Gratitude vs. Grumbling

Yesterday at Church the sermon was titled "Gratitude vs. Grumbling." I had a grumbling sort of day on Friday and luckily Scott was there to put me in my place. I got it all out of my system only to be re-reminded of my immaturity on Sunday. The Bible says to be thankful for all circumstances. Because even in the unpleasant circumstances there are things happening around us that we must be thankful for. I am most thankful for our friends we have met through the Church. Here are a few pictures of our small group from Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, MD. We played Cranium: Girls vs. Guys. Yep, you guessed it, Girls won! This fall we had Laser Tag night and spent time celebrating with Adam.


Here is our new Small Group with Savannah Christian Church. I am so thankful for all of our friends!


Here are the FIVE PATHS TO A HEART OF GRATITUDE: (Cam Huxford, SCC 11-19-06)
1. Learn to Be Grateful for Imperfect Gifts.
2. Learn to Be Grateful in Times of Anxiety and Frustration.
3. Learn to Express Gratitude Openly and Often.
4. Devote Yourself to Worshipping God.
5. When you Realize That God has Given you Gift after Gift after Gift...What do you Say?

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Love,
Carrie

Training

Scott got through a one week administrative training last week in Greenville, SC. He was gone from Sunday night to Friday night. I didn't get to talk to him much so I think the days were jammed packed and his nights were spent getting to know others that work at his company. It's pretty nice to get to go to these meetings because most of the time you are out in the field by yourself.

I officially got my flight itinerary for my training in New York today. I should receive my training packet in the mail tomorrow. I can't believe my unemployment is coming to an end. Today I spent the day doing the usual: laundry, cleaning, email, ofoto projects, bills, lunch time stroll around neighborhood. I even said out loud, "I hope I see a porpoise today." And sure enough I saw one. Sorry no picture. But you can imagine seeing one pop it's back fin out of the water as it strolls through the little inlet. I am still amazed how they swim around these waters here in Savannah. It is pretty amazing. I'll try to take more pictures!

More later,
Carrie

New jobs=new wardrobes!

After Scott received his job offer...he came home with a new TV! Guess what I came home with? CLOTHES and SHOES!

For all practical purposes of course. We are switching from Appliance Sales where many days were either in grub clothes setting up for training expo's, khaki's and polo's, or business casual, with emphasis on casual! Now, we are in Medical Sales and that means business attire. Yes, folks suits and ties. So you guessed it. Suits and ties are on our wish list this year for Christmas. But of course I couldn't wait for Christmas. And I have to say, I lucked out with some great sales.

First stop: The Limited. They have these suits I've been eyeing. They are washable, wearable, and wrinkle-free! Plus I can wear the pants alone if I want (Drew Fit) for a business casual. My training is business casual. Anyways, I bought two suits today because they were 40% off! I think there are 2 more suit outfits in that style that I would like, a black suit and possibly the soft blue/black suit if we can find the right blouse and shoes to go with it!

Second stop...The Gap...I love their turtle necks. I hope these things never go out of style because I think everyone looks great in these, plus they are warm and comfortable. This years style has extra long sleeves and a forgiving stretchy material that you can wear long or tucked under.


Final stop...Rack Room Shoes of course! Rack Room Shoes seems to have Buy 1 get 1 50% off more often than not, but you never know when it will end! I've been wanting some everyday Sketcher type brown/black shoes. Well, they don't come in brown and black on the same shoe...so I had to get a pair of each. (side note: This really nice lady in line showed the cashier her military ID and I got an extra 15% off! How awesome was that? She was funny, she said, "I'm really glad we decided to go shopping today...etc" What a hoot! ) I also got some cool snow boots...just in case (hey, we are going to IOWA!).
And finally a few weeks ago I gave away some really uncomfortable tall black boots to Goodwill, but it's always nice to have a pair in your closet, so I bought a new pair...well, I had to get the discount! You just never know when you'll need some hooker boots! J/k.

So, here are my insights for the day:
1.) Be careful who you make friends with at a shoe store that is low on shoes your size (8.5) They may be the same size!
2.) Do make friends with people in line...they just might be with the military!
3.) Ask the girls that work in the store what their favorite jeans are in the store. It works!
4.) Wear comfortable shoes, but do yourself up as if going out to a nice dinner. Clothes just look better, but beware, you may buy more!
5.) Shop alone and if you ever get a chance, go in the middle of a weekday. It's very therapeutic.

Enough from me....
Carrie

Remodeled version...

Okay, here is the remodeled version! But it was kind of funny...huh?

I feel proud to say I'm having Thanksgiving at a farm in Iowa! That's what everyone thinks of when they think of Iowa anyway. Especially out East!

The Process....and Thanksgiving Plans

I have a job! Well, almost. I accepted the job offer yesterday. There was no actual offer to sign...so that wasn't any fun. Wednesday they will start the HR process. They'll need my birthdate to begin the driving record check, background check and drug screen! If all goes well, I will then be issued my plane ticket to training which will leave on the Sunday after Thanksgiving (Nov 26th). I will be staying at a Hyatt on Long Island (about 1.5 hrs by train to NYC) where the company owns a whole floor. I will have a roomate for 4 weeks and a few of us will be sharing a mini-van. The training sounds very intense and I guess they do not encourage visitors...sorry everyone! When I return I get to drive a company car! At first it will be a mini van...then it will be swapped out with a new white Ford 500 in the spring. That's exciting!

Scott and I are going to Des Moines, IA (my home home) for Thanksgiving. This will be Scott's first time experiencing a holiday with my family (besides July 4th). I am very excited. I haven't been home for Thanksgiving since I was in college. We will be at my Aunt Carla's Simple Serenity Farm in Jefferson, IA.

Is it what you imagined?


Oh, by the way, I found out this week that I have been officially removed from the "kids" drawing for gifts at Christmas. I guess once you get married you become an adult...who knew?

The Ball is in my Court Now

After a disappointing phone call on Tuesday with the company stating that they were not going to be able to make a decision until next week, my waiting days came to a close yesterday around 5:00pm. "We have good and interesting news" was how it was quoted. The offer was made, but instead of working under the hiring manager I had been interviewing with, I would be working for a different hiring manager selling a different product (a product that is very popular and easier to learn and sell). I have a breakfast meeting on Monday with my potential manager to "get to know each other" and then I will have 24 hours to accept the offer. The training would start November 26- December 22 in New York.

Four month re-cap (July-October)

Here is a snap shot of what we've accomplished in the last 3-4 months of unemployment. Just in case you thought we've just been sitting on our butts watching soaps and Dr. Phil.

In July we took my little brother with us to Key West where we got to experience the Hemingway look-a-like contest at Sloppy Joes and lobster diving. We then left for Ohio to visit Scott's family and his grandmother in the nursing home. I left after a few days to accompany my father-in law back to Savannah, GA. Scott stayed back in Ohio and was supposed to be helping out the family with granmda in the nursing home and stuff. Somehow that turned into him attending a foreclosure auction and one can surely construe the outcome. Thank goodness for cousins. It has become a family project. (more on that later).

In August, I left Savannah to go to the USTA sectional tournament in Newport News where we came within points of going to Hawaii for the national championships! At the same time Scott was being flown from Ohio to Atlanta to DC back to Atlanta by different companies interviewing him for jobs in Annapolis and Richmond, VA. He finally got a flight to meet me in Annapolis...we hadn't seen each other for 2 weeks! It was during this short visit we realized some opportunities in Annapolis fell through and we made the executive decision that we were only going to look for job opportunities in Savannah. Two days later we found Scott his soon to be job in Savannah. One week after Scott left to go back to Ohio I flew out there to be with him. After being there for two days, I found a potential job opportunity and was really excited to interview. We stayed another week until we made the drive to Atlanta where Scott could interview for his job (might I add that Scott pretty much forced himself in, even though the manager thought he had found a candidate!). In Atlanta we spent some time with friends and a new little dog named Sally!

In September, we spent Labor Day on the water at my brother and sister in-laws new house. Scott's brother took us out many times on the boat so we could water ski. I tried to get up on one ski...or at least kick one off...but to no avail. I decided better luck next year, or years to come! We had a great time! We both had a few interviews this month. Scott had a few "ride alongs" and a social dinner interview and I had two intense interviews in Savannah. Scott headed back to Annapolis to start on getting the house ready to be put on the market. He was gone for two weeks and decided to go ahead and add a bathroom upstairs and make my favorite room in that house the master bedroom I always dreamed of (as some of my friends would say...insert tears here!).

In October, I started a new interview process with a new company. The process starts as a phone screen then 2 face to face interviews, field rides, final interview, and a decision. Scott was offered his job on October 11th driving home from his final interview in Atlanta. The next day Scott and I drove to Charleston, SC for my 1st face to face interview and after having lunch with our friend Molly, we continued up 95 N to go to Annapolis to finish getting the house ready. We spent one week there and officially put the house on the market Friday October 20th. During that week we had carpet installed, painted upstairs bathroom, built laundry room walls, cleaned and de-cluttered every room, had yard landscaped, paver driveway installed, and we spent about 12 hours putting together an aluminum 10x8 shed. Scott almost lost both thumbs! But it was very gratifying and we left Annapolis at 12:00am and headed back to Savannah for my 2nd face to face interview, which was at 3:00pm. The next day we jumped back in the JEEP and headed 12 hours North to Ohio. Scott spent a week working on the auction property. He gutted the kitchen and installed new cabinets, tile, and appliances. Scott's cousin is going to take over the renovations where we left off to make the house amazing. We will plan on putting it on the market in a year or two in case you have always dreamed of living in Lima, Ohio!

So, as this summary comes to an end...are you still with us? We will soon have pictures posted to make each segment seem as colorful and rip roaring exciting as we're sure these words portray.

As we move forward and prepare to nest in Savannah, GA we look forward to finally being able to live a normal life again. Please come back for more updates in the life of Scott and Carrie! Otherwise we will teepee your house and put shaving cream on your hands when you are sleeping.

Working? Well at leat one of us.

Scott started his job this week! He seems to love it and is doing awesome! I am still in the endless interview process but should finally hear a decision on Tuesday. It's such a waiting game and it's very frustrating and exhausting. This week I had 2 "ride alongs" and a final interview. Thankfully it should be over on Tuesday. Thanks for all your prayers!

Okay lets try this blog thing...

So, I originally thought I'd give this a try as soon as Scott and I ended our employment at the end of June. You know, so I could stay connected while we went on our wild and crazy 3 month trip around the country and all. Well, I wasn't too sure about posting my life on the web, but here I am now. And here's why, what better way to give small and quick updates (we'll see how long that lasts) about Scott and I's daily/weekly/monthly lives. That way people can check out our blog whenever they want and only read what they want and so I don't feel like I'm bombarding anyone with too many emails. So, there is my justification for starting this blog.

Maybe this week I will try to summarize what the last 3 months or so of unemployment has been like for us. And who knows maybe I'll even get Scott to post some crazy rendition of the thoughts going on in his head...he'll bring some entertainment your way, I'm sure of it.

Pictures are from our 1 Year Anniversary Trip June 18, 2006.



More later...
Carrie

1st posting

This is our test post....