The future looks bright.....

It's been a minute, how is everyone? I've been dealing with some new directions and changes in my path so blogging has taken quite a backseat these days.

Before the holidays, I was offered more responsibilities at work but there was no mention of more pay. So I wrote a proposal including a raise and the answer was "we will revisit this after the holidays". Then after the holidays a manager left and again I was offered even more to do, and a brief mention of pay increase. The increase wasn't much.... $1, I was sort of insulted. I was sort of pissed off.  So I went online to see just what a visual merchandise manager gets paid these days and the first thing that popped up was an ad for a job in a location Gerry and I have been considering for retirement one day, where my dad was raised, near where my grandmother is buried, a place Gerry and I used to go to all the time. And if I would have sat down and written a description of my skill set, this would have been the job I would have described for myself.

On a whim, I filled out the online application, and an hour later they called me! The HR person I spoke with was great, I was at ease, it went well. He set up an interview with other management people. I liked them, we were all on the same page, the job sounded great! Last Thursday I accepted the position and said goodbye to 5th Season.

Saturday was my last day there. It was a bittersweet day. I had a lump in my throat all day. I loved that job, loved the people I worked with. But honestly they were getting a bargain and the owners are just not  that into their employees. I worked my ass off, because that's what I do. I can't help it, my work ethic is over the top sometimes.... even when I am not being compensated fairly. It was a great job for easing back into the workplace though. I had not worked for anyone else since Wes was born. Working for myself was a lot easier while raising a kid. But 5th Season showed me that I do still have a lot to offer, my experience and skills are worth something. And now I have a new job paying me what I deserve for all that time spent working for the past 30+ years. The best part is I get to work out of my house and don't have to relocate.

My new job will involve traveling around North and South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee merchandising 57 stores and helping to set up and open new stores as we roll them out. I am getting a car, an amazing salary, great benefits, and the tools and support I need to do a good job. I even get to hire a staff to help me. Its a real big girl job!

This has been very surreal. The job just dropped in my lap out of the blue, I wasn't even looking for a job. But this one seems designed for me and it all fell into place so easily, it felt like a higher power had control of it all, I just floated along and accepted what came my way. Sometimes when you least expect it, the Universe drops in and says, "Hey, let me handle this, I got you". And you just have to go along with what comes your way..... you know when its happening, it just feels different from when you are trying hard to make something you want happen and it is just not going the way you want it to.

I start this weekend with a vendor show and sales meeting then I hit the road. This was my pre Wesley lifestyle, so here I go again. I had a moment last night thinking about all that I have been through this past year. I feel like I am not a mom anymore, there is so much empty space where Wesley used to be. But this will fill up a lot of that space and things will be a lot like they were before Wesley came along. Full circle. This will be an interesting year of learning. It feels good to know that a 55 year old woman can stop her career to raise a child, work for herself while doing so, then get back into the workplace and still earn a great salary and have something to offer. I don't think this would have been the case in my mom's day. We have come so far!

I have no idea what I will blog about now. This blog was started to explore my journey making pottery and it has evolved into a personal journal of life after child leaves home. Now I don't know. We'll see...... stay tuned. Life is a great big adventure isn't it?