New Job!

Well I am a little slow in updating again because I've had a lot going on! Last Monday, exactly a week ago today, I started my new job! So far, it's been great. I have had a lot of learning and adjusting to do, but I feel like it was definitely the right move.

The first few days were all spent inprocessing (translation: walking all over the place trying to find different offices to have them tell me what they do or make me take a test or something and then sign my paperwork). I couldn't get on the computers till Wednesday but finally got that squared away only to find 16 emails waiting for me from that morning!

The worst part was that due to the job, I had to get immunizations, too! Excuse me? I don't have a clue what shots I've had or haven't had, but if you ask me I'll tell you I had them all and last week at that, I'm upated, nothing to see here, move along please, thank you! I called my mom and begged her to fake my shot record but she, being the wonderful mom she is, recommended if I can get the immunizations, and for free, I really should do it -- it's for my own good -- yeah, I guess she was right. I made it through (on the last possible day I could get shots) with no troubles at all! Even got a Spongebob band-aid and they drew a smiley face around my TB test.

The rest of the week was spent simply learning who's who and what's what and of course, going to meetings. I have a feeling I am going to be busier than I've ever been, but that's good! I love being busy and feeling important in my job. In this job I feel like I will come home exhausted every day but feel like I've actually accomplished something and made a difference. The people I work with have reminded me many times what big shoes I have to fill (Jen really did a great job here) but have also been super supportive and offering to help with whatever I need help with. Bonus, I even have my own office again. Yayyyy!!!!!

Last weekend we traveled to the Bodensee, a.k.a Lake Constance, with the doggies. We met with Dan and Kelli and Bryce (Sonia was on vacation with her sister). It was really fun. The hotel we stayed at backed up to miles upon miles it seemed of vineyards stretching up the hillsides. if you walked to the top you could look down all over the valley and the lake below. Across the lake you could see the Alps. We were looking at Switzerland!! On Saturday we took the ferry to the island of Mainau, the flower island, and wandered around. It was basically a giant botanical garden with a butterfly house. Then later we all rented a paddle boat (5-seater) and paddled on the lake a little bit. We really wanted to go to Switzerland but the ferry ride would have taken a while and we figured this time, looking at it was just as nice. Saturday evening turned out to be a specatular scene as the Swisss were celebrating some sort of national holiday and shooting fireworks from all across the lakeshore. Beautiful. The city we stayed in was so cute and small. Bikers and walkers everywhere you could look. Some day we hope to maybe go back and rent one of the houses on the lake front with all of our friends here and just chill out for a week!

In the coming weeks we will hopefully be traveling to Berlin for a conference I get to go to for work. I am very excited and am trying to get the paperwork squared away this week so we can go. It would be us, Jen, Nate, Lira and the kids. How fun would that be, and in Berlin, too! I can't wait!

All in all, some good things happening here now but I still have a long way to go before I feel settled and fully comfortable with my new job duties. I'll keep you posted!