Spring in Minnesota

Wow! We have had beautiful weather the past couple of weeks. This past weekend was unbelievable! We spent the whole weekend outside picking up sticks, spading the garden, washing cars and stuff like that. We even grilled a couple of meals and ate out on the patio. It put everyone is such a good mood - including me. then yesterday and today it cooled off and is kind of rainy. That is good though too. We really need the moisture.

On another note . . . . .hummmm, how do I put this. I take pride in my job and service I provide to my customers. My goal is to always provide "over the top" customer service. Most of the time those customers love it and and it makes me feel so good. But then you have just one customer who makes you feel terrible. Most of the time it is about things I had nothing to do with, but I seem to be the "fireman" in the office. I am the one who puts out the fires that erupt on a daily basis. Well, this week I had one of those customers that made me feel terrible. I haven't slept well, I have cried - you name it. I know I shouldn't take it personally, but sometimes I just can't help it. Some customers make it personal. I try to tell myself they aren't mad at me, they are just mad and taking it out on me. Sometimes, at 3:00 a.m. I can't convince myself.

An Epiphany

This past week I kind of had an epiphany! I have been very stressed at work for the last few years. I wondered if it was time to find a new job. In fact I did send my resume out a couple of times. But this past week, the committee I am on at work "Advertising/Promotion Committee" decided we should check out some up and coming kinds of advertising. There are 8 people on the committee from all over the country and 4 of us went to a seminar in Sioux Falls called "Social Media Marketing 101". It was very, very interesting if not a little overwhelming. There was so much information in that seminar. So much for us to think about! As I drove home from the seminar I did a lot of thinking about how to get the ball rolling for our Senior Management to get on board with this new idea. The next day I visited with 2 of the other people that went to the seminar. When we were done one of the girls said to me "Lorie, I am so glad to have you on this committee, you have such great ideas". It was then that I had the epiphany! This is where my job is going with the bank!!!!!! I was meant to go through a time trial to get to this point. I hope it all works out as I am imagining in my mind. :)

This weekend has gone just as well. I got so much done, including finishing up our taxes. What a great feeling!!! I have tomorrow off. Since I got so much done this weekend, I plan to finish up the quilt I have been working so diligently on! I probably can't go shopping or anything anyway. We are under a Winter Storm Watch for tomorrow. Yuck! I can't complain though. We have had a wonderful winter so far. It has been incredibly warm and snow free up until now. The weather better be good next weekend though. I can't wait for Fun In The Sun with the Kruse's.

Time Flies

Why do the weekends go by so fast and weekdays go by so slowly? It seems like a flash and workweek is upon us again. I have gotten a lot done this weekend though. I cleaned and did laundry and worked on the quilt. I did not get a chance to work on any of the closets though. It was my goal to do one per week. Oh well, next week I will attack the closet in the guest bath and then head upstairs to start cleaning the closets up there. the last on the list will be the attic spaces. The reason that will be last is that it is cold in there in the winter and warm in the summer. I need to do those in the spring. It is a great feeling to gradually get these spaces cleaned out though. With every space that I clean out I feel the weight on my shoulders getting less and less. :)

But today I am going to Sioux Falls with a friend to do some shopping. I need get batting and one more piece of fabric for the quilt. I would also like to look for a couple of new tops. I am really looking forward to this, so I better get ready!!!!

Purging and Piecing

I sit here tonight with a feeling of contentment. It has been a very productive day off. I started the day cleaning out the hall closet. I filled 2 garbage bags full of "junk"! Wow, my garbage can was FULL to the brim tonight when I set it out. And the closet looks wonderful. Most of the stuff I threw away I had forgotten I even had. If that is the case, it is time for it to go. Then this afternoon I worked on the quilt. I got the squares all done and pieced together. Now I have to put the boarders on it and the back on it. That won't take nearly as long as the piecing did.

And now tomorrow it is back to work. :( Now that I am on a roll with the purging and piecing, I would like to keep going. Oh well, need to get a paycheck too I guess!

Well, I certainly was right about January 3rd being busy! Holy cow!!!!! In fact the whole week was incredibly busy - and we were short handed. By Friday night I was exhausted. I slept 10 hours straight. I never sleep that much! My body must have needed some recouperation time. I sure hope it gets back to normal soon!

Here at home I have been trying to do some things around the house. I have been cleaning some storage areas, purging, and working on the wedding quilt. I feel so much better when I work on those kind of things. I need to get the quilt done. Maybe I will have it done by their 2nd anniversary. :) But I have so much more cleaning and purging to do. What to do first? Hummmmm

A Great New Year

Things are finally starting to quiet down this holiday season. It seems to have been such a blurr. Don't get me wrong, it was all great! Watching Logan and Lauren open their gifts was wonderful. Each time they opened one, they were in awe. We got such wonderful gifts from everyone as well. But it isn't about the gifts, it is about being together with family. We had a wonderful time with my Mom and brothers. We had a such a great Christmas Eve with our kids and grandkids. And then another wonderful time with the Kruse side. I just love that feeling of being with the ones you love.

New Years was also very busy. There was a Kruse-a-palooza New Year's eve, but we didn't make it to that celebration. By the time that one got organized, we had already committed to another New Year's Eve celebration. I was very torn about the whole thing, we had a lot of fun.

And now on to the new year. I have posted seval times about my fight with depression. One of the things I am hoping for in the new year, is a new outlook on my life and my situation. If I can take a more positive slant on the things in my life, I hope to be able to eliminate or reduce the impact of depression. I need to focus, focus, focus on all of the great things in my life. I am truely blessed.

Back to work tomorrow. It will be extremely busy. Our other new accounts person is on leave so I will be trying to take on her responsibilities. It is also time for my end of year reports. Yipes!!!!!! Feeling a little overwhelmed already!!!!!

A Time of Thanks

In this season of Thanksgiving I have been thinking about all I have to be thankful for. First and foremost I am thankful for my family. I have a husband who loves me and 2 fabulous children. Both of the children have married wonderful, loving, caring people. I also have 2 wonderful grandchildren who are the absolute love of my life! Then there is our extended family. There are so many families that don't get along, but this family is so incredibly close. They love me unconditionally for who I am and not what I am.

I also have good health. Over the years I have heard the quote "well, at least you have your health". It means more to me every year. Every time I hear about someone who has been diagnosed with a disease or has had a heart attack or stroke, I think about how lucky I am to be healthy.

I am so thankful for my friends. They are always there for me - to pick me up when I am down and celebrate with me when I do well. they always bring me back to center.I have the best friends and I love them!

There are also many other "things" in my life that I am thankful for . . . . . . a good job, a warm, cozy house, food on the table and clothes on my back. Some days we overlook all of these blessings. We tend to focus on the things we don't have or what ever is going on in our life that test us or don't go the way we think it should.

God has been so good to me. I give him all of the credit. I am sooooo blessed!