What I Appreciate: {Working}

I'm not a job person. I have never liked working. I don't want a career. I went to school and got an education because I knew that was the smart thing to do. I did not go to school and get an education so that I could help support a family. That's Mike's job. And he's completely okay with that. He wants to. And he wants me to stay home.

I have been asked many times, by many different people if I plan on sitting for the CPA exam. And I honestly considered it. I thought about returning to school to get my Masters in Accounting. I prayed and prayed about what to do.

Mike knows more than anyone, I'm not the most fun person when I am in school. I had to work really hard to get good grades in college. Therefore resulting in a stressed, wanna-rip-my-hair-out attitude. But suddenly, you graduate, and you forget all the bad stuff. I imagine it's quite like child labor. But after much prayer, and remembering what it was that I really wanted for myself and what we had always wanted together as a couple, I decided to not go back.

I have never once regretted that decision.

I consider myself successful. I don't need a CPA license to tell me that.

A few weeks ago at work, we had our annual reviews. I am known around the office as being "the favorite". I hate that term. I don't think I am the favorite. But I do know that I am quite the brown-noser. I like being liked. Of course I am going to do everything I need to do for my boss to like me.

{Picture Taken July 2009}

That being said, my review was first out of all the employees in the Accounting department. Annual reviews are scary. Like the feel-like-I'm-getting-up-to-bear-my-testimony feeling.

Immediately after walking in the room, I was put at ease.

"Well Abby, I have a really hard time coming up with things to criticize you about."

I was shocked. Coming out of this guys mouth, that is quite the compliment.

He continued to give me positive feedback throughout the entire review. I left feeling elated.

To accompany our annual review, we also receive our annual raise. Because the raise doesn't go into effect until the end of the month, I didn't think they would be giving me one. My last day is two weeks from today. I figured they would think there was no point because I would only have about a week and a half at the new rate.

Boy was I wrong.

I got a great raise. So much so that when I looked down at the paper, I didn't even see the correct number. My mind changed the numbers to what I thought it would be.

Yes, there was a double and triple check.

I love the company that I work for. And no, not just because they gave me a good raise to enjoy for a week and a half. But because it's just a good company. And a great job. I have learned so much from being in this position.

My boss was always the type to give as little information as possible. The entire year and a half that I worked there, I always complained about the poor communication. Why doesn't he just tell me what I need to know to do this project?? Because he was teaching me. I couldn't get past the frustration at the time to see that. I feel like I learned and retained more at this job than I did during my entire Bachelors degree.

I'm grateful for opportunities to work. Even though I hate work. Even though providing for us during a time when Mike needs me to is sometimes downright frustrating. Work gave me the opportunity to prove myself. To prove that I actually did learn something in college. To prove that I actually can contribute to the income of this family if I need to.

And even though I wish I could say this is my last job ever, it's not. We're on to a new city where I will be on to finding a new job. Where I will be learning something new, and proving even more that I am capable of these things. And when the day finally comes that I can quit my job and not have to find another, I can look back and be glad. Glad that I had the opportunity to be a working girl so that I can truly appreciate being home with our children.