Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Tim and I had a great Valentine's Day together. We celebrated it on Saturday evening because on Sunday we usually don't feel like going out anywhere. We are usually together, but it is just hanging at home. We went out to dinner at Gianni's in Deer Park which we love. They have fantastic Italian food and it has a great atmosphere. Tim goes there often for lunch with some of his co-workers because one of the owners used to work with him. The portions are huge so we had leftovers to bring home for the next day which I love because then it means I don't have to cook something. After dinner we were going to go see a movie, but it got too late and we ended up missing all of the movie times, so we just went home. We got each other small gifts which isn't something we usually do for Valentine's Day, but we did this year. I got Tim an easel and some oil paints for his art. Two Christmas' ago I got him some canvas and paints and wanted to get him the easel, but they were out of the one that I wanted to get. So, I told him that I would get it for him when they got more in and it was just one of those things that I never followed through with. But it wasn't a big deal to Tim because there were several other gifts that he got that Christmas. He seemed to like his gift and I got him one of those musical cards. It was perfect because it played "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" which is our song.

Tim likes to be a little bit of a jokester when it comes to giving gifts. For example he is the person who wraps one tiny little package in like one very large box or you have to open ten boxes before finally getting to your gift. Well, this gift was no different. He handed me a card and a medium size wrapped package. I read the card and it was really sweet. Then I opened the package and it was peanut M & M's and I thought what the heck is this. There has to be more. I smiled and laughed and he joked with me and asked how I liked my gift and I was like no, where is my real gift. So, then he finally takes a small box out of his pocket which was the real gift. I opened it and it was a very pretty heart shaped necklace. It was very sweet. The first gift that Tim ever gave me which was our first Christmas together which was a huge Teddy Bear which I still have with a gold heart shaped necklace around the bears neck.

Valentine's Day has always been very special to us because it marks the anniversary of the day Tim asked me to marry him. It was eleven years ago that we got engaged and I remember it like it was yesterday. We were still in College at the time and I had no clue that he was going to ask me on that day. I thought it was just going to be a regular Valentine's Day. Don't get me wrong we had talked about getting married someday, but we were in College we didn't have any money. So, the day we got engaged, we started the day with a beautiful walk along the beach. It was one of those abnormally warm February days. Then we had an indoor picnic to candelight. Then he put on music and spread rose petals all over the room and we exchanged gifts. I actually have no memory of what I got him on that day. He was sort of a jokester that day too with the gifts. I was struggling with my weight as I always have. Although I was much skinnier then than I am now. Well, I told him not to get me any chocolates because if he gave them to me of course I was going to eat them. So, he gave me a wrapped gift, medium size package and inside was a candy box (one of those heart shaped ones). When I saw it I remember being so angry and irritated with him for getting me candy when I told him not to. He kept encouraging me to open the box. I did and to my surprise there was no candy in the box. It was a bunch of those chocolate paper wrappers. He grabbed something out of there and put it in his hand. I still had no idea what was going on. He told me to read this card. I did and it said all of these wonderful things in it and then it said to flip it over to the back and it said "Will you marry me?" I was so in shock my mouth dropped to the floor. Tim actually took a picture of my face when I read it. Then he took the ring out of the little candy wrapper paper and asked me to marry him again. I said, "Yes" of course. We were so happy. I wanted to call everyone and tell them, but all of my friends already knew that we were getting engaged because Tim told them that he was going to ask me. It is one of the best memories. And I am so happy that I said yes. I love you so much honey!! I love you more and more as each year goes by. I wish for many many more years of happiness together.

PS I would post some old pictures from our engagement day, but our scanner, printer, fax machine is broken and none of those pictures are on my computer.

Oh and guess what else my wonderful husband did. He had flowers sent to me today. Here is a picture.



Here are a few other pictures from our night out. We had our waitress take one of us together but accidentily deleted it.





I hope everyone else had a good Valentine's Day!! I wish you all Love. All we need is Love and everything else will fall into place.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Full Circle

For those of you who do not know, I moved into a new position at my job in January and so far I am loving it. With my new job came my very own office which I have never had before, but I have dreamed of for so many years. I have enjoyed decorating it and making it my own space. I am much more productive in my own office than before when I was sharing with all of my SASS girls. However, having my own office is bittersweet because I miss all my SASS girls. I don't get to see them and socialize with them as much as I used to. I feel very disconnected from them now that I don't see them everyday. I miss all of you girls. Even though, I miss my SASS girls, I am very happy to be in my new job. It has been a very long journey, but it was all worth it.

Here is a picture of my SASS girls that my good friend, Anneliese took at a recent party.


It all started back in High School when I took a psychology class that I just loved. I also have a lot of family who have emotional challenges that intrigue me. I began taking psychology classes in College and declared my major in psychology. My professors LFC had mostly research backgrounds which I was absolutely positive that I did NOT want to be a researcher. I hated research and statistics with the passion. We had a class and a lab that went on for hours every Wednesday afternoon. I knew I wanted to work with actual people and help them. I was very fortunate that my school had an internship program, so my junior year I interned at a crisis line/talk line/help line. My senior year I completed another internship working with victims of sexual assault. At that time, I really wanted to be a doctor and get my PsyD in Psychology, so I applied to graduate programs, but did not get into any of them. Probably due to my having a little too much fun my sophomore year in college. I was devastated at the time that I did not get in. But looking back it all happened for a reason. I was not ready to go into a graduate program at that point in my life.

Then I had to figure out plan B. Get a job and make some money. I got a job in a residential facility working evenings and weekends with adolescents. I enjoyed the clients but the job was really stressful. Two years later, I changed jobs to have some more time with my hubby and worked in Foster Care and Adoptions as a caseworker. I enjoyed this work too, but it was not right for me. I wanted to be doing therapy with clients. So, I decided to apply to schools to get my masters degree. I got into two schools Argosy and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. I was ecstatic. I chose The Chicago School because of their reputation and the fact that I could take classes close to my home. I worked during the daytime and went to school in the evenings. I loved all of my classes in graduate school. My professors were all working in the field doing therapy with clients. It was a fantastic experience. My last year in school, I had the best internship ever. I counseled children, adolescents, and adults and got to do all different kinds of therapy. I loved it and knew that it was the best fit for me.

After I graduated, it took me awhile to find a job. I first worked at a hospital in the inpatient psych ward part-time. I did not really like this job, but I needed the money to pay those hefty student loans and I was helping people. I liked helping people, but the treatment in this job was too short-term. Clients were only there for 5-7 days. After a few months of working there, I got offered a job to work in the SASS program. I learned so much while in the SASS program. Now, I actually enjoy doing crisis work now which is something I never thought that I would say. I am also very confident in my abilities to do crisis work and therapy. I got my clinical counselor licensure almost a year ago. I love working with children, adolescents, and families. I feel very blessed to be in a job that I love and work with people that are not only my co-workers, but my close friends.

It was a long journey finding a job I love with fabulous co-workers. During my journey, there were times when I thought I would never reach my goal. No matter how long it took or difficult it was at times, I wouldn't change a thing. Each experience made me the person who I am today. Accomplishing this goal, gives me renewed hope that I will be able to accomplish other goals that I have been working on for awhile. Everything happens for a reason and I truly believe that.