It's Here...

Tomorrow's my last day at work. It's bittersweet. I have given SO much to this job over the past 5 years. It has eaten into my family time, and I have lost dozens of hours of sleep due to late night calls and issues. I have fixed dozens of issues without even a "Thanks for your hard work." I give my all every single day.

It didn't matter. They didn't care about my work record or my outstanding performance reviews, or the awards I'd won in the last 5 years. They dropped me, and a few thousand others, because I didn't want to move. Well, I couldn't, really. We won't separate our family for the sake of a job, and Jon goes where the Army tells him to.

Where he goes, I go. It's as simple as that.

I won't miss the job itself - I have said for years that I don't want to be an antivirus administrator for the rest of my life. I won't miss the long hours, the "it's not my job" mentality, the calls at 2 am (even when I am supposed to be on vacation!).

I will miss working at home. It was a blessing, to be able to be here for the kids and work at the same time.

I have decided to take the next couple months to chill, re-group, and spend time with the kids at the beach. I need to think about what I will do next.

I have started networking, but we need to get settled in a new house in a new city before I can start back to work. I'm even considering going back to school for a Master's Degree. For years, I have wanted to be a college professor, and I am really considering pursuing that.

The next few months will be tough - moving, leaving our friends, waiting for our stuff to arrive from Hawaii, new schools, new town, different everything. And no job.

I pray and pray that that will just be temporary. I humbly ask that you pray for it, too.

May's half over!

I told you, life at Casa Heffner is busy every May. So many things going on, so little days in the month to complete them!

Abby's recital was last weekend. She did spectacular. They had a routine with umbrellas. It was precious, and all 10 girls did really well. Ms. Nataliya should be very proud.

We're taking a short hiatus from ballet as we prepare to move to.....

Virginia!

Well, it's not final yet. But it should be tomorrow. The PA job was given to someone else. Not that Jon wasn't totally qualified for it. I guess the assignments guy offered it to more than one person, and that person was before Jon.

Figures. Anyway, I'm already over it. I'm already thinking about where we'll live, all the great stuff there is to do in that area - history, museums, daytrips. All of it. I am really excited.

And, it should be great for job prospects as well. I mean, DC has a mecca of IT jobs just waiting to be had.

That's what I'm told, anyway.

Jon and I are both actually really excited about it. It's time for a new adventure. We'll miss things about Hawaii - the weather, the laid-back weekends, the scuba diving, and mostly:

Our 'Ohana.

Still trying to figure out how we'll say goodbye to our friends here. I don't know how we'll do it. I've made friends here that I am closer to than I ever was to a childhood friend. I am a little scared to leave them...

We're kicking around the idea of a great party. A celebration of the 'Ohana, so to speak.

The end of May is in just a few days! And our adventure is beginning soon after. I can't wait.

Well, it's late, really late. I gotta get some sleep. More posts this weekend!

May is a busy month!

Well, so far I have worked 9 OT hours in the last 2 days. Why, you ask? I don't know. I guess I just think it's the right thing to do. (I mean, when I get called in the middle of the night, what else am I supposed to do? Not answer?) I guess I could, but since I have to work the next day, I don't think that will go over very well. It brings me comfort that I am getting paid for this ridiculous overtime, that -- insert company name here -- is paying for what it should be paying for - my ACTUAL work hours. So many times I have worked an extra hour here or there and not claimed it because, well, it's a pain in the butt to do.

Since I was notified of the layoff, however, I claim every single moment. Especially when the phone rings at 2:30 in the morning and I end up working for over 13 hours straight, like yesterday. I can't wait for May 27, when I know the phone will ring, but my cell phone will be turned off. (Note: Family and friends who may need or want to call me that day, please call my home phone #.)

Anyway, besides that work-junk, life is good. Jon is home, here with us, and has no plans to go anywhere (at least that I know of). Saturday he and I took the 2 younger girls bowling at Pearl Harbor. (Alissa went to a birthday party.) Jon won 2 games, and - wait for it - Abby won one game! She loves to bowl. Puts her hands in the air when she rolls the ball. It is cute and sweet and hysterical. She got an 82 for the win (yeah, I know, we are all terrible bowlers if Abby won with an 82, but it's the fun that we had that counts, right?)

Abby bowling at Pearl Harbor, May 1, 2010

Friday the girls and I went to the Hale Koa pool. As I've blogged before, that is such a nice place. The pool is clean, they have nice bathrooms/changing areas, and the water was warm this time! There were some kids there, but it's never really been "crowded" when we go. It is truly worth the 25-minute drive.

gorgeous banyan tree at the Hale Koa Hotel

Tomorrow marks Alex's 12th birthday. It is insane to me that she is 12 already. She's finishing 6th grade in just a few weeks, and she's really changing. She's blossoming, transforming, right before my eyes. She is a great kid, very polite and inquisitve, very caring and sweet. She's been bitten by the babysitting bug, and that to me is also crazy - that she is old enough to watch other children. I still remember the moment I met her as if it were yesterday. I remember the day I found out we were expecting her. After the shock (long story), I was elated. To have another girl in the family. And through her transformations, she has transformed me as well. How lucky we were to have been blessed to be chosen. Chosen by God to be such an important part of her life.

Alex with one of our 'ohana, Matthew, at Park Day. She's a natural!

Friday Jon and I celebrate 16 years of marriage. I know some people might not have expected it to work for us. We met and fell in love very quickly. We were engaged within 6 months, and I was already 5 months pregnant with Alissa on our wedding day. I'm sure people thought we were rushing. But it was meant to be. We still laugh every day, we still hold hands, and Jon kisses me goodbye every single day as he leaves for work. It is a rare thing, love. I mean, lots of people fall in love. But a love that is complete and forgiving and full of laughter and understanding, that is a love that is forever. We have ups and downs, and there are days that I'm sure we both just want to be alone, but we have that forever-love.

So Friday, for our anniversary, Jon and I are ditching work and embarking on a deep-sea wreck dive. I wouldn't want to go with anyone but him. I never dreamed that scuba would be a hobby I'd enjoy, but diving with Jon is peaceful. It's tranquil, and beautiful, and fun. And I know I am safe if he's there. (I'm sure Jon will post pictures to his Facebook later that day...)

There are many brithdays this month - both family and 'ohana. Alissa finishes 10th grade this month, Abby has her 2nd ballet recital, and we will start to prepare to leave this island and embark on a new chapter of our life. My 5-year run at -- insert company name here -- ends, but a new one will come to take its place. One that is less stressful and more enjoyable. One that allows me to grow. I can feel it coming.

May is busy. But it's the best kind of busy. Busy with family, friends, celebrations, and new beginnings.

May your May be blessed as well. Thanks, friends, for being a part of the Heffner journey. Stay tuned as the adventure unfolds!