Vandy Vandy Vandy

So I've been keeping a secret for about a week now, and let me tell you- it's been difficult not to spill the beans!

But, I can FINALLY share the news I am so excited about/thankful for/in shock over: I GOT  THE  JOB!!!!

For those of you who don't know, I applied for a job at Vanderbilt Medical Center a while ago and have been going through several rounds of interviews for about a month.  My last interview was with a panel of 3 people, and I knew it was the make it or break it interview.  As it turns out, it was the MAKE IT interview, and a few days later, I got the job offer!  I will be working as the Instructional Design and Technology Consultant for Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which is a really fancy long way to say that I will be designing/helping others design training programs for the different departments in the medical center.

Now, a job offer in general is always exciting.  But for me, this is more than just that.  It's the realization of a dream I've had for a long time.  From the time I was 16 and my family randomly** stopped at Vanderbilt, I've always loved the university and everything it includes.

**(Okay, not really randomly, but more because my mom insisted I start looking at colleges and didn't care that I was an insecure, no-makeup-faced highschooler when she dragged me out of the car to walk around campus and get admissions information on our way back from a summer vacation)

Though I didn't end up going to Vanderbilt for undergrad (GO CATS!), God did give me the chance to go for grad school, and I think I appreciated my time there more than I ever could have at a younger age.  I grew so much both professionally and personally during my time as a student, and when I graduated, I made it a goal to eventually get back to Vanderbilt as an employee.

A little over two years later, I've made it!  I have no doubt that this whole situation has been a God thing.  From the job itself (which is very similar to what I do now with more responsibility and autonomy-- exactly what I was looking for!), to the timing, to the people I'll be working with, I know God has been in every little detail.

So this job represents more than just a career move.  Yes, it's a great job at a great institution that has wonderful things in it's future.  But for me, it's also a symbol of how God has woven together details from so many different times, situations, and pieces of  my life to get me to where I am today.  And I'm so thankful that He cares enough to do that.

Now it's up to me to take this opportunity and run with it.  I have no doubt it will be challenging and as much as this is my DREAM job, I know it's not going to be perfect.  But I know it's right where I'm supposed to be.  And I think that's what really matters anyway.

Around the World in a Lunch Break

THIS . . .

is what I had for lunch today.  I was lucky enough to take a tour of both Italy and Mexico on my lunch hour.  Needless to say, I am not a health nut.

Am I proud of this combo . . . NO.

Was it delicious . . . YES.

Will I be running my a$$ off after work to at least break even for the day . . . YOU BETCHA!

Making Mountains out of . . . well, really big hills

I like to run.  I really really like to run.  But I have to say that my 9 mile run yesterday made me question my own sanity (well actually more the sanity of the people who designed the trails where I was running).  Now I realize how lucky I am to actually be able to run 9 miles and go on to live a relatively active and normal Sunday afterwards.

However, I have to be honest and tell you that when I was running THIS . . .

I actually felt like I was running up THIS . . .

And that did not feel good.  But I made it through, and now that I'm no longer mid-torture, I can say it was well worth it.  And I think that's the way life is a lot of times.  You go through how-am-I-ever-going-to-survive-this moments and look back a few days/weeks/months removed and say "That was well worth it" or "Oh, now I see".

So all in all, I'm glad for my hard run and for the insight it brought . . . just don't expect me to be taking the stairs two at a time or doing jumping jacks in the near future!