BIG News!

In February 2008 I applied for a job with the Federal Government (if you know the agency, please do not mention it). For the past year and a half, I have been “patiently” waiting for the call that would change everything. Well, it finally came!

At the end of December, we will be moving to Washington DC! I will start working in the middle of January. Luckily, Kyle will be able to work remotely with his current company.

We are excited for this new phase for our family!

What to Do, What to Do?

So, for the past few months I have been in a holding pattern waiting for my “dream job.”  What is it?  You may ask, but I cannot tell!  The thing is, I am at a crossroads about what to do right now.

Up until the end of August I was working at Pottery Barn.  Well, if you call 5 hours/week “working.”  It wasn’t worth it for me to stay employed there, even though I loved it, because of the price of gas and the fact that I live so far from the store.  I have not been seeking new employment because any changes I make will delay me getting my “dream job.”

It hasn’t been too bad being a house wife and I have been keeping myself occupied doing some housework, going to a Thursday morning bible study with some wonderful women from church, reading, etc.  But, at times I do get bored.

I am currently trying to decide whether or not to find a part-time or full-time job while I am waiting for my “dream job.”  The thing is, I don’t want to get just any old job.  I would really like something in the field of criminal justice (which is what my degree is in).  I have also thought about working on getting a teacher certification to become a teacher and do some substitute teaching in the meantime, but I am not sure if that’s really what I am called to do.

Just keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I try to figure things out (with God’s help, of course)!

What’s Coming Up…

So, there is a lot going on for me this week. I finally submitted my Grad School application this past Saturday. The whole decision process can take awhile, but hopefully I will hear back from UNF soon. Also, I submitted an application for a new part-time job. It is an administrative position and it is 20 hours per week and would work perfectly with my school schedule (if I get accepted, of course!). I love working at Pottery Barn, but this is a better opportunity because it is with a Criminal Justice/Social Welfare agency. In fact, I would still work at Pottery Barn on Saturday mornings/afternoons. I will keep everyone updated about my school/job situation.

This Friday I will be cutting my hair… finally. The last time I cut my hair was last July. It may not be considered long for a lot of people, but my hair is past my shoulders and too long for me! I cannot wait to have it chopped off! Then I leave Saturday for South Carolina. My mom and I are going up there Saturday and Sunday for my friend Elaine’s bridal shower. Monday is mine and Kyle’s one year wedding anniversary! Yay, we are so excited! Then, Tuesday evening, Kyle and I leave for our week-long trip to Las Vegas. We cannot wait to have some fun and get away for awhile!

So, that’s a little bit of what’s going on and what’s coming up.

Trip to Tallahassee

This past Friday (January 25th) I, Liz, took a trip to Tallahassee in order to take a “written exam” for a position as a crime intelligence analyst. The woman who called me about the exam was very vague and I had absolutely no idea what I was about to encounter, just that I needed to be in Tallahassee by 10:00am and not a minute later.

The first thing I did when making plans for my trip was head on over to Google Maps so I could figure out how long it would take to get from Jacksonville to Tallahassee since I had never been before. According to them it would take me roughly 2 hours and 45 minutes to go the 170 miles. I figured I would leave Jacksonville at 6:00am so I could have time to find my way around the city without feeling rushed.

Of course, as usual, plans change. I didn’t end up leaving Jacksonville until 6:30am (it always takes me longer to get ready than I think it will; especially when it is that early in the morning). I headed on my way hoping that I would make it to Tallahassee by 9:30am so I could find my way and not be late.

My drive over there was very smooth and very relaxing. I spent some time listening to some new songs I had just purchased from iTunes the night before. I also spent some time with the Lord trying to figure out His plans for my life. I didn’t have any revelations at the time though and I am still waiting for His response!

I made it to Tallahassee in good time (two and a half hours) and was able to head over to the local Panera to get some breakfast and spend a little time gaining my composure. I also changed into some nicer clothes to make a better first impression at the agency. After Panera I headed over to the agency (sorry for the anonymity) to take the “written exam.”

I checked in and was told to have a seat. A few more people came in and stated they were there to take the written exam for the analyst position; they were told to wait as well. Now, it was almost 10:00am. A woman told us (the ones there to take the exam) to follow her. I counted the people. Including me, there were six of us (five women and one man).

We followed her through some doors and then down a hall. Then we took an elevator up to the 3rd floor. Then we went down another hall. We entered a room where there were already about six other people waiting to take the exam for the analyst position. That’s when I started getting nervous. I felt okay competing with five other people for the one position, but competing with more than ten people for the one position made me a little anxious!

We each took a seat in front of a blank notepad and waited for further instructions. One of the three women seated at the front of the room stood to address us. She gave a little background about the position and what type of work the position would include. She then informed us that we would each be given a synopsis of a case and we would be required to write an investigative report. We were told they would not be able to answer any questions and that we would be graded on grammar, spelling, punctuation, content, etc. We would have 45 minutes to complete the report.

The top candidates from the written exam would be placed in the job pool for the next part of the application process. If we did not hear from them by this upcoming Friday (February 1st), we should contact them in order to get more information about our status in the application process. This made me more nervous. Not only was I competing with a bunch of other people for one position, I might not even get to the next step in the process.

That’s when it hit me. Why should I be nervous? I have been praying throughout this entire job search and application process. God knows my desires and He also knows His plans for my life. If I am not meant for this position, it won’t happen. If God has the desire for me to be in this position, things will work out. Right then I calmed down. It was exactly what I needed.

I wrote my investigative report and had time to spare. I read and re-read my report. I made any corrections I felt needed to be made and I turned it in. At times I second guess my report. Should I have done this a little different or should I have included that? But, in the end, I know I did the best I could considering I don’t have any prior experience writing investigative reports and I had no clue what type of written exam I would be taking.

I went to Panera for lunch and then drove back to Jacksonville; I got home about 2:00pm. Now, I am playing the waiting game. Will I be contacted for an interview or maybe even further testing? Only God knows. Please continue to pray for me during this process. Pray for my patience and that God’s will be done in my life.

In the meantime, I wait to hear from this agency and any of the other agencies I have applied to. I will definitely be keeping everyone updated on what is going on in my job search.

Quick Update…

It has been a week since I posted about my job search and I already have to thank you for praying (if any of you, besides Brittany, have prayed for me). I heard from one of the places I applied to last Friday and I am headed to Tallahassee this Friday (January 25th) for some testing. I have absolutely no idea what I am getting myself into!

I now ask that you please pray for my travels and for the test to go well. I am not sure what happens next, but I am definitely anxious and excited all at once. I have never driven this far by myself, but I am going to use my drive to spend some time with the Lord. Maybe something will come out of this opportunity and maybe not. As long as it is the Lord’s desire for my life I know I will be satisfied.