Fall, Friends, and Football

I love Fall.  I love my Friends.  And I love Football.  I came across this picture the other day and it's got all three so I thought I would share it.  This is when all of my wonderful FRIENDS came in the FALL for the Vandy-UK FOOTBALL game in Nashville.  I'll always remember this weekend because it was a great group of girls, we won the game, and for the highlight- one of my wonderful friends left my number for one of the waiters at the restaurant we went to later that night.  Of course I can't blame her for the bad judgment I used that led me to actually go out with him . . . but that's another story for another day.

So, hopefully this picture encourages you to spend time this FALL enjoying FOOTBALL with your FRIENDS.

I love my memories!

Update

A lot has happened since the last time I blogged so I figured I'd just give a quick update to keep those of you who care "in the know".

• My last day at O'Charley's was August 27.  It was a surreal experience to pack up my things, turn in my computer and keys, and realized I would never be going back there.  But we celebrated my next step with a DELICIOUS mexican lunch and I even got a gift certificate for a massage (which I will definitely be needing after my half marathon in a few weeks)!  As I was saying goodbye to everyone at the end of lunch, I was aware of how lucky I was to have such good people in my life that were sad to see me go, but are excited about the opportunities I will have in my new position.  My O'Charley's "family" gave me my introduction into the working world and helped me learn a lot about myself both personally and professionally.  And for that, I am oh so thankful to them!  It also helps to know that goodbye wasn't really goodbye because I will see them for Friday Happy Hour this week!

• I started my job with Vanderbilt on September 1, and boy have I been on the go ever since.  The medical center is a huge, fascinating, and amazing place.  I'm sure it will take quite a while for me to fully understand everything that the organization includes, but I'm getting a little bit more comfortable everyday.  I can already tell that I am going to learn so much from all of the different people I'll have the opportunity to interact with, and there is no doubt that I will be stretched and challenged.  It's a little scary, but more than anything, I'm EXCITED!  Plus, I can get discount movie tickets, there is a Quizno's within walking distance, and I get season basketball tickets for next to nothing.  Talk about perks!

• This past Sunday I ran 14 miles!  I can't believe I actually did it!  That's the farthest I've ever run in my lifetime and it was awesome.  The weather was unbelievable, and I ran with a great group of people who definitely motivated me to keep going.  However, I think the thing the biggest motivator was knowing I could eat WHATEVER I wanted when I was finished.  And eat I did!  I had a wonderful Totino's pizza and delicious Menchies ice cream.  I also managed to fit in some macaroni and cheese later that night!  Even though I'm really proud of my accomplishment, I have to say I'm glad I won't have to run more than 10 miles until race day!  I think these type of achievements are definitely better if they are few and far between!

So that's about for what's been going on in my world.  These past few weeks have been quite crazy, but I'm happy for the whirlwind and all the changes.  Nothing like change to keep life interesting!

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!

Happy Hour

Each and every one of you probably knows that, for me,  there are very few things that top an ice cold Coors Light when it comes to a refreshing and relaxing way to end a stressful day in my world.  And for that reason, Happy Hours are usually a welcome event in my life at the end (and sometimes middle, and well let's be honest, sometimes beginning too) of my work weeks.  But last night, I had one of my Happiest Hours in a long time, and it had nothing to do with ice cold beer.

Last night, a hot and muggy Nashville Tuesday night not unlike most nights this summer, I got together with 3 of my very favorite girls.  These are UK-loving, live-in-a-house-with-40-other-women-and-no-air-conditioning, laugh-or-cry-with-you-over-anything-and-everything kind of girls.  I feel so blessed to call them my friends and to know that I can sit with them on the patio of an crowded restaurant and be a part of some of the most interesting and hilarious conversations I've had in a long time.  The kind of conversations that make you think about your life and where it's going and who you really want to be.  The kind of conversations that make you laugh until you snort and cry and snort again.  The kind of conversations that make you realize that though you will never go back to college again, you get to relive the best parts of college through these friendships that will last a long, long time.

I feel so lucky to have friends like these.  I'm looking forward to many more "Happy Hours" that have nothing to do with half price drinks!

Running on Water

This weekend I thought I was the luckiest girl in the world!

On Saturday afternoon, it was actually cloudy in Nashville, and I could hardly wait to go running without having to worry about the sun mercilessly beating down on me.  But, as it turns out, these dream running conditions were too good to be true.

I started out from my apartment and had a nice little 3 mile route planned out.  It was perfect- or so I thought.  As I started out, it started to sprinkle a little bit.  This only made me happier, as I truly believe the best run includes a little LIGHT rain.  I mean, you don't even notice you are sweating when you've got rain coming down!

Unfortunately, this enjoyable sprinkle turned into a deluge about a mile into my run.  At first, I figured I would just run through it.  I mean I was already soaked, so I might as well just keep going.  If anything, it would make my shower when I got back one of the best ever.  But, this rain was a force to be reckoned with!  The drops got so big they felt like they were pelting my eyeballs, and I figured that instead of running blind and possibly ending up as roadkill, I should probably stop and wait for the downpour to pass.

Luckily, I was close to a shopping center AND a Fire/Police station, so I found the awning of a Japanese restaurant to hide out under for a while.  As I was waiting, the owner of the restaurant was kind enough to bring me some hot tea (which warmed me up but made my stomach a little jiggly for the run back).  I waited for what seemed like forever, but the sky just would not close up!  

So, I decided that perhaps the men charged with protecting and serving the general public would be kind enough to take me back to my apartment.  This was not as simple of a request as you might think however.  I darted over to the station and found a fireman and asked him for a lift.  He kindly informed me that unless I was hurt, neither he nor any of his coworkers would be able take me home because of the "liability" involved.

So, I trucked home in the rain with soggy shoes, a see through white shirt and a blue sports bra, and shorts that were suctioned to my thighs (which as far as I was concerned were already drawing too much attention when the shorts were loose and dry), thinking that this rainy day was not as much a stroke of good luck as it was God's practical joke on me.  I made it safely, and I will say that my shower was one of the best I've ever had.

Needless to say, that turned out to be one of my LEAST favorite running experiences, but I did learn something out of the situation: If I'm ever stranded again, I will be sure to "sprain" my ankle so that I can get a ride home!

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