Oh Remember, Remember the 5th of November

Today was a good day. I GOT THE JOB TODAY!! Not "a" job, but "the" job! The job I've been praying for; the job I've been wanting; the job I've waited oh so patiently for (ok, maybe not that patiently, but still). I was supposed to find out if I got the job on Friday, so I called to hear my fate, but he hadn't made his decision yet and I was told "sometime early next week" the decision would be made. So, I didn't have much on my to-do list for today since I was just waiting to hear. So, I cleaned the house a bit this morning and then went to the gym and finally took a shower. When I got out, I had a message on my cell phone from Mr. Martinez asking me to come in for a second interview today. So, I immediately called the office and set up a four o'clock interview, which meant that I had to get crackin on prepping my lasagne and dessert b/c I was having the missionaries over for dinner at 6:30. So, I rushed to get all that done and managed to look decent for my meeting. I was so nervous because I REALLY, REALLY wanted this job. Here's how the meeting went:

Mr. Martinez: "Well, thanks for coming. This isn't really a 2nd interview; it's more like a job offer."

Me: "Great! (with a look of disbelief)

Mr. Martinez: "You had some tough competition though. I had it down to 5 people and then down to 3. For some reason though, I felt comfortable with you, so I picked you. You're the one."

Me: (huge grin coming across my face) "Thank you! I really, really wanted to be the one!"

Mr. Martinez: (chuckling) "I'm just going to give you the $60K you asked for. I was going to offer you less, but I decided to just give you what you wanted."

Me: (trying to contain my excitement and the cheesiest grin ever) "Thanks!"

Mr. Martinez: "You're benefits will kick in after 90 days, and we'll see how well you do and then we'll talk about bonuses."

Me: "ok."

Mr. Martinez: "You start next Monday, but in the meantime here's a research project for you....."

And thus, I was hired. OH HAPPY DAY!! I'm so excited to actually be a lawyer now. It's insane to think that I am one. It's unreal to me.

This firm is THE job for me because of several factors. First, it is a small firm. I'm the 3rd attorney. I love small firms because you get more hands on work and the atmosphere is more supporting instead of competitive. Second, I'll be working with the owner. He is my mentor. He wants me to pretty much be his shadow for the first few months I'm there. I really wanted someone to train me how to be a lawyer. In law school, you learn the law, but you really don't know anything about actually practicing law. He remembers that you need to be trained out of law school, and he wants me to learn from him. I'm stoked about that. Third, the office is not very far from me. It's about 20 minutes away (with good traffic...not so sure about rush hour morning traffic, but still). Also, it's not on the busiest highway here; it's on the nicer, wider, and less congested one. Fourth, the office is in a really nice neighborhood. There's golf courses around, an elementary school, and lots of other law offices. Fifth, it's civil litigation (they specialize in worker's compensation defense...we defend the companies...companies like PF Changs, The Cheesecake Factory, and Miami Dade School District, etc.). I'll be settling most of my cases, but some will go to trial. The trials, though, are just in front of a judge and not a jury. I'll also get to do a lot of depositions, mediations, negotiations, and hearings. I'm super excited for the experience. Sixth, it's everything I wanted including the salary!!!!!!!

The Lord has really blessed me with this job. I've been praying for a good job that will be a good learning experience for me and one that will help Elliott and I pay for his school. This job does just that. I love the Lord!

Happy Halloween!

Double YAHOO!!

I guess Jamie's husband decided he would take off work and be with his kids, so now my mom gets to come see me too!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAHOO!!!

I'M SO EXCITED!!! My dad and my sister Jamie are coming to visit me November 13-17!!! My wonderful mom offered to watch all of Jamie's kids just so that she could come see me with our dad! What a wonderful and brave grandma!! :) I mean, Jamie's kids are great kids, but let's face it, 3 kids is a lot for a grandma! Oh, I'm so excited!!

I had a great interview today. I'm actually really excited about this one, and I really hope I get this job. It's a small firm in ritzy Miami Lakes that does exclusively worker's compensation defense. The man I interviewed with started the company 9 years ago and has a great reputation and is young and energetic. He also remembers how it was to go from law school into actual practice...that is, you don't know anything. So, he would have me shadow him and he'd personally teach me...which is what I TOTALLY am looking for! He seemed to really like me. He told me that he gets about 100 resumes/day and so he's very selective in who he contacts for an interview, and so I stood out. Also, in the past week he's interviewed 10 people and has only asked 2 people (including me) what their salary requirements were, so that is a great sign. Plus, he liked that I did my undergrad in 2 years and that I went to BYU. He's not mormon, but you know how us BYU-ans have a reputation for honest hard work. :) Overall, it was a really positive interview and I really want this job. I kinda don't want a job until after Nov 17th now b/c my dad and sister are coming, but then again, I need a job now.

For those of you who don't always feel like cooking...

I love to cook, I really do, but sometimes (probably too often) I just don't feel like cooking. I don't want to do the grocery shopping, the chopping, the preparing, the eating, and then the cleaning. Sometimes, I just want someone else to do the work while I enjoy the fruits.

That being said, has anyone tried Arby's new french dip sandwich? Now, I consider myself a bit of a connoisseur of French Dips. I love them. I order them a lot when we go out to restaurants. And let me tell you, these Arby French Dips are one of the best I've ever had. The bread is nice and firm, yet surprisingly soft. The Au Jus is piping hot and delicious. The roast beef is good, and let's not forget the stringy-melty cheese.

I know; it's kinda sad that the only thing I can think about to blog about is food. But, not much is going on these days, and I thought I'd let you all in on a lovely treat for those days when you just don't want to do the cookin yourself.

Tagged Again!

Here goes my second tag of the week.

5 Things I Was Doing 10 Years Ago:
1. I was hating being in 8th grade instead of high school
2. Playing volleyball on a constant basis with my club team
3. Having a major crush on Tyler Coon
4. Learning Spanish for the first time
5. Wishing I could drive

5 Things on My "To-Do" List Tomorrow:
1. Send out more resumes
2. Try to get a job
3. Pray for a job
4. Hope for a job
5. Beg for a job

5 Things I Would Do If I Had a Million Dollars:
1. Stop worrying about a job
2. Get pregnant
3. Go home to visit
4. Buy a house
5. Pay off school

5 Things I Will Never Wear Again:
1. Big t-shirts with that little plastic thing on the side that you would lace the T through. You know what I'm talking about 80s people?
2. My wedding dress....but I still must keep it
3. PJs with feet
4. Booty shorts
5. A backpack full of schoolbooks (yahoo!)

5 Favorite Toys:
1. Tivo - our newest and most loved addition to our home
2. My laptop - I use it everyday
3. Boats - I don't have one of my own yet, but they are still my favorite
4. My sewing machine
5. Cricket - ok, I don't have this either, but it is the coolest scrapbooking toy ever.

5 People I'm Tagging:
1. Annie
2. Haley
3. Stacy
4. Marylin
5. Brandi

Tagged!

I've been tagged twice, so here goes the first one. I'm supposed to write 8 weird things about me, and whoever reads this is tagged too!

1. I am a neat freak. I can't think straight if my house is not clean. It must be dusted, dishes clean, everything put away clean before I can be productive in any way. I like things to be at right angles. Everything must be organized. I believe I get this from my parents. Annie has it too.

2. I love lotion. I put it on everyday after my shower and a thick cream on my hands and feet every night. I can't sleep without it. And, now that I live in Florida, I really don't need it, but I still love it and have to have it.

3. I have a really hard time calling people that I don't know. I'm not shy and I'd talk to them face to face, but over the phone....too hard for me. This makes visiting teaching and networking with lawyers a little challenging.

4. I'm addicted to Diet Coke. I have to have it in the morning so as to avoid a pounding headache. Whenever I'm stressed, Diet Coke is there to let all of my worries go away. It relaxes me and is so delicious...and sugar free.

5. I love the smell of gasoline. I don't know what it is, but it just smells so good. No, I don't go around trying to get high off of it, but when I fill up my tank at the gas station, I get a few yummy whiffs.

6. I like to put chips in my sandwiches. I especially love salt and vinegar chips put in my sandwich. It adds that extra crunch and is so, so good!

7. I like to make cookie batter, but I hate actually baking the cookies. I love putting all the ingredients in and watching my Bosch mix it. But, I hate standing by a hot oven and rolling the dough and waiting for them to bake. My mom is the opposite. She likes to do the baking and doesn't like making the batter. So, we love to make cookies together b/c we each get to do the part we love!

8. My head has its own gravitational pull. I seriously hit my head on something everyday. Be it the wall, the cabinent, the car, or whatever! Elliott thinks this is so funny about me. He told me he is going to buy me a football helmet to wear around the house. Haha.

So there you have it; am I too weird for you? Make your own post so I can laugh at you!