necklace!! It's valued at over $100 and one lucky winner will get to call it their own!!

For a chance to win this necklace head over to the Trend Snag Facebook Page, click on the picture that says "Jewel-A-Day Giveaway" and enter to win! It's that simple!  Or you can go through the link that I posted on my facebook page for an easier route!

Don't care to win this gorgeous necklace for yourself??  Enter anyways, and if you win, you can give it to me :)!  I'm sure all you lovely ladies will be dying to have it for yourself though!  Good Luck!

Quick Not me Wishful Wednesday

Hows that for a doozy of a title?! I guess I should've kept up with my posts this week!

Any who!

I have not been in a blogging mood this week.  Actually, I haven't really been in any kind of mood lately.  I've just kind of been stuck lately. In a rut of sorts.  An I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-doing-but-I-do-the-same-thing-every-day kind of rut.

Does that make any sense?   Probably not.

Well for other thoughts:  I am so glad the election is over!  While I know the ridiculous whining, complaining, bragging, and everything else will probably continue on Facebook for another week or so, I'm still glad it's over!  I'm glad that the phone calls, annoying commercials, and the constant fighting/debating/complaining about the other candidate every where you look is over.  It'll be great once everyone moves past this and gets back to normal life! When I can look through my news feed and not see people bickering any more...oh that'll be a lovely day!

On another random note: For any of you that haven't been following my facebook statuses, I finally heard back about the position in Greensboro.  They still have not made any decisions as they are still finishing up interviews, so it'll be the end of next week before I hear anything.  I'm still praying constantly, trusting God will take care of it, and hoping that I'll get the position.  I appreciate all of you who are praying for me, please keep the prayers going!

And since it's Wednesday (and I really can't think of a good Not Me Monday or Quick Tip Tuesday post) here is the item on my wish list this week!

I am absolutely in love with these Madden Girl Zappa Booties from DSW.  For all of you ladies out there that have large calves, like myself, you'll understand my frustration when it comes to finding boots I can wear.  The ones that I REALLY want, simply don't fit.  However when I found these, I decided they'd be the next best thing!!  I'm not sure whether to add these to my Christmas list or wait until I get some money in and buy them myself.  I love them and already have a lot of outfits in mind to put with them!  We'll see how it all plays out, but one way or another these beauties will be making their way to my closet!

Oh and for the last random note of the day:  52 days until I'll be back in Haiti!! I cannot wait!!

Well that's all I've got for you today.  I'm going back to my doing-nothing-but-doing-the-exact-same-thing-every-day routine.

Thursday Thoughts

I had a second interview at Schumacher Homes today.  To say I was a little excited and anxious last night would be an understatement.  It took me forever to fall asleep!  I kept twisting, turning, and anxiously dreaming about getting the position.  If I get the job, I would be the New Home Coordinator for the Greensboro office. That means, I will get to help clients design their custom homes.  I'd get to help with everything from designing the floor plan, budgeting, picking out their materials/finishes, etc.  This would be an absolute dream job for me!

Both of my interviews went really well, and I'm hopeful that I'll get the position.  I'm not sure how many other people are in the running, but I've done the best I could to stand out and show how great I'd be for the position.  They hope to have a decision by tomorrow afternoon.

I'm so nervous.  

I want this position SO badly! The opportunity to work for such a well-known and successful company doing what I love is just incredible.  I keep praying over and over and over that I'll get the position.  I know God will put me right where He wants me.  I'm just REALLY hoping this is it!

For now, I'll continue the waiting game and hope/pray (with all my fingers and toes crossed) that I'll get a call tomorrow saying I got the job!

I have a feeling there won't be much sleeping tonight either.

I want this so bad, I can taste it!  I could really use your prayers!