phursday phavorite photo: punkin pile

I don't think I'll ever be able to take enough pictures of my fall baby in a pile of pumpkins.  Probably one of my favorite seasonal pics we take every single year.

Love this pumpkin pie.  Thirteen days til she turns five!

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new job! new job! new job!

Four months ago I got an email.

It was about a possible new job.

I couldn't think about a new job, even though I was unhappy at my current job.

There was just too much on my plate.

Too much to take care of.
Too many things that needed to be finished yesterday.
Too many things I was bringing home with me to work on.

I wasn't happy.
But I wasn't MISERABLE.
I didn't like where I was, but the hole just to get on top of everything seemed impossible to surmount.

Looking for a new job, or considering a new position seemed like one more thing on the "to do" list.

I didn't respond to the email.

Weeks went by.

Months went by.


And I started getting REALLY unhappy in my current job.

I re-read one of my old blog posts one night.  This one, actually.  And this line--(my own freakin' line, how nuts is that?)--resonated with me:

"Surely no one was ever offered the job of the dreams or found the love of their life by sitting home and staring at their floorboards."

Opportunities don't just fall into your lap...you have to make them happen.

And then I remembered the email that I never responded to.

I felt badly that I hadn't acknowledged it.


I wrote back.


The position had been filled.


But there was another position...
...one that was even MORE of a match for what I'd like to do.


And so I submitted my information.


And waited.


Waited.


Waited.



And then...a response!


"We'd like to call you for a phone screen, are you available?"


Uh...okay!


Phone screen happened.  Just 20 minutes long, but a conversation that totally changed my mind on the position.


Suddenly I REALLY wanted this job.


It was more of a match for me than I originally thought.  It would be an increase.  A step up.  Much closer to home.

(The precise location I didn't know, I just knew it was downtown.)


Within minutes of hanging up from the phone screen, the phone rang again.  "We'd like for you to come in for an in-person interview."


SAY WHAAAA??!

"Can you come in early next week?  We are very interested and looking to make a decision on this position quickly."


OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!


"Oh, and do you know where we are located? We are in the Warehouse at Camden Yards."


DROP.
DEAD.


thunk.


Suddenly this email that I had blown off months ago had turned into my dream job overnight.



NOWIREALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYWANTEDTHISJOB!!!!


The weekend came...


...Sadira and went on a tour of Camden Yards and I couldn't stop staring at the Warehouse.


At the end of the tour we were given a souvenir.


This was it.

It's a keychain.

But it doesn't have the Orioles' logo on it.  It doesn't have the Oriole Bird on it.  It doesn't have a baseball diamond on it.  Hell, it doesn't even have a baseball on it.

It's got the Warehouse on it.

(Of course it does.)

Monday came and went.

And then Tuesday came...

...and I woke up

...got dressed

...and prepared for my interview.

This was my view at lunch.

And my interview lasted FIVE HOURS!  With SEVEN PEOPLE!

I left feeling confident.

I left feeling exhilarated.

I left feeling EXHAUSTED.

And over the course of the next week, I ended up going to not one, not two but THREE baseball games.

Yes, this type of frequency is unusual, but the Orioles were playing inspired baseball!  The season was almost over and they were securing a playoff spot for the first time in 14 years!

And although I was thrilled for my baseball team, every time I went to a game all I could see was...

...the WAREHOUSE.

Glaring at me haughtily like it knew a secret I couldn't be privy to just yet.

See it?

How about now?

And all this time I was waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting for an answer. 

And the few friends who knew I had gone on this interview would ask how it went, and I would be scared to answer.

It was like going out on a first date with a guy that you really really really like.  And YOU feel like it went well, but you're not sure.  And you're waiting to hear back.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

(And you don't want to talk about it, because you're scared of jinxing it.)

(But you want to talk about it, because you're SO EXCITED!)

And all this time my super sucktastic September was going on.  I said to a friend, "I swear, if I end up getting this job, it will end up being worth all the crap I went through this month!"

And still I waited.

So it seemed only appropos that I had to wait until October 1st to get my actual offer. :-)

I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!

I started yesterday. :-)

And this is not only good news because it's in the Warehouse (which of course is fabulous).  It's MUCH closer to home (Less than 7 miles away), which is closer to Sadie's school, less gas mileage, don't have to go through the tunnel every day...

...not to mention it's a FANTASTIC move for me professionally.  I was feeling stagnant and uninspired, and now I feel motivated and excited.  I've actually gotten up EARLIER than necessary the past two days in anticipation.

My boss is fantastic.  He actually said today in conversation, "well, you're a lot like me...we seem to be very similar in our philosophies,"  and he's RIGHT.  I was thinking the same thing.  There's just a really great energy there.

And while I have a lot to learn still, I feel motivated and excited.  Inspired and supported.  I feel ridiculous saying this so early, but I really really love my job.  And I don't even know what all it entails just yet.  I just know it's where I'm supposed to be.

And working in this gorgeous building isn't so shabby either. ;-)

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oh what a difference a year makes

 

This was my expert pumpkin picker last year.

This is my expert pumpkin picker this year:

 

 What a difference a year makes!

Sometimes it feels like life before Sadira was here was AGES ago...and then other times it feels like she went from baby...

 

...to toddler...

 

to kid...

 

 ...in the blink of an eye!

 

Four years ago she looked like this:

 

Yet four DAYS ago she looked like this:

 

But wait there's more...

Four years ago:

 

Three years ago:

 

 Two years ago:

 Last year:

 

This year:

 Crazy, right?!?!

What's that you say? Do that one more time?

Okay, here we go...

First fall:

 

 Second fall:

 

Third fall:

 

 Fourth fall:

 

 Fifth fall:

 

 

The weird thing is, I no longer get sad about her getting older.  In a very strange way, I'm actually looking forward and excited for this birthday.

I've even slipped up twice and referred to her as "my five year old," which prompts a quick response of, "Mooooom, I'm not five YET...."

It's so weird to me because I had SUCH a hard time with her turning one.  I cried all day, everytime someone said "Happy Birthday!" I'd burst into tears.  I couldn't explain it, but I dreaded her getting bigger.  Babyhood happened so quickly.

When she turned two and three I wasn't AS emotional, but I still found myself avoiding pictures of her when she was younger.  I didn't even ENJOY looking at her baby pictures, it was sad and depressing in an almost macabre kind of way.  As if that baby no longer existed, and this child is what remains in her place.

Weird, right?

  

Even as recent as last year I had a mini-freak out about her getting yet another year older.

This year is so different.

I guess I've just accepted that the passage of time is unavoidable.  I don't mourn for my younger years when I turn another year older...I celebrate it, and talk about it, and annoy all of my co-workers with my incessant commentary about it...so why on earth should I mourn my daughter getting older?

I'm just not going to.

Instead of mourning the baby and toddler that I used to have...

 I'd rather celebrate the amazing child that I have now.

I can't wait for her to turn five. :-)

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friday flashback: introducing...team lady tata!

2. Complete the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk - DONE!

Part 1

It's October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  In honor of that, and my dear friend Blanca who fought her own battle and WON (now several years in remission) my Friday Flashback posts are going to tell the story of how Alix and I tackled the Susan G. Komen 3 Day walk.

Two years ago this month I had the opportunity to Race for the Cure with Blanca and her team of breast cancer survivors.  It was exhilarating and inspiring, and at the end of that post, I mentioned my plan to do the Susan G. Komen 3 Day.

For those of you unfamiliar with this event, it's three days of walking, approximately 20 miles each day for a total of 60 miles.

Yes, that's correct, SIXTY miles.

I became so set on doing this walk, that my friend Alix (who just happens to be Blanca's daughter and my dear friend) and I registered and made a plan to complete the walk together.

When we first planned it, we were so excited!  We were nine months out, plenty of time to train, fund raise and prepare.

We picked a team name: Lady Tata!

We excitedly talked about our options of where we'd walk.  Somewhere on the west coast where the weather is more cooperative?  Somewhere on the east coast where'd we be able to see cool landmarks throughout our walk?  Somewhere neither of us had ever been to before?

As we discussed this, making spreadsheets of options, considering airfare and time away from work, it suddenly hit me..."Alix, don't you want to see your mom at the finish line at the end of the walk?"

And that was it. Obviously we wanted to celebrate this feat with Blanca, so it was decided that we would walk in Washington D.C.  Close to home base, and most importantly, close to Blanca.

And as the months went on, and Sadira accompanied me on training walk after training walk, I became more and more focused on making sure I'd be able to complete the 60 mile walk.  I had never walked that long of a distance in that time span EVER, so I wanted to make sure I was physically prepared. 

And so we walked.

And walked.

And walked.

Until finally it was end of the summer and the walk was less than a month away and I realized that I had forgotten to equally commit myself to the OTHER major challenge of the 3 Day---the fundraising.

And I found myself two weeks away and $1400 short of my $2300 commitment. 

Which meant if I couldn't raise the funds I would have to pay for them myself. 

GULP.

So I sprung into gear and wrote the following letter.  Posted all over Facebook and begged my friends to share share share:

One year ago today, with your help, I rappelled 23 stories down the side of Silo Point and raised over $2300 for Gaudenzia’s women and children’s program.  This year I’ve decided to take part in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure and walk 60 miles in Washington D.C. over three days.

I’m writing today to once again ask for your support. 

In order to walk I must, once again, raise $2300.  As of today I’m about $1400 short of my goal, with less than two weeks to go.  I’m asking that if you can, to please consider a donation of any amount to the Susan G. Komen foundation.  To donate, please visit my page at: http://www.the3day.org/goto/NassyMirjaf

 I know many of you are familiar with this organization and the good work that they do, but I’d like to give you an example.  Recently I was able to meet a woman in a local support group whose chemotherapy and radiation treatment has been funded by the Komen foundation.  Her health insurance only covered a small portion of her expenses and she has three small children.  She was actually pregnant with her third when she was diagnosed.  With the help of the Komen Foundation, she is on the road to beating breast cancer.

More specifically, I am walking in honor of Blanca Wisner, a dear family friend and breast cancer survivor.  You can read more about her here:  http://www.the3day.org/goto/LADYTATA

If you cannot donate monetarily at this time, please consider forwarding this email to anyone who may want to, or post the link on your Facebook.  Every little bit helps!

I sincerely appreciate any support you can provide.  It was with your assistance last year that I was able to do the impossible and rappel 23 stories down the side of a building!  I know with your support I will be able to make it 60 miles.

Thank you,

Nasrene

With only two weeks to go I was not hopeful, but I figured my plea would make up SOME of the difference.

And like it always does in times of need, something amazing happened.

My friends came through like renegades, and gave when they could, passed on my pea when they couldn't.  I started getting emails with the five words every 3 Day walker LOVES to see in the subject line:

"You're received a new donation."

And soon these new donations were attached to names I'd never ever seen before.  People who had heard what we were participating in and decided to give because their mom had had breast cancer...or their grandmom...or their aunt. 

Or just cause we asked.

My friend Kerri's company, True Citrus, provided an extremely generous donation, and next thing I knew I had not only met my goal, but I had exceeded it...in just nine days.

I was ASTONISHED, to say the least.

Fueled by this new excitement I couldn't wait to get started.  So when Alix's flight landed in Baltimore shortly before the walk, we eagerly discussed what we were packing, what we were wearing, our team shirts, our decorations, EVERYTHING.   

We were AMPED and READY.

We made our plan...that Alix and her parents Richard and Blanca would pick me up bright and early at 4:30am the morning of the walk so we could make it to DC in time for Opening Ceremonies and start our trek.

We were tired, but giddy with excitement on the drive down, with our carefully packed bags (which contained all of our clothes and necessities for the next three days, all individually wrapped in trash bags to protect from the elements and carefully labelled), along with our water packs, extra socks, bandages, blister care, and lots and lots of pink accessories in tow.

And as we approached Nationals Stadium, the sea of pink got bigger and bigger.  We deposited our belongings on a truck, knowing that we wouldn't see them again until we completed the first leg of our 60 miles. 

Soon Opening Ceremonies began.

 

Richard and Blanca were there to see us off

 

And just as Opening Ceremonies concluded, the sun began to come up.

 

We hugged and kissed the gal who inspired us to do this crazy walk in the first place...

...and hit the road!

We were excited!

We were full of energy!

We were ready!

We had NO IDEA what we were in for.

(Next Friday, Part Two: how we walked 40 miles in the rain...uphill...both ways.)

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phursday phavorite photo: cousins!

Sadira wasn't in the mood for taking photos, I was trying to get the lighting right and had to wing it quickly, and after a measely two shots, Sades was OVER IT, but I don't even care.  This is FAR from a good photo technically, but it's TOTALLY one of my favorite photos because of who is in it.  Sadira and her baby cousin!

Sadira (on the outside) and Miss McKenzie (on the inside).  She will be gracing us with her presence in February 2013, and I CANNOT WAIT.

I have a feeling I'll be making that two hour drive to Hebron a whole lot more often once the tiny girl is here...

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bird bird bird...bird is the word: orioles edition

Last week I wrote about how much Baltimore loves the Ravens.

But there's another flock of birds we worship around these parts.

Monday night I watched the Orioles beat the Yankees.  In October.  Which is the postseason.  In the second game of the ALDS.  They beat the Texas Rangers Friday night in the Wildcard game.

And made it to the ALDS.

This is surreal.

The last time this happened was in 1997.

Nineteen ninety-seven.

When I was still in high school.

When there was no Facebook, no Twitter.

My friends and I called each other on our house phones, instead of texting one another, because cell phones weren't readily available yet.

And texting didn't exist.

iPods didn't exist either.


This year we have won 93 games and lost 69.

Last year we won 69 games and lost 93.


This has been a looooooooong time coming.

So needless to say, we are a bit excited. :-)


And for the first time in a LONG LONG time, Oriole Magic is alive and well!!


About three weeks ago, Sadira and I visited Camden Yards for a tour.  It was one of the last items on our summer list, and excitement was mounting as the Orioles looked to make a postseason run.

And OMG you guys, if you are at all an Orioles' fan, or even a MLB fan, get thee to Camden Yards for a tour.  It was awesome.

First of all, it was cheap.  My ticket was $9, and Sadie's was free thanks to her Dugout Club membership. Here's a pictorial of our day.

Sadira purchasing our tickets (it was her treat...just kidding):

Walking around like she owns the place

And posing.

Lots...

...and lots...

...and lots...

...and lots...

...of posing.

Our tour began on the pedestrian walkway, where we met our guide, Mr. Mike.  He was very helpful and informative during the whole tour which lasted 90 minutes.  I'll be honest and let you know that I don't think Sadira's attention span could've made it through the whole thing this time last year...but she was juuuuust old enough and attentive enough this year to enjoy it. 

I guess this is also a place she really enjoys learning about, so she was into it.

Our trusty tour guide

A trip through the Statue Garden, which showcased Earl Weaver:

Eddie Murray:

Cal Ripken Jr.:

Frank Robinson:

and Jim Palmer:

We took a stroll through the Club Level...

...saw some little awards and trophies we had lying around..

..and relaxed in a Club Suite.

Took a peek out of the window to wave "hi" to M&T Bank stadium across the way.

Next up was the press box...

(the view from the press box):

a sneak peak through a few of the back offices...

..until finally....

...we made it out on the field!

And for the grand finale?

A trip into the ORIOLES' DUGOUT!

(This was both of our favorite parts...can you tell?)

At the end, we walked past the foul pole, which Mr. Mike pointed out was the original from Memorial Stadium, and brought to Camden Yards when the new stadium was built.  He also told us its good luck to touch the pole on your way out. 

Sadira decided to hug it for extra luck.

We concluded our tour where it began, and Mr. Mike pointed out all of the bronze baseballs on the pedestrian walkway, which mark the spots where homeruns have been hit out of the park.

We were hungry, so we decided to stop and grab some lunch at the park.  The O's were just beginning their 1:35 game versus the Red Sox, so we watched a bit from Dempsey's.

It was a bit strange to be watching the Orioles play from our empty ballpark.  The Orioles ended up winning that game 9-6, and with each homerun the crowd assembled at Camden Yards would go wild--just as if we were watching the game in person.

The very next weekend, the Orioles prepared for the last home series of the regular season.  I was supposed to be out of town, but a last minute emergency changed my plans.  Just as things were settling down, I got an unexpected text from my friend Erica, asking me if I wanted to go to the game with her.

Again, I've learned in life sometimes it's not necessary to ask who/where/why/when/how when someone is offering you a surprising treat.  And as with the limo incident, it's sometimes best to just nod and say, "why thank you very much, that would be lovely!"

This particular night, the Orioles were unveiling the final statue in the legends series, Brooks Robinson. 

The crowd was huge,

Mr. Robinson's #5 was aglow on the warehouse,

the Bird was dancin' on the Dugout

and with a little Oriole Magic...

the O's brought home a win!

Tonight they take on the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS...best of five wins.  Never in my wildest dreams would I think the Orioles would be making a playoff run, but here we are!

LET'S GO O's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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