What just happened?

To catch everyone up in the last two weeks I have:
1. Celebrated Eve's 2nd birthday with a family dinner - thanks Dad, Anne, Sam, Karen, Audrey and Elise for coming!
2. Had a 3 day mini vacation in Edmonton while Andrew was marking final exams where I got to catch up with old friends and take the kids on a walk down memory lane. It was so amazingly fun I can't even describe it.
3. Gone to family reunion in Raymond where we camped in a tent trailor. So fun to watch the kids playing with their cousins.
4. Survived a three day beehive camp in Drumheller where we had some great times and were rained on ( of course!)
5. Got a job.

What was that last one? A job? Where did that come from? Here's the story, you tell me.

Here's how it happened.

June 23 - received a email forward from a colleaque about a temporary ( 3 month) job at Agrium. The main duty: Job description writing - my forte. With some other duties: HR planning, Policy Development, Native Strategy all for there Vault Potash Expansion. I read the qualifications and think, " I bet I could get an interview for that."

June 24th - try to call the recruiter to get more information and leave a message. Look up Agrium's website and get a little more interested.

June 26th -email my resume with a short email cover outlining my qualifications. That night we leave for Edmonton.

June 29th - Return from Edmonton.

July 2nd - Agrium's recruiter calls. I talk to her and tell her I am looking for part time and I also have some projects I have already committed to. She says she will check with the hiring manager to see if there is flexibility.

July 3rd: We leave for Raymond. I get a call just past High River from Agrium's recruiter. There is flexibility and we set up an interview for Monday.

July 5 - Back from Raymond, decide I better learn what Potash really is. Also talk to Mom and Dad about Native Strategies. Read an article listing Agrium as one of Calgary's top 5 employers to work for.

July 6 - Pack like a crazy person for camp. Have my interview at 2:00. (I didn't feel nervous but did get that excited jittery feeling like I was getting ready to go on stage.) There I learn that the job is pretty much perfect: I could do a lot of the work remotely - and part time is totally possible. The office is 5 minutes from my house and 3 minutes from the girls school. The building is so nice, and there is a gym in the basement. I came home pretty sure that I got the job - I suspect I was the only person they interviewed.

July 7 - The phone rings when I am walking out the door to go to girls camp. I am offered a temporary position with benefits at an hourly rate I quoted in the interview.

July 8th - Fax in my paperwork at the Drumheller I.G.A (actually one of the priesthood leaders at the camp faxed it in for me. I still owe him 5 dollars.)
July 9th - Back from girls camp. EXAUSTED

July 10th - report to Agrium at 8:00 a.m.

So I don't think I could come up with a more perfect position. I think it has the right mix of stuff I have done before and new stuff to learn. For the next 2 to 3 weeks I will be working full time, then three days a week after that. I just report my hours each week. I can work from home or in the office. The offer letter is just for three months but the project is huge and expected to go on for the next 3-5 years so should be extended. I get to work pretty independently and they seem to be an organization the moves fast - so there won't be tons of waiting for approvals. Parking is free. People are nice. The work is exciting. My boss seems super. And I will get to learn so much. Next week I get to go on a business trip to meet the key players at the mine and take a tour.

I asked Andrew to give me a blessing last night. The blessing was so beautiful. I was blessed that i wouldn't feel apprehensive about work, that as I thought about the position I would just feel joy. - and I do. I was also blessed to be able to quickly grasp and organize information, which is exactly what I will need to do, and that I would have the chance to do missionary work. I was also blessed in my responsibilities as a mother, that I would have energy to play with the girls when I came home and would be blessed with sensitivity to their wants and needs.

Anyway - I can't even begin to describe how blessed I feel. As you can see, this position just kind of fell from heaven. A few months ago I said that I thought I would like to find an interesting part time position in an office close to home. I can't believe how excited I am about this job. It feels like Christmas. I don't even feel guilty because I just feel so strongly that this comes from the Lord. It will provide so many opportunities. Alice will be able to take piano lessons, and Jackie can take dance lessons without us having to sell Evie. We celebrated by taking the girls to see Hannah Montana ( which they all loved) and we ordered pizza.

So thats the long drawn out story. A new adventure begins.