It had been awhile! So much has happened in the last few months, it’s hard to believe that my last post was on April 7th! To give you a little update on what I’ve been up to, let me just fill you in on a few of the big things that have happened since my last post…
1. April 19, 2010- Crazy day and a day that ended in a way I never thought it would. Woke up that morning, had a crazy day at work, went to look at a house, really liked the house, made an offer on the house and they accept the offer! Totally unexpected, but the kind of snap decision that was totally worth it! This is Grandma and Grandpa Padilla’s anniversary and she came down that night to look at the house with my parents and me Mom looked at it online and just had a “really good feeling about this one!” and wanted to come down and see it in person, she knew Grandma would want to see it too. They both said it was meant to be and I totally agree!
2. May 9, 2010- I was officially appointed to be the Chapter Advisor for my chapter, the Rho Chapter, of Alpha Xi Delta at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. My advisor, Becky, has been our advisor for the last 8 years (I think it’s 8…) and she has recently been appointed to serve the National Fraternity as the National Recruitment Director for Alpha Xi Delta. Becky has done an outstanding job as our advisor and we would not be where we are today without her, and I know she will be amaXIng in her new role. She traveled for Alpha Xi Delta as an ELC after she graduated and she is who inspired me to go after the same thing, and I did and it worked out and I am so happy! Becky is very inspiring woman in my life and I am very honored to step into this new role as she steps into hers. I am very much looking forward to being the advisor and I am looking forward to all of the excitement and positive challenges I will face in this role. I am very excited to work with my chapter sisters and learn from them while teaching them.
3. May 27, 2010- Closed on my house. Buying a house is such a process, but I learned a lot. I am very thankful for supportive parents, a great real estate agent and a wonderful loan officer. They took the time to explain everything to me and help me through the process every step of the way.
4. May 31, 2010- Moved into my very first home. Thank God for my amazing Mom, Dad, Grandparents, Brother-Colin, Chase and my friends, Emily and Ben, who all helped with some or all of the following: cleaning, painting, yard work, moving out of and moving into, and unpacking. My Mom, Dad and Grandpa especially have spent almost every weekend at my house since I’ve moved, My Mom has been helping with cleaning, unpacking and organizing and Dad and Grandpa have been getting my yard in shape and teaching my how to use my lawn mower. Thanks to them my house was in great shape and ready to show off during a little house warming party my parents hosted at my new house on Saturday, June 12. It was a fun little party and I am very thankful for those that made the trip to Lincoln or just came over- Aunt Mary & Uncle Doug, Aunt Mary Beth & Jayme, Grandma & Aunti Gram, Grandma & Grandpa, Stef & Chase, Liz & Peter, Emily, Mom, Dad, Colin- THANK YOU for coming & love you!
4. June 7, 2010- The very first day of the summer day camp program that I am in charge of, and the first- first day ever at our branch (we just opened in September 2009) and it was a great day! The number of kids we have enrolled varies from week to week, but we have nearly 130 kids in most of the weeks. I have a pretty strong staff and we LOVE our kids! We are having a blast. I am putting in VERY long days at work, but it is totally worth it when the kids run to me with a big hug and tell me how much they love being in our program- those moments make all the stressful stuff kind of just fade away.
5. June 15, 2010- My 1 year anniversary working full-time in my position. My first job after I graduated was traveling for Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity as an Educational Leadership Consultant, but the position only went from July 2008 to April 2009, and it was an amazing experience that definitely prepared me for the position I am in now, however it was very different from my job as a Program Director. In my first year as a Program Director I have learned so much and I have been given some very amazing opportunities. I was able to be a part of opening a facility and starting our before and after school programs, youth programs and child care programs from the ground up, hiring staff, working with other directors and making changes and improvements as we grow and learn. I am very thankful that I have a job where I can go to my boss and be completely open and honest with him and he offers genuine support and feedback. I am very thankful that I have a job where I can learn from and collaborate with other talented, smart and caring people who are not afraid to share their ideas and allow me to do the same. I am thankful for my “rockstars” who help keep me sane and make my job so much easier because they just “get” me and know how to take initiative and help get things done. But most of all, I am thankful that I have the opportunity to work with, care for and teach children, both hands on and through the programs that we offer. I feel blessed that I can make a difference in their lives and that they are able to make a difference in mine.
Anyway, that’s about it. Sorry for the long absence and I will be checking back more often now that my internet is all hooked up and working in my house and things are settling down at work!
Thanks for stopping by!
Love,
