Let's Review...

This week, I had my first ever performance review since starting with mywedding.com in December of 2007. I was, even though I shouldn't have been, a bit nervous. But it went really well and the unexpected happened: I got a raise. This is the second raise I've EVER received in my life. The first was at the bank. I've never really worked anywhere long enough to get a raise...or it just wasn't an option because they were cheapos (haha...) or going out of business. The longest job I've had was at the bank. My mom kept telling me I'd get a raise with my review and I kept telling her that she was mistaken. So needless to say it was not at all expected in any shape or form. Heck, I forgot people even got raises. It's only happened once so it's not something I think about very often. It's not a keyword in my blog so that tells you that it hasn't happened since I started this thing.
To add to things, the mywedding.com peeps have been so gracious to me already that I just felt...if I never got a raise EVER, I'd still be happy. I love what I do, I love where I work, I love working from home (even though I miss the office daily), I love everyone I work with, the list goes on. And best of all...I feel like I'm good at what I do. That in itself is one of the best feelings in the world. Being in a job that you enjoy and you're good at: priceless.
Almost as if to cue a change since my review and raise (even though nothing about my job is really changing), this week has been a mad house. I have been on conference calls with the office so much that one day my phone almost died completely. I had to sprint to my bedroom to get my phone charger so I didn't cut my manager off mid-sentence. It's also been in a constant state of overheating...so...my poor phone is getting the short end of the stick..........is that even a saying or did I just combine like...three? Blunt end of the stick vs. shortest straw? I don't even know. Anywaysssssss...needless to say, it's been busy. But in the thick of it, I've been SO happy. I love where I work. I love feeling challenged.
But the main reason I'm feeling good this week is I've started a new routine. I wake up earlier and spend time with God and give myself time to get ready in the morning instead of rolling out of bed. I always feel so much more awake when I'm READY. And having my time with God just gives me a nice jump-start for the day. It's been something I've needed to do for a long time. I did regularly before we moved here...but then I got thrown off. But I'm back. It's so good to pray regularly again. I keep a prayer journal and it's amazing to reread them when I finish them and see how much He has done in my life and other's lives. I continued in an old journal I had started a year or two ago...and I reread a little bit and wow. That alone should have inspired me to start doing this daily. The one that stood out was an old friend from school had Leukemia and I was praying for her that He'd heal he somehow. She's been cancer-free for over a year now! It's just...amazing. And humbling. And it's also about John. I don't want to neglect giving him prayer as he's over seas. I can't do that. I can't be that selfish.
So yeah...that's been my life this week. It's Friday. I have a Sushi date with my friend Lauren. And then maybe a movie or something with her and Monique. Not sure yet. We'll see. This weekend feels like the perfect reward for a hard-worked week. Now if only I could schedule creativity into my life more regularly. Gotta get on that. I got too many demands for those robots over Christmas...hmm...