out with the old, in with the new

Everything Changes.

It's true. The moment you think you've planned something life is 2 steps ahead of you and making different plans already. So what do you do? You role with the punches and ready yourself for whatever comes next!

Life had plans for me. Plans that unfolded in 3 short weeks. Let me fill you in:

I was in Cincinnati for the weekend with 2 of my college roommate's and a bunch of their family for a charity run supporting the American Heart Association. It was Saturday morning and all 14 of us were up and dressed and heading downtown to watch the Kids Fun Run and pick up our bib numbers for our race on Sunday morning. I had my coat on, shoes on, and was standing at the back door when I picked up my phone. It was a lady that worked in Human Resources for Hospice of Dayton. I had applied for a job the week before but, lets face it, I've been sort of applying for jobs for the past year so I wasn't really thinking I would hear anything. Life had other plans. I talk to the lady from Hospice of Dayton and answered a few questions that she had about my application. She then informed me that they were final round interviewing people for the position already but would like me to come in for an interview. She asks me when I'm available and I tell her sometime in the next week. Nope, that wasn't in the cards. "You don't want to wait that long" she says, "can you come in today?" I proceed to tell her that I am in Cincinnati for this run and don't have a suit or anything. "That's okay," she says. I make a phone call to my mother, ponder the situation, and decide that I'm much closer to Dayton in Cincinnati than I am in Celina so I should just go. I run inside to tell my roommate's and their family that I can't go with them and have to run to Dayton but will meet them back at the house in time for dinner. So off I went. I spent over 2 hours in the interviews and walked away thinking it was a great opportunity for me to put all of my passions together and hoped for the chance to work there. I also walked away with a second interview already scheduled. A few days later, I drove from Celina to Dayton for my 2nd interview and before I made it back home I received a phone call offering me the job. I couldn't believe the timing, or how quickly everything had happened, but I knew that life had a way of working things like this out. After piecing it all together and working through some details I accepted the position and decided that Hospice of Dayton was the next stop for me in my adventurous life. So, here I am, writing this from my new place that I moved into last weekend. It all happened so fast I still can't wrap my head around it!

Graduating from college and getting a job is any easy decision but leaving a good job to go to another job is a much tougher decision and a much bigger risk! But when it came down to it I knew that working in non-profit and health care while also continuing to work in HR was a blend of all that I am passionate about and a chance to use my professional skills to give back and help those in need. It feels good! The feedback from people that I have met already about the ways in which Hospice of Dayton has helped them or their family in a time of need is overwhelming and encouraging and it feels like a really good thing to be a part of. Most importantly, I feel more "me" than I've felt in a long time. Celina was good to me and I learned a lot at Federal Mogul but the truth is both places wore me down in ways I never would have thought. In Celina, meeting anyone my age was a challenge and there were days when I wouldn't see a single person if I didn't want to. After a few friends that I had made there moved away, I was left spending virtually all of my time alone. That gets old and tiring when you're a person that loves people like I do! And Federal Mogul wasn't exactly a positive and uplifting place with the company and auto industry in the state that it is. Plus, it seemed as if every time I thought things were going well there was another roadblock there to bring me crashing back down to reality. I became this person that complained constantly and lost this inherit ability to role with the punches with a smile on my face that I've always had. I was worn down and disheartened and in need of a change that could bring me back on track to becoming the person that I want to be. So, here I am! I feel refreshed and re-energized with a new sense of purpose. I get to go to work everyday very much in touch with over 500 patients that I am helping to serve. My responsibility is great in finding the right people to care for patients and their families, but my reward is greater in knowing that anyone who comes into our care is taken care of in the best possible ways.

Lately I find myself incredibly humbled with all of the changes going on around me. I am humbled by life and how quickly it changes plans for us and gets us to where we need to be. I'm never in the wrong place because life has me there for a reason and as long as I am willing to learn what it has to teach me I can never go wrong. I am humbled by the help that I had in getting here in such a short amount of time. Friends were there to offer a place to stay before I got moved in and they were there to help me pack up and move my life again. My family was there to pack me up, drive me down, and get me all settled into a new place. They helped me find my way around so that I can make this place feel like home. They sent encouraging cards and messages supporting my decision to take on this new adventure with open arms. And I am humbled by the work that I now see going on around me everyday. Humbled to see compassionate people reaching out and going beyond themselves to lend a hand to those in need when they need it the most. And humbled to know that there is joy and hope and happiness in people even at the end of their lives as I now see evidence of that every day.

It feels great to be here! Like always, life was 2 steps ahead of me preparing me for this moment and this adventure. And luckily, I was there to embrace the changes and welcome the adventure!

So, I bring you this update with a humbled and excited spirit and I hope that it finds you in the same state. And if you're ever passing through the Dayton area or just want to stop in for a visit, you know who to call :-)

Cape Cod

This past weekend I travelled to Cape Cod to visit my good friend Jaclyn who is serving in an Americorps program. I had a great time biking, hiking, serving, eating, and taking lots of pictures. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend:
Hiked out to the ocean Easter morning after brunch. That's me being generally excited about life!

Great picture of Jac.

Jac and I in our Easter dresses!

Cool stairs down by the water

Early morning bike ride out to a cool lake

Funny jumping picture!

The "SOLE" of TOMS shoes

Sweet picture of our shoes!

This is us wearing our TOMS hoping we'll make it on the website!

Funny Girls.

Running away from the freezing cold ocean!

Cool picture from Provincetown

Jac and I in our cool Americorps shirts standing by the fence we built as part of the service project they were hosting!

We painted our own coffee mugs!

Me painting some pottery!

At trivia!

What a refreshing trip this was for me. Getting to be outside, hang out and meet lots of cool people, catch up with my good friend, and take a few deep breaths was so rejuvenating! I'm feeling all ready and excited to take on the next adventure life has waiting for me! Expect an update soon!

Hope everyone had a great Easter!