Chicago 2015

Why not make it three posts in one day?

Chicago!
I got to go back for work again - a training - and it was just as lovely as the first time!

Busy summer.

The only place it has been quiet and calm this summer is right here on the ole' blog. It's been a crazy summer so far and the next few weeks are going to bring about more of the same.


I'm still doing lots of pottery. Trying to get to the studio one afternoon per week and I've already gifted a couple of mugs that were meant to be Christmas gifts but I got too excited and gave them to their new owners already. I'm still quilting too. In fact, I did both pottery and quilting yesterday so I'd call that a good day. I volunteered with the pottery studio at the local Creative Discovery Museum while they did some hands-on wheel demos for the kids. It was awesome seeing the kids - of all ages, even some teenie ones - try their messy hands on the pottery wheel. Faces lit up and all kinds of muddy excitement - but then, I feel the same way!


Finished my 4th quilt this morning after sitting under it sweating with a cat on my lap while I finished sewing on the binding. Hand sewing binding is a pain in the rear (and the fingers for that matter) but it looks so nice when it is done that it is absolutely worth it. I'd take a picture but there is a corgi sitting on it right now and I'd hate to disturb her.


More crazy coming: in the next 4 weeks, I'll spend one weekend at camp for an event, a couple of days in Knoxville, make a 2 day trip to Columbus (dad is having his pacemaker replaced), make a 3 day trip to Chicago for work, and then make a 6 day trip to Portland and Seattle with my mom and my sister. I'm looking forward to most of those things...the one I'm not should be pretty obvious (always worried about my dad).


For now, I'm relishing in my third department budget being finished...and in record time. I finished it the same day I got the spreadsheet which is pretty incredible for a team that has at least 22 unique events coming up in the next year. I'm learning a lot about managing a team and writing budgets and made some improvements this year to make it easier on myself.  It'll go for approval this week and I'll have to make some edits but in general, it's mostly done!


Talk to you all again in...2 months or so. Kidding but not.

No apologies.

I won't apologize for being too busy and not having time to blog. You make time for the things you want to do and this just fell far down the list recently among the making of time for other things. But now, I'm staring down about 12 days off work before I have to go back on Jan. 5th and I am making time for all kinds of things. The list for tonight and tomorrow shouldn't include blogging at this moment because it does include things like: clean both bathrooms, make cinnamon rolls, wrap last 3 presents, buy LAST present, clean off dining room table, vacuum up Gwendolen tumble weeds, steam clean hardwoods, fold and put away a giant pile of laundry, change sheets, etc.
Why you ask? Cause the folks I love - in addition to the one that lives here - are coming up tomorrow night and Wednesday.


We'll "do Christmas" with my family on the morning of the 25th and then with Chad's family that evening. I'm so thankful that my family is willing to travel because Chad only gets one day off (which, thankfully, is luck-of-the-draw Christmas day). I haven't made nearly as many Christmas gifts this year as I have in the past/would have liked to. But I've made a few that I am pretty proud of so I'll show them once the receiver gets them. So, expect pictures some time this coming week!

SLC.

I know I talk a lot about loving my job and I hope that never changes no matter where I work. It is weeks like this that remind me how blessed I am to be doing something that I love and believe in and that it also affords me the opportunity to get to do some really amazing things. It is almost funny how we talk about giving girls amazing memories/life experiences/"firsts" when in reality, sometimes we are getting the benefit of all the same things. I've been in Salt Lake City for the last 5 days for the Girl Scout National Convention. I went to the last one back in 2011 (it only happens every 3 years) in Houston, Texas, and this one was in Utah. I'll be passing to torch to someone else for the next convention in 2017 so this might have been my last one for a while.

We took 10 high school aged girls to participate in the Girl Scout Leadership Institute (GSLI) as a part of convention plus we had 2 girl delegates to represent our council. I am always thrilled that we have girls who are still interested in the Movement when they are in high school and it was a great trip. My co-chaperone - MPT - is always a riot to travel with and we get along just fabulously. We missed doing any sightseeing back in Texas so we weren't going to make the same mistake this time and got permission to stay an extra day. We filled that day with a trip over the mountains to Park City for a ride up the ski lift and then a trip over to Antelope State Park (in the Great Salt Lake) to check out the views - and free roaming buffalo!

I've never been to this part of the country before - flying over mountains, farmlands, the Rockies covered in snow, and deserts to arrive here. It was incredible. The scenery was amazing, the weather was perfect, and I am so thankful for the experience. So, ready for some pictures?

The Rockies.

Somewhere west of the Rockies. 

Salt flats around the Great Sale Lake.

MPT and myself with the outgoing National Board President, Connie Lindsey.

The Temple in Temple Square. The building to the right is the administration building that also hosts the twice annual LDS conference. Pics of that later but it is the building that we got a tour of on Saturday.

We pretty much missed the fall leaf changes over there but there were a few beautiful trees in downtown. 

This is the organ in the assembly hall for the LDS church. Might look familiar if you've seen any of their choir or Christmas specials. The auditorium seats 21,000 people. It was shockingly huge.

A view of the temple and city skyline from the roof of the administration building. 

Utah State Capital Building.

Our group with the giant trefoil.  It was a little sunny that morning so we're all a bit squinty.

Headed up the chairlift in Park City. I said on FB that I throat punched my fear of heights and it truly feels like I did. I won't be going skiing anytime soon but that thing was much higher off the ground than I thought it might be!

View coming back into the resort.

Don't think I'll ever need these folks.

The Great Salt Lake from Antelope State Park. 

A herd of roaming buffalo on the island at the state park. 

The views from here were unreal. 

It was an amazing trip full of memories and firsts and laughter. I always wish that my guy had been able to travel with me but I am even more happy to get home to him. I rolled in about 12:45am this morning and crashed, happy to be in my own bed. Back to the real world tomorrow so doing lots of laundry today. :)

Static.

Always apologies for the silence on my end. Life has been busy - isn't it always - and I just haven't found time to write. I've still been sewing some...a few new things on the Etsy site and enjoying some sweet time at home in the evenings with my guy. I'm so thankful that he's been on first shift since about June. I'd forgotten in the 18 months prior what having a life, eating dinner together, and seeing each other's face in the daylight actually looked like. It is lovely and sweet.

Things are busy at work, gearing up for a new year of fun. I'll be with a group of our girls all day Saturday for a team building and training session prior to our National Convention in October. The 12 of us - 2 adults and 10 teenagers - are headed to Salt Lake City, Utah for 5 days in addition to our council's national delegates and some executive staff. Convention is always loads of exhausting fun. Its been a while since I've flown anywhere and almost exactly 3 years since I've had to fly while keeping my eyes on a pile of teenagers so it should be interesting/stressful/hilarious/educational.

I'm also looking forward to a fun craft weekend in Asheville with my sweet friend Dani + more lovely ladies. I've been pinning ideas to Pinterest like a mad woman and already plotting what craft supplies to take (all of them?). I'm super excited to get away for a weekend and just hang out. However, my good friend K is in the have-a-baby zone about that time so we'll see if the best laid plans include a trip back to Knoxville for a baby welcoming.

Chad and I have been talking to the pastor at our church about starting a college-aged small group for the folks from Covenant College who go to our little place on the mountain. Everyone seems to be on board and this Sunday is the last of 3 meetings at the church to see who is interested. There are about 6 girls who have been coming regularly so we are excited about getting it off the ground. It means we are committed to being there every Sunday night but I think the consistency will be good for everyone. Pray for us will you? This was, frankly, my idea first and Chad and I have prayed a lot about it before we jumped. I am a little nervous about being the role model, confidant, and friend to this group - I know how much grace I have been given and I want others to see that in me too.

My life is full and I am more aware than ever of the good parts and the time spent with people who mean the most to me. Maybe that is why words don't make their way here as often.

Busy weekend...slow week.

This past weekend was a lovely mix of busy/loud and sweet/quiet.

Last week, the staff at work spent the week training on a new computer program that will help us manage lots of things better - membership and getting people signed up into new troops is the top of that list. One of our JC staff members came back with us from Knoxville and spend the night at my house Saturday night in preparation for a fun Saturday. E and I hosted a shower for my sweet work friend K - whose pregnancy is well-watched, loved, and wanted. We decided to host a rather non-traditional shower and do a picnic/pool party instead of the typical did your baby float out of the ice cube/what chocolate bar is melted in this diaper business. I think it was a great success even though some of our favorite folk weren't able to come. We ate tons, laughed, and loved on K and baby MG. I love these women that are in my life - thankful that we bridge the gap between work and life so beautifully - and take care of each other along the way.

Sunday was quiet, calm, and I spent 90% of the day in my pajamas. I watched 3 movies on Netflix (sadly, Chad had to work) and cleaned up a bit from having company. It was such a nice change of pace from a crazy go-go-go day Saturday that I loved every couch-bound moment. Two romantic comedies and a thriller later, I was happy to head to dinner with Chad's family. A little more grilling out (happy summer food!) and some good chats and the weekend was deemed a success.

Our computer program and new website went live about an hour ago and I'm excited about all of the possibilities. Good stuff coming.

SCUBA - days 4 and 5 (pictures!)

Day 4: We finally got to dive in the ocean. I brought all my SCUBA gear with me and had completely convinced myself to dive with the girls. It was a shallow dive - 25 or 30 feet to the artificial reef - which is my favorite kind of diving. I gear up and swam about 100 yards out with the girls and located a large quantity of jellyfish with my un-wetsuited body. The girls had on wetsuits and were mostly covered and this protected; I was not. Knowing myself, I decided that I would probably not enjoy a dive while being stung by jellyfish and decided to swim my gear back. A letdown for me but the girls powered through and had a really good dive. I only got stung 4 or 5 times on my legs before I could get out and the girls just had a few on their lower legs as well. Now they know it isn't unbearable and they can tolerate it enough to dive!

We also went into Okaloosa Island to play at the beach and then dinner and shopping in Destin. Loads of fun this day - the girls and chaperones were both exhausted!

Day 5 (technically 6): a long drive home. When I finally arrived back in Chattanooga, I'd been traveling 12 hours thanks to a last minute trip back to the dive shop for the girls to sign paperwork. Pretty sure I slept another 12 hours that night. :)

Spring water selfie.

Me and one of my awesome team mates, MPT.

We already knew how cold the water was at this point...just trying to convince ourselves to make the plunge.

Some of our girls in the springs...

Sunlight in the springs...

Scuba day 2 and 3.

For mom...ita gonna be short .
yesterday was pool day and the girls did great
Today we dove in the coldest water I have ever been in. It was ridiculously cold. Painfully so. But it was an absolutely gorgeous day.
Love
Paula

SCUBA day 1

Blogging from the road folks. Left poor Chad behind to hold down the fort while I came to Florida with one if my team mates and 4 teenage girls so they could learn to SCUBA dive. Spent most if the day in the car today and I am thankful to finally be here. We are staying at a Boy Scout camp that is our Plan B due to some weather damage at the Girl Scout camp we were going to stay at. Rustic is a good way to describe the accommodations and the cleanliness of the dining hall left a lot to be desired. Thankfully I am traveling with MPT who is a good sport regardless of the circumstances...well, with the exception of the spider she just located in her bed. Sigh. Looking forward to a day at the pool tomorrow.

Not a priority.

I want blogging to be a priority because I have loved this little space over the last few years  but I just can't seem to make it so. Life has gotten busy, responsibilities have multiplied, and it seems to take a back seat most of the time. I feel like I have to talk all day, make decisions, write about things that when I get home - there aren't many words left.

Wrapped up my last trip to summer resident camp this past Monday and Tuesday with one of our local program partners. I am really proud of this partnership (Co.Starters and the Co.Lab here in Chattanooga...doing some really cool things for entrepreneurs in our city!) and where it is headed for our girls. My team has worked really hard helping them build a youth focused program and we are piloting it with our girls. They seemed to really like it and I hope it is something we can continue to build on.

I have a few days off from travel- though not really off because I've produced four drafts of my department budget and a final one due tomorrow with copious notes. Performance reviews for my team due Monday (which are done and turned in!). And then lots of laundry, cleaning, and packing this weekend for another trip that starts Sunday. I'll be gone 6 days this time with a small group of our girls to Florida to learn to SCUBA dive. (Thankfully, this will be my last long trip until October when we go to Utah for our GS National Convention.) The whole following week is training for our new computer system so I'm feeling a little "no rest for the weary" at the moment.

I've been asked multiple times if I am going to SCUBA with the girls in Florida. I am taking my gear but I might not dive. Frankly, I would relish a 30 minute nap while they are under water and someone else is responsible for them. :) I will post pictures so check FB and Instagram. Mom, I will email them to you.

Its that time again.

I am mid process for writing my second departmental budget. This is one of the most challenging, exhausting, and stressful things that I do in my role as a supervisor/team leader. I am not great with math and trying to predict the future is also not my strongest suit. I want to make decisions that won't hinder the work we want to do over the next year but I also want to be a good steward of our financial resources. Making decisions in July that you have to live with until September of the following year is hard! However, it is rewarding. I am learning new skills that can transfer to other areas of my life. I am letting my team take pieces of it this year so they learn how to put a budget together as well. I am a big believer in building a team that learns a lot of aspects of a job, including how to do mine in case I'm not here one day.


In addition, I'm leaving for another 3 days at camp tomorrow. I need to be spending the day working on a budget that is due the end of next week but 3 days outside, away from my computer is probably just what I needed. Our second and last big event for the summer and we can start planning for fall. Yay!

A good change.

In case you didn't know, Chad's current job has been second shift for almost a year and half now. This means he goes to work about an hour before I get off and comes home and crawls in bed about midnight. In addition to being second shift, he also works every other weekend (Saturday and Sunday). I am so thankful that he has decent employment and that our insurance is through the State of TN. because of it - but hear me people - 2nd shift stinks. I am so sympathetic for families who have parents or spouses who work strange shifts and never get time together. And I am even more aware that there are families who have parents, spouses, and loved ones who are deployed for months at a time so getting every other weekend together isn't even an option. I know how lucky we are.


But, as of today, my guy is officially a first shift worker. Same place. Same benefits. Still has to work every other weekend (womp, womp) but we will get to be home together in the evenings. He will work 7am to 3:30pm now, instead of 3pm to 11:30pm. I can't explain to you how giddy this makes me. I feel so bad for people that don't WANT to spent more time with their spouses and families and I can't imagine feeling that way. I spent the entire day today at work sort of grinning about the fact that I was going to get to come home and spend the evening with my husband like a regular ole' day.


If you enjoy spending time with your spouse - and especially if that spouse works a "regular" or flexible schedule *admittedly, like mine*- be thankful. I came home tonight, we went for a walk, made dinner together, and checked the interwebs for a place to say when we go on vacation this fall. I am still sort of riding on a high - it was lovely to spend the evening with him and to know that I get to do it again tomorrow (instead of it being his one day off per week). I am so thankful that this small shift has worked out for him. Please pray that it will be an easy transition and that he will get used to a new set of coworkers and schedules; also please pray that he will be content in his work and be able to see the impact he has there and know when it is time to move on. Thankfully he is on the same unit with the same patients so some things stay the same.


I am crazy about that guy - we're two and a half months from our 6th anniversary! - and I am so glad we get to spend a little more time together!

Oh So Thankful.

It has been a lovely weekend. Just simply lovely.


I ended up taking Friday off - mainly because I could - and needed it. Chad was off because of the lifeguard class he has been teaching on his off weekends this month and I needed some time for us. It was so fun to just spend the day with him - doing whatever we wanted. I actually snuck away from him in the middle of the day to join my friend K for lunch and a doctor's appointment. She's midway through a much-deserved, much-fought-for pregnancy, much-loved pregnancy and sadly, moving to Knoxville. So, this was her last appointment here in Chattanooga and I got to go see her wiggly 12 oz. bundle of joy via the wonders of modern science. It was amazing. Having not had children of my own, ultrasounds are foreign. And mind-blowing.


I spent the rest of Friday with my guy, including a trip to the movies during the "super matinee" (which, come on, is the only way to see movies unless you go to the second run theater!). Captain America was good...totally worth the $5 per person.


Chad taught lifeguarding all day Saturday down in Lafayette so I stayed home and got lots of stuff done. Cleaned the kitchen, folded a mountain of laundry, put away clothes, cleaned floors...sweated quite a bit. We haven't turned on the AC in the house yet - one of the benefits of good insulation, a brick house, shady trees....and a strong affinity for lower electricity bills. Not sure we will last much longer but it isn't unpleasant in here today. Windows open...fans on. 86 degrees outside but only 75 inside....feels cooler. Listening to one of the neighbors practice his trumpet scales.


I spent the afternoon with Chad at the pool Sunday finishing up his class. I don't think I was that flighty/unconcerned/ambivalent at 17 years old and a new high school graduate. But maybe I was. Hopefully they paid enough attention that they can perform a rescue if needed...I enjoyed a few hours of reading, watching, and sunbathing (with a high SPF on...this girl does not like to be burnt and is much more aware of skin cancer as I get older).


Today I got to sleep in, we had lunch with friends, and Chad is headed to work soon. I might go back to the pool with J or I might take a nap and get more projects done around the house. Either way, I will grill out with Chad's family and then take him dinner on his break tonight.


Finally, I don't want to pass up this day without a mention of its real purpose. Memorial Day. Not because of BBQ or pool parties. Its because of those brave men and women who - over the course of our history - gave their lives so that I have the freedom to do as I choose. From my flag waving heart to yours, I am thankful.

Finished.

All 3 of my team's big spring events are finished. It is such a relief to have those not hang over our heads any more and to be able to spend some time focusing on other things. I left for Knoxville around noon on Saturday, spent a couple hours driving there, about 3 hours doing flower arrangements and corsages for all our honorees (50 arrangements and 50 corsages!), spent the night at camp (convinced that the staff cabin might be haunted) then had our event on Sunday at 1pm.

Rant: 12 girls that did not RSVP for this event came anyway. So that's 12 girls that we did not plan for...plus mom, dad, grandparents, siblings, etc. It adds to the event food...space...seating...not to mention that we don't have that many extra flower arrangements,  certificates,  corsages, etc. We always make extras - this year we had 7 extras - but you just can plan if folks don't RSVP. We had to scramble to make up arrangements from other decor like flowers from the registration tablem. It was nuts but we made it...Is RSVP'ing a lost art?? 

Our event ended at 3...we cleaned up and broke down decor and hauled ourselves downtown to work a second event for our top cookie sellers which lasted until 6:30. I rolled into home about 8pm. Another long weekend but glad it was all a success. I get this Saturday off then I will go work with a troop of older girls on the last Saturday of the month then I don't have to work another weekend until our big camp event in mid-june. Yay!  I am super thankful for an awesome team that consistently pulls of fantastic events no matter how stressful it is along the way!

Weekends aren't for resting.

At least, that is what I am currently experiencing.
I worked the last two weekends and went to Columbus this weekend. I am so glad that I was able to go see my parents. I definitely don't see them enough and I am thrilled that I was able to spend some time with them. I got to eat at some of my favorite Columbus places, see some of my favorite people (Mom! Dad! Jess!), and sleep in on Saturday for a little while. So maybe that counts as resting and seeing the people you care the most about is better than relaxing anyway.


A long week ahead this week. We've officially entered my busiest/most stressful season. Between big events that my team is responsible for, helping with big events that other teams are responsible for, writing annual plans for our next fiscal year, reporting out for the current fiscal year, and then creating a budget based on something that has never existed before - basically don't expect me to blog again until the end of July. :) Send all of your good thoughts my way.

Keepin' it real.

Let's be honest - I only blog because I am trying to keep up with my mom. And give her something to read. Ok, maybe that is a stretch. It isn't the ONLY reason I blog but in this busy life season, I am having trouble coming up with many other reasons. I like to have this little online place where I can go back and see what was going on in life (I mean, for real - I have been blogging since 2008 but I have only blogged 13 times this year so far. Sad.) but it just falls by the wayside fast when life get busy.


Our project team presented to the Board today. I think it went really well. I am incredibly proud of the work we have done and the way we have come together with the same mission at heart. I hope the Board can see that passion and will support our ideas. They had some good question and good suggestions so we'll see where we go from here.


I left Chattanooga at 8am this morning and rolled back in from Knoxville about 6pm. From 6:30 to about 8pm I helped do some Gold Award video interviews for our celebration events this spring. So, my 12 hour day sent me straight home to put on my pajamas. And now, here I sit with my pajamas on. I get an 8 day break before another trip to Knoxville next week...but that'll be a fun day.


If you have called or texted me in the last couple of weeks, please don't think I am intentionally ignoring you. I have been experiencing some phone issues and while it has been nice to sort of operate off the radar some of the time, I think I might have missed some important stuff. So, please don't think it was intentional (I'm talking to you, my 2 readers...who might know my number. Ahem.). The problem might be so bad now that I will be forced to expend some of my limited brain power to make a decision about a new phone. Stay tuned. In the meantime, email me. :)

Still sliding downhill....

I hope I am still sliding down the hill of super busy back into the land of just sort of busy.
Our project team presents to the Board of Directors this week (bring on the nerves!) and then we will be presenting to out entire staff next week. I am excited about potentially wrapping up parts of this project though I know many of them will carry on through the summer as we set the next round of strategic plans and budgets.


My To Do list for today is long....13 items that I hope to mark off in preparation for another long week. This weekend was lovely - lots of time at home and running errands that were abandoned other days this week in exchange for sleep or family time....the least of while is a giant pile of laundry that needs to be folded and put away.


On to it!

Downhill side...

I think I am on the downhill side of the insane work schedule and lots of traveling.
The last two weeks brought a Thursday/Friday and Monday/Tuesday Knoxville combination that was physically and mentally exhausting so I am glad that it is behind me. Our project team meets one more time - next Thursday and Friday - before we are supposed to present our ideas to our Board of Directors on April 7th. Chad and I both decided that we need some days off so we took them!  Putting together this past Thursday and Friday and this upcoming Monday to give us a 5 day weekend was a great idea. We went to see our old college friend Craig and did a little Rome, GA. history tour...and true confessions, eatery tour. Loads of fun, a backyard fire gathering, and lots of laugh. Just what we needed.


Today - on this rainy Saturday - we have plans to try to finish more bathroom projects...maybe actually getting it completed while we are off for the next couple of days. Wish us luck!

A Series of Unfortunate Events.

I have been gone for the last 6 days - our of town - working in various places. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were all in Franklin, TN. (near Nashville), Wednesday was a day trip to Knoxville for our staff meeting, and Thursday and Friday found me back in Knoxville for our project team meeting. I am exhausted. This week has been a strange series of weird, unfortunate happenings. Nothing terrible but things that just weigh on you and make you thankful to see Friday evening in your own home, preparing to climb in your own bed. While the king size bed I had to myself last night was great, I am looking forward to sleeping with my favorite guy, cat, and dog.


Here is the short version:
- Went to Franklin to present at a conference and only 3 people came to our session. While 3 is better than 0, it was slightly lower than expected. I have a theory about the low attendance but it doesn't really matter now.
- The refrigerator in our room was possessed with a house elf and literally spit our take out boxes back on the floor. Spilled spaghetti.
- Lost my $100 FitBit at the hotel. Realized it later. Went back. The housecleaning people found it. I hugged a stranger.
- We tried to come home but missed our exit and went 20 miles out of the way. Sigh.
- My cell phone died/won't reliably charge. Been flying under the radar all week with no phone (which, p.s. isn't all that bad. It has made me pay more attention to the people and things that matter like a friend at dinner and the sunset over the river.) Upgrade isn't until May. Gotta buy a phone.
- Lost my keys this morning at the hotel. Spent 45 mintues looking for them, making me late for my meeting. Called my husband - his phone was off. Called the neighbors to get them to go make him turn his phone on - they wouldn't answer. Called my mother-in-law (My Hero) who not only convinced me that it wasn't worth sobbing over (I was SO already there) but was also willing to drive a spare key to Knoxville so I could come home this afternoon. Found the keys. In the fridge. With the leftovers (hey - so I wouldn't forget them!).


You know that point when you are so tired you want to cry? That was Wednesday. This is Friday. I am past that point. Beyond thrilled that my mom is in town this weekend. We went and had Indian food tonight (her first time and my first time in SEVEN YEARS...literally it was 7 years ago that I was there?!?). We have reservations for a tea party tomorrow morning. It is going to be a lovely and relaxing day tomorrow. We might even mob a Girl Scout cookie booth or two (meaning, take them balloons, cheer them on, etc.....loads of hilarity).


I am so thankful for a job that I love, a husband that understands and supports me and my crazy work schedule, and family that comes to visit. I am thankful that nothing serious happened this week - just weird kinda strangeness. Thankful to be home and releasing all my pent up tension and spending time with my favorite folks.

Too busy.

I love my job. I'll always start with that because it somehow makes me feel better about all the hours I spend doing it. People hear who I work for and wonder how it can be that big of a deal but we are serious about what we do. We have project teams, strategic planning 3 years in advance, and read hundreds of pages of research in an effort to try our best to succeed in our mission. A majority of our staff (cause, let's be honest, there are always folks who aren't engaged) is deeply dedicated to our "cause" and give lots of extra hours, tons of heart, and lots of brain power to keep us moving in the right direction.


That being said. I'm exhausted. I don't feel like I can give my home life the attention that it needs and I feel guilty for wanting to be successful in both my work and home life. Can you really have it both ways? Someone told me recently that if they had to choose between a successful career that they felt good about and a family that they would choose a family - simply because they didn't think they could give both 100%. Does it have to be all or nothing? I don't even have children that I am trying to raise and I already struggle with spending enough time on either work or home. If you give too much at home, work thinks you aren't dedicated. If you give too much at work, your family and home suffer. Honestly, if I had to choose, I would pick a healthy family and those relationships over work. But I love what I do and I feel like I am pretty good at it. Can you have both? Weigh in here folks, I need some insight.


That being said, I will be in Knoxville or out of town for 12 out of the 21 working days in March. Between team meetings, presenting at a conference, a staff meeting, and multiple 2 day meetings for the big project team I am working with, I won't be home much. I feel really bad about it for some reason. I know that Chad works second shift and it isn't like he'll be home at night most nights if I was there but I feel guilty. He's not getting the best of me when I am there and he surely isn't getting the best of me when I am in a hotel in Knoxville. But I believe in the work we are doing. Deeply. But I come home and I don't want to do dishes or vacuum because I am just too tired. Is there a happy medium? I have plans to take 3 days off the end of March to hang out with my guy. He wanted to burn some vacation time and I am all too happy to oblige. Is that the compromise? Work hard and then play hard but don't try to do both?