You're looking at our celebration dessert we devoured the evening I accepted my new job. Starting October 26, I will be working for Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District in the Human Resources department. I am beyond excited and anxious to start. After two interviews, multiple phone calls to discuss references and background checks, I was finally able to put in my two weeks notice at Target, something I had been wanting to do since January of this year.
It has not been the easiest journey since graduation in May to get to this point. I have had "ups and downs" all summer concerning my post-graduation position in life. While I have always been happy and blessed,I was anxious to begin this new chapter, something that I had been waiting to do for over three years, and it felt like it just wasn't happening fast enough. Before GCISD, I had been to three different interviews which didn't turn into jobs, and so I was feeling pretty beat down. On top of that, everyone I encountered wanted to give me career advice. I had people telling me "You should really go into finance, that's where the money is going to be at after everyone has lost all their retirement in the economy crash" or "Ya know, it took my daughter/son a year to find a job after graduation" or my personal favorite "You should really take some education courses while you are job hunting. You could always fall back on teaching". Sure...after three years of graduate school the first thing I'm going to do is re-enroll in school to take some education courses. NOT!!!!!
Through all the rejection, disappointment, waiting, impatience, frustration, screaming and crying fits (not my best moments), I was blessed with a supportive and steadfast husband and a Father who had it all under control. This position at GCISD is absolutely perfect for my lifestyle, for our financial goals as a couple, and for my personal goals for a career. I received encouragement from many likely and unlikely sources, and was supported by prayer from our church family.
To make this experience even better, a few days after accepting my job, Dave and I packed up and took a much needed relaxing vacation to Mom and Dad's house in Arkansas. We love going to visit his parents for many reasons. They live in small town Arkansas, so it is quiet, relaxed, and slow paced for us...a much needed change from our day to day routine in Grapevine. Plus, they always seem to find fun and different things for us to do. This time, we watched some killer volleyball games at the college and, of course, at dutch oven cobbler. They manage to "spoil" us without even trying, and we are so thankful for the rest that being at their house provided. This was the first time we were able to visit them while there were students on campus. I managed to snap a few pictures of their volleyball team, of which the coach and his wife are good friend's of Mom and Dad Norvell.

I must close by saying Thank You to all my family and friends who have prayed for me and encouraged me during the summer and early fall. I am so thankful to my Lord for the blessing of family and friends who want to see me succeed and will walk the path with me.

I want you to know that I've started to write a blog multiple times this week, but haven't been satisfied with what I have produced. I think I have too much going through my mind and am having difficulty processing it all. I'm hoping that when school starts for Dave and I have some time alone, I can write down the summer wrap-up in a blog.

I promise

that there is a blog post in the making. I have a weekend off coming up, and blogging is on my list. keep holding your breath faithful readers.

The weekend I became a Master of the Universe

Well...not really a Master of the Universe, but a Mater none-the-less. I realize that it has been over a week since these events took place, but during that week I have been "detoxing" from all the fun and celebrations, as well as toying with some life decisions, disappointments, and anxiety about what is to come. Those thoughts will come in a later blog, but for now, I want to run down and share some pictures of what a fabulous and wonderful graduation weekend I had.

First things first, I must admit how absolutely spoiled I was to have my whole family commit to coming to my graduation. Everyone came....my Dad from Oregon, my sister from California, my brother and sister-in-law from Philadelphia, my in-laws from Arkansas. I wonder how many miles total everyone traveled to get to Grapevine for little ole me! I felt blessed and overwhelmed to know that they were all coming, and a little bit guilty. Of all my siblings (6 total from the Norvell and Vendsel side) there are a total of 5 Master degrees, and I have only attended one of those ceremonies (which just happened to be in Fort Worth). So, to know that I had skipped out on the other four ceremonies, yet they still decided to travel to come see me was exciting, but I was very humbled also. When they all graduate with their PhD's, I'll be there with bells on!

So, the weekend started with everyone arriving on Wednesday afternoon. I picked my dad up in the early afternoon first, and was delighted to have a few hours to myself with him. It has been over a year since I had seen my dad, and during that year he had recovered from colon cancer. I must admit, I was a bit nervous about seeing him. I was afraid his appearance may have been altered from all the treatment, or that he had some lingering side effects that I didn't know about, as this was the case with a very close friend of mine who died of cancer when I was in college. But, my dad, ever the worlds strongest man in my eyes, looked fantastic and as healthy as ever! It was great to see him, as I cherish all of the time we get to spend together. My sister and grandmother arrived later in the afternoon, so we picked them up from the air port and proceeded out to my mom's house in Dallas for a "family reunion". Mom made a wonderful buffet dinner and everyone had a great time talking and visiting...

Sarah and Rachel, wine in hand and girly talking to their hearts content

Sarah and Dad.....

Mike and Rachel, who just celebrated their 6th anniversary!

My husband and my brother. Not quite sure the story behind this photo......

My mom holding the marvelous Lemon Meringue Pie she made for dessert.

Thursday afternoon, all the "kids" on the Vendsel side came out to Grapevine for the day. This picture below is after a full day of fun. I made a simple lunch, and then the girls went out to the spa for mani-pedi's and the boys went.....book shopping! Afterwards, I cooked a birthday lunch for Rachel (which just happened to be the same day as my graduation) and we ate (some more) and laughed and talked (some more). It was a great day to spend with family.


I love this picture of the Vendsel kids and dad. I don't think one like this exists besides this one. Despite our weariness from two long days, we all are smiling and happy to be together.

My sisters and I at the table

And then Friday was graduation day! And what a day it was. My in-laws came over in the afternoon, who had arrived the night before, for lunch and we visited. The ceremony was at 4, followed by dinner at an awesome Mexican restaurant close by our house in Grapevine. The ceremony was very....surreal. It was very anti-climatic. Walk across the stage, get handed a flower (in lieu of handshakes to avoid swine flu) from the President of our University (who I had never seen before that moment), walk a few more steps, get handed an (empty) diploma folder with a letter stating I would have my diploma mailed to me in six weeks, sit back down, and it's done. I spent the rest of the two hours goofing off with my friends from school, trying to be patient when all I could think about was the amazing Mexican food waiting for me to consume. I was glad that I did walk, but was a little disappointed no fireworks went off when my name called (just kidding).

My best friend and college roommate, Brooke, came to see me graduate. Again, I was spoiled and humbled to have her there

After the ceremony with my mom and Mike

And with my dad...I'm such a daddy's girl!

And with my siblings.

At the restaurant with my nephew, Caleb. He's not even six months old and has already been to two graduation ceremonies. And, he didn't cry the entire time at both. Such a good boy!!

Me and the bestie!

The best in-laws a girl could ask for. I am constantly blessed by their generosity, support, wisdom and the unconditional love they have offered me from the very beginning.
Daddy-o!

And the Vendsel/Bardes women. Such beauties.

Saturday, Mike and Sarah come over to see Dad off, as he left that afternoon for home. I made brunch and we said our (tearful for me) goodbyes. That evening, the Norvells came over and prepared the most amazing cookout ( I have pictures of this event,but can't seem to locate them). They grilled shrimp, kebabs, and made a triple berry cobbler in Walter's dutch oven that he brought all the way from Arkansas. Sunday, after church, we had a family photo session with Lydia (who, I realized I don't have a single picture with, or my brother-in-law John. It must be because Lydia we behind her own camera most of the weekend). Lydia took us out to the seminary for professional family photos that I can't wait to see! By Wednesday, everyone was gone, and I felt more fulfilled, care-free, and humbled than I had in a long time.

Tagged again.

I was actually tagged a few days ago, but as my tagger so aptly pointed out, I've been a bit busy finishing some last minute (in the very literal sense) school work. But here I go...

8.
8 things I am looking forward to
1. Becoming a Master next Friday
2. Seeing all my family from all over the country in one place next week
3. The day that I can finally quit my job at Starbucks (just wish I knew when it was)
4. Summer and having Dave home more often
5. Mothers day tomorrow and spoiling my mom
6. Finally getting the call that says "you're hired!"
7. Watching my nephew grow up
8. Hopefully seeing my bestie sometime this summer

8 things I did yesterday
1. Made dozens of coffee drinks for complete strangers while acting like I knew them
2. Shopped for Mothers Day for three people
3. Ate an awesome Chicken Fajita Baked Potato
4. Bought my dog a toothbrush
5. Shampooed some of the carpets in my house
6. Took two showers
7. Worked on my last graduate assignment ever!
8. Dreamed about a vacation

8 things I wish I could do
1. Eat whatever I want without the repercussions
2. Not freak out every time I went to the doctor or dentist
3. Be really really good at something rare...like hieroglyphics or playing the harmonica
4. find my dream job
5. Be more confident in myself and not worry so much about what others think
6. Relax about the cleanliness of my house
7. scrapbook really well
8. Be a rock star

8 shows I watch
(tv has taken a backburner this semester, so I'll just post 8 shows that I like)
1. The Office
2. Lost
3. Jon and Kate plus 8 (how ironic)
4. Little People, Big World
5. Deadliest Catch
6. What Not To Wear
7. The Millionaire Matchmaker
8. The Food Network (all of the shows)

8 people to tag
1. Lydia
2. Robin
3. Lauren
4. Janice
5. Jessica Carey
6. Katie Decker
7. Catherine in Hungary
8. Stephanie Turner

It's "Teacher Appreciation" week at Dave's school, so this morning,

he asked me to come pick up this

which is really bad for me, cause over the weekend,

I bought this for graduation day

Oh the dilemma.

My plans for Friday, May 8

sleep in as long as I can possibly stand it
fix myself a calorie laden breakfast that includes some sort of fancy pancakes with whip cream
Go to Jazzercise (maybe)
Lounge in my pajamas till noon
Take a bubble bath
pat myself on the back for finishing grad school
Watch Twilight, followed by Pride and Prejudice and Becoming Jane, all while eating ice cream
Take a nap on the couch
Order pizza for dinner
Revel in my new found freedom
Go to bed