Updating

Written week of November 1st:

Well what an interesting day I have had. Yesterday the entire office was sent an email asking us to all meet downstairs on our other floor in the boardroom for a staff meeting. Apparently this NEVER happens so people were concerned. Turns out our entire office is being relocated to Toronto! Most people are going to have a relocation offer and only a few will not. We of course have the choice to decline, work until the end of the summer then receive severance, accept and move to Toronto, or quit anytime without severance. I assumed that I was one of the few not going to be offered a relocation package since (despite doing well at my job) I am quite replaceable. Well, I could not have been more wrong. They offered me a relocation package and in our private meeting let me know they really valued me. I was shocked. They explained the VERY generous relocation offer and the AMAZING severance option which includes working until the end of August.

We are rooted in Vancouver. Our families are here, our friends, our church, etc…and more importantly it’s where we have felt God calling us to be. The only way we would go to Toronto is if we felt God moving….for example there could be a Seminary there for Paul that is a much better price than here, or something like that. But really our heart is to stay in Vancouver. Right now we are 90% staying…I explained, in my private meeting, to the two head guys why we would stay. Paul wants to Pastor a church at UBC. We kind of need to be here to do that. 
**we have confirmed now, as of Nov 10, that we are NOT moving to Toronto**


Anyways, I feel very much at peace. Regardless, through severance, we will have enough money to pay off all of our debt, excluding student loans (which is a HUGE answer to prayer). I will have a job until the end of the summer and I will be armed with an awesome reference from this company and can have the same placement agency that got me here, find me a new job. Win, win win. AND it’s a HUGE compliment that they want to keep me. AND last Friday I had a meeting with my boss to end my probationary period and she was also complimentary. I feel confident about my abilities here and in any new position. I am excited. OH and I just had a good heart to heart with my boss and she expressed that if I go with her/them or if I stay and finish things here until the end of the summer that regardless it’s super helpful to her. Invaluable, was the word she used. 

Written Nov 10th
In other News:
• My poppy keeps falling off.
• I am VERY tired despite getting 8 hours of sleep (it’s 8:45am and I have been at work for an hour and awake for almost 3 hours)
• Last night, again, I dreamt that Zombie’s were attacking. It was stressful and woke me up early. Stupid Zombieland for being so graphic. I only watched the first 20 minutes of the movie and realized it was too much for me. Community also had a Halloween episode featuring “zombies” (Actually people with Rabies) and between these two I have had several really stressful dreams. I don’t like it. I usually have to wake up, turn on a light, read a book on my kindle while cuddling up to Paul, pray…then I can get back to sleep without dreaming of them again. And while all those things are nice to do, I sure hate having to miss sleep!
• I had to take a break while writing this so it is now 9:40am and to try and fight the tired-ness I found a bunch of jobs to do that involved me walking around and talking to people. I have a cup of coffee in front of me, a great view behind me and I feel a thousand times more awake!!! It is as good feeling.

 Above: The view behind my desk

Below: The view of my desk

• Last night we had an AMAZING lifegroup where we ate together and really really shared together. How wonderful it is to be able to meet with a group of people and actually talk about real issues and things.
• I am so excited for Christmas! Less than 2 months away and it makes my heart very happy that it’s coming again:
     o Dec 24th until mid day Dec 25th we will be at the Morgan’s for Christmas in Delta.
     o Dec 25th in the afternoon/evening we will host a dinner for friends who don’t have a place to go (since our family is not doing the big gathering until 26th) I am really excited about this opportunity; I am buying the Turkey this weekend in the states. I can’t wait to make friends feel like they are family!!! AND have a great fun time.
     o Dec 26th is the start of the Mitchell family Christmas with 20-25 ppl over for Christmas Dinner!
     o Dec 27th We will be around the Mitchell’s as long as people are around and then will be hosting my parents, the Maxwell’s & Auntie Lesley at our place for “Christmas Fondue”
     o Dec 29th (for Paul) and Dec 31st (for me, because of work) will be in Eugene, OR visiting with Paul’s Mom (flying in from TX), grandparents (I guess they’re my grandparents now too) & and other family. We will stay until the 2nd. I am really looking forward to seeing the side of his family we don’t get to see often.

• I am going grocery shopping in the states with my dear friend Shannon this weekend. We will be spending the night with her great friend Shanna. Both these women are thoroughly enjoyable, and I always love time spent in the states. It should be a great visit…and I am running out of my favorite American groceries, so it will be great to have inexpensive milk, cheese, eggs and meat in the house again!
• Work is very busy at the moment we have 10-20 visiting executives each day this week which means people are always asking me where so and so is or if I can make copies of something. I don’t mind at all and in fact I really like it. Everyone here is so nice and friendly. This company has great employees. And this company treats their employees well. As a result people are friendly, work hard and don’t stir up a lot of trouble. It’s a wonderful environment to work in and I will miss it.
• Tonight we are having our friends Josh & Ana over for dinner as well as our friends, the Chibota’s. I am excited to share food with friends (we are eating my newly invented Spinach Casserole, hopefully it’s good) and play Settlers (Yay!)

Alright, I should get back to work while I’m still employed