Memory Monday: How I got to the Sunshine State

I ran across a blog today that had a featured called Memory Monday, which focused on great, funny, touching or poignant memories. I thought it would be a great way to start the week, and I'm filled with memories.

I thought about this first one as I was getting out of the shower on Sunday night, NO THIS IS NOT A SCANDALOUS MEMORY. I recently found my big puffy robe I got a few Christmases ago from Mom and was going to throw it on while I tracked down my PJs. I started thinking about all the evenings I spent cuddled up in this robe back in WV. There isn't much I miss about cold winters, but occasionally I'll see a picture of a friend in a cute sweater or peacoat or awesome scarf and I'll think about how I haven't even unpacked my coats and it's mid-November and I'll think about all the cute blazers that I might not even get to wear this winter and I get a little sad, but it only lasts until the first batch of snowy weather pics pop up on Facebook and then I'm totally over it.

MEMORY MONDAY. Right. So.

The winter of 2008 wasn't a very good one for the Austin family. For reason I won't get into, hubby and I were living off one part time income. I had interviewed for the job I have now and had a great feeling about it, but you just never know. Interviews are like when you first start dating a guy and don't know if he likes you, so you want to call but then you get all wishy-washy and think that calling is going to totally ruin your chances with him. I wasn't about to contact my future boss with more than one follow-up email, so I was forced to just wait it out for two long, cold weeks.

I spent the mornings sleeping and the evenings packing while hubby was working at a TV station. We didn't know what was going to happen, but did know that we'd have to move. There was no opportunity for either one of us in WV and we both felt like our time there was over. I was packing everything I owned on a wing and a prayer. After hubby got home, we'd get into bed and watch approximately 3 hours of Cops. I think this is so we'd realize that it could be way worse. Thank you, Jesus, for Cops.

Looking back, I don't' know why I wasn't more terrified that the job wasn't going to work out, but I wasn't. The only thing I was terrified about was the that someone was going to break in to my house and take the packed boxes and that's because every day before my husband left, we watched a show on Discovery hosted by two ex-cons who told us exactly how robbers break into your house. Yeah, that was a super smart thing for me to do considering I had nothing else to worry about.


We woke up one chilly morning in January and out of habit I glanced at my phone to check the time. There was a call from Florida. My heart jumped.  I excitedly climbed out of bed and ran downstairs to check our answering machine, where my future boss had left a message.

"Hi Amanda, if you could please call me as soon as you can, I'd love to talk to you. Call me on my cell if you can't reach me in the office."

I mean, it had to be good news. He wouldn't call my home and my cell if it wasn't good news.

I nervously dialed the number and had the following conversation:

Boss: How's it going?
Me: Cold. It's really cold here! And snowy, but besides that I'm fine!
Boss: Well here's something to warm your spirits....we want to offer you the job.

There is only one time in my life I've been as excited as I was at that moment, and that was when hubby proposed. It wasn't the same "excited and nervous" as my wedding day or "excited and eager" like the night before a big vacation, but rather "filled with tremendous joy". I literally jumped up and down after I got off the phone. It was spectacular.

This is one of my favorite memories, mainly because of how he told me they chose me. It did warm my spirits in more ways than one: the thought of living in a state where it's warm almost all the time, and the thought that our lives would change dramatically.

I'd love to hear your memories. What's your favorite job related memory?