Friday, May 7, 2010

Year in Review

Well Iknow that I haven't been 0n here since this time last year. I just wanted to give everyone a little peek into what has been going on in my world since last year.

First off, I got a job in Huntsville back April 2009. I was a contract employee with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Yea....not as cool as it sounds. I was basically doing grunt work that no one wanted to do. I did meet some pretty fun people and made some good connections and friends but the work load was just off. I then quit a year later.

Secondly, I rented a house after 2 months of being in Huntsville and having a job. Needless to say that I LOVED my house. I loved my roomies and I couldn't have been happier! Klar and Lauren and I had a lot of fun together. Klar and I worked together in TDCJ and Lauren is a teacher for Huntsville ISD.

The last thing is that I am getting my teaching certificate. I am almost ready to sign a contract if offered one. I only have to complete my observation hours and then I am good to go!!!! I went through a program with ACT Houston. I have been so blessed by them and I have realized that my Mom was right when she said that I never should have changed my major in the first place. I am glad I did because if I didn't I woudn't have been able to be a part of ACT. Such a neat and well done program. I would recommend it to anyone looking to teach!!!! So now I am once again, on the j0b hunt and am a little nervous about it all.

Hope this message finds everyone well and Happy M0ther's Day to all of the moms out there!!!

Much love and warmest wishes to all!

Elke

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's day to all of the amazing Moms out there!!! I hope that every Mom knows just how special they are to us! This shout out goes to my special Mom.

Mom, if you are reading this, which I hope you do, I just wanted to share with everyone just how special you are to me. I could not have asked for a more wonderful mother who has bent the world over backwards and has made numberous scarifies just to make me happy. I know that right now times are a little tough and things are a little upside down, but all I know is that your love for me has never changed or wavered and my love and admiration for you has only grown bigger and stronger. You have been such a strong woman of faith and such a role model for me. You have shown me how to handle different situations of different degrees and how to not loose my head or my cool. God has blessed me with such an awesome family and wonderful role models that I want to make my life after. You and Daddy have shown me what an amazing and Godly marriage looks like and how to make a fun and functional home. So thank you Mom. Thank you for all of your time, wisdom, being my inspriation, my rock, and for being my best friend and my Mom!!!!


I love you with all of my heart and I only hope that that I can be half the mom that you are to me.


Saturday, May 9, 2009

6 months

Well this has been the craziest 6 months ever. I say that and it sounds just rotten, but I have had more ups and downs then a roller coaster. Alot of major changes have happened in my life that I never really expected to happen....at least right now. So I feel the need to sit back and remember everything, the good, the bad and the ugly. So as Julie Andrews said in The Sound of Music, "Lets start at the very beginning. A very good place to start."

November was probably the worst. Today marks the 6 months of when my Daddy passed on to bigger and better places. This is something that I would never wish on anyone. I knew it was gonna happen at some point but it the question still remains as to why it was supposed to happen now and not when he was old and grey? Well I hope to find the answer sometime but while Mom and I are still picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild what we have left of the family time marches on.

December came and went in a blur of hectic colors and family. The best thing that had happened was that I graduated from Sam Houston State! Woo Hoo!!!! I get a pretty piece of paper that cost a few thousands of dollars and countless sleepless nights. So began the long jouney of fighting off the crummy economy and attempting to enter the workforce. Christmas came and went with some interesting memories and good laughs.

With the tree down and the packages put away, January and Feburary were rather uneventful. Went on interviews and just enjoyed being at home for a while with Momma. That is something that I had missed a lot. Being a little girl again and being able to just hang out with her and to do things that I could not have done while she was working or while I was in school.

March came and went with only a few events. My aunt and uncle's house burned to the ground around the middle of the month and thank God that no human was lost. The only deaths that were counted were 5 birds and 1 dog and a cat. I know that the Lord was looking out for them during that time and that my cousin was not hurt in anyway trying to get the dogs out of the house.

April has sprung with its rain and sunshine. Started a new job have had a wonderful time learning all that I can about it. Working for TDCJ has been a real interesting place to work. The people have been sweet and have been supportive and are willing to see us move on to bigger better positions.

So now it is May and we shall see what it will bring. I know that this month will bring bigger and better happenings. The only things that have remaned consistant are my friends, my family and JC. I could not have done anything or made it this far without them. JC has been my rock when I have needed a shoulder to cry on and to lean on with times have been tough.

Hope everyonehas a fantastic May and a wonderful weekend.

Until our paths cross again!

Elke

Friday, April 10, 2009

Here we go!

I thought that I would update on what is going on. For the past few weeks I have been still trying to find a job. Nothing is out there for someone with no esperience. I was getting really down hearted. Last week, a friend of mine called and said that she might have had a lead on an entry level position. The only problem is that the job only pays minimum wage and has no benefits that it comes with. I can buy benefits from them but that is a total different kettle of fish.

Of course with what seems to be my run of luck, I didn't plan on having an interview so I had no interview clothes with me. Luckly the lady is really nice about it so she over looked that fact. I thought the interview went really well. The rest of that week progressed on and I was asked by a friend of my parent's from church if I would like to earn some extra cash helping out in his office during tax season. I said of course and that I would start on Monday.

I can promise you that I wasn't in that office but for more than maybe 2 hours before a got the answer to my prayers. The lady I had interviewed for that previous week called and offered me a job!!!!!! I was so excited and of course told her yes. She said that I was to start at 8AM the next morning. I went the rest of the day in shock. The rest of the day until I left that night was bittersweet. I was really excited that I had a job but then again I wasn't ready to leave my Mom and everything that I had come to enjoy.

Needless to say, I have started at my new job and I am loving the people that I am working with and the work load is not all tha bad. Yes it is the same thing over and over again but there is always alot of things that need to be done. Projects are always springing up and new and different things are still to come. I hope to find a better paying job sometime soon but I am just so thankful that I even get this opportunity to get my foot in the door. So now the only thing that is left to do, is to find me a place to live and get settled in. So here we go on a new chapter and a new adventure!!

Until our paths cross again,

Elke

Monday, March 23, 2009

Greatest Night Ever!!!!!!!

Ok so this has been long over due. Well not too long but none the less. I will have to say it has been about 2 weeks. Anyway, I went to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on opening day to see Rascal Flatts. For those that know me really well know that I am the biggest Flatts fan EVER!!!! I am what my Mom would consider to be a "groupie" but that is neither here nor there.

A couple of years ago Rascal Flatts were scheduled to come to the Rodeo and the day of the show Gary the lead singer got sick and lost his voice!!! AAAAAHHHH!!!!! Needless to say that my mood fit the weather. It was rainy, cold and just plain ol' nasty. Typical Texas weather. To make matters about a million times worse, I had a meet and greet pass to actually have my picture with them!!!! So of course my lit
tle heart was just shattered into a thousand pieces.

Rascal Flatts came again the next year and of course I went..only this time by myself which was ok but I splurged and bought Action seats. Yall, I just have to say that the seats were right on the dirt of the stadium. I was so close to the cowboys that I could nearly reach out and touch them. Fantastic night! So this year when they came back, I again went by myself and bought the action seats. I again this year decided that I would try again for meet and greet and I got it!!!! I was so excited that I actually got to meet them.

What an incredible bunch of guys!!! They were so sweet and just so real! Standing in line I was talking to some girls that were in front of me and we started to talk to them before it was our turn to have our picture taken. I thought that I would not be able to speak but I have to say that even though my heart was beating a mile a minuet I was relatively calm! Anyway, here is the picture that the Flatts Dog Pound Roadie took!!!!



More pictures will come later of some of the concert and of me and the Rodeo's mascot Howdy!!!

Until our paths cross again,

Elke

Monday, March 9, 2009

When it rains.....

When it rains it really just pours. You know it's really funny. It seems to me that when someone has everything in order and life is running smoothly something comes along and throws a glitch into the system. Thankfully with all that has been going on I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I just wish that this darn tunnel was shorter.

I just have to say that the job hunt is not going well at all. I know that the economy is not helping much at all but I was hoping to have something by now but apparently GOD has something different in store for me at this point. I just wish that I knew what it was but I know that when it is my time to know it will be rather obvious. It is just really hard for me to wait around idle by coming from an extremely active lifestyle from college. I think I might have a lead on a job but I just heard about it earlier this afternoon so we shall see what happens.

I know that most already know. A sorority sister of mine was in a major car accident a few days ago. Her name is Raven and she has suffered some pretty major injuries but thanks to the great and amazing LORD above she is doing OK but is still is some major pain. Not that long ago, my sorority lost two of our own in one year. They were both amazing women of GOD and both played major roles in making Phi Lamb what it is today. Raven, I hope that you have a speedy recovery and know that you are in my prayers. I love you sister and get well soon!!!

On top of everything else that has been going on. My family has encountered another hard time. As most know my Daddy passed away 4 months ago today. It was a very sudden and shocking time for me and my mom. We have been doing OK with the adjustment of life with out him but now my mom's brother and sister-in-law's house burned down. On their 200 acre lot, only 2 rooms remained of the double wide mobile home that they called home for a number of years. They lost just about everything that they had and they also lost a puppy, birds and a cat. My cousin George was fixing the roof on the house and was the one to spot that the house was on fire. He did manage to rescue 3 of the 4 dogs but was unable to get to the 4th one. Once the firemen arrived and put out the fire, one of the men said that a house like this will burn in under 12 minutes. What an insane thing to watch as your house is burning and you can't do anything about it. I can not even imagine. Not sure what they will do for a home for the time being but all I know is that the good LORD was watching out for them and will provide for them as well.

I am sorry that this is not a very happy post but I hope to have some good news to send out soon. I just ask that you just keep Raven, and my aunt and uncle in your prayers during this time of recovery and rebuilding. I know that it doesnt seem like much but I know prayers work wonders and can heal the most broken of hearts. That is the beauty of GOD. What an awesome one we have at that. GOD bless you and yours.

Until our paths cross again....

Elke

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

And so it begins.....

Not really sure if anyone still reads this but I figured that I would keep those informed on what has been going on with the job hunt.

I did graduate on Decemnber 20 and I just received my degree in the mail yesterday. I am so excited that I have it! WOO HOO!! I really feel officially done but now I am stuck doing nothing. Well I shouldn't say nothing because I have been hanging out with my Mom and going to bible studies, going to tap classes and just relaxing and searching for the next chapter of my life story.

I have applied for 5 different job openings and as of today I have been rejected from 2 of them. The jobs go as follows:

From Sam Houston State:
Registrar Assistant--Rejected
Undergrad Admission Clerk

From TDCJ:
Count Room Clerk--Rejected
Generic Clerk
Application and Processing Clerk

Well that is about it for the time being. Just keep me in your thoughts as I go about searching for a job so I can earn a little bit of money. I will keep an update on what is going on.

Until next time....

Elke