1/28/2010 Made it to Kali

Rode the train all day today. It was on a 4 to 5 hour delay so instead of getting to West Glacier at 8:23 we arrived around 12:00am. Was great to step off into the brisk mountain air. Watched a couple movies, read a couple articles, wrote a little, looked at pictures, cried a little, talked with a few friends, visited with some people in the dining car and attended the wine and cheese tasting event in the afternoon. I won a trivia question during the event (by completely guessing of course) so I got a free bottle of wine to bring to dinner. The older man I was sitting next to had the same dinner reservation as me so we planned to share the bottle in a few hours. I met him and another guy around 7:30 and we had a good dinner and some pleasant conversation. After that we sat in the lounge car and visited a little while. Probably should have cut myself off from the wine since I don’t drink much anymore but as one of the guys kept saying, we were celebrating. I was celebrating my new job and the move to Chicago but also numbing my sadness of not moving back to Germany. Made the evening drift by nicely and had a great visit. Levi picked me up and now I get to stay with him and his family for a week. Looking forward to all the time I get to spend with them. Oh and I just got an email that my dear friend Tammy had a baby girl early this morning. SOOOOO excited and can’t wait to meet her over Skype.

Family in Chicago

Had a great time visiting some cousins while in Chicago. It is always great to spend time with family and an amazing family they are. Tim and Jill are my dad's sisters kids and I haven't seen them for such a long time. I was able to also meet, for the first time, Tim's amazing wife Jodi and there very sweet kids, Chelsea, Treasure, and Josh. Very appreciated for their hospitality and sounds like I will be seeing them more often now, along with Tim's and Jill's other brothers and their families. So nice to have great relatives.

Got the job

Wow….so much mixed emotion right now. A little surreal. Got a phone call at noon today and it was the Manager at "the Grocery Store" telling me they would love to hire me. She said it was a resounding YES around the table and the second I left the interview they all said “I really like her…let’s pick her”. She said they loved my charm, demeanor and passion and they would love to have me in the store. She said that me coming to Chicago definitely calmed her nerves of taking the risk to hire someone from out of town. Also told me about the risk of hiring someone not that familiar with the company but have confidence that I will be great. So I have some research and studying to do so that I can prove her right. It is gonna be a big challenge at first and I am definitely scared but I’m not one to turn that down as much as I am tempted sometimes :) At the moment my excitement is covered by a large amount of sadness about not going back to live with one of my bestest friends, Caro. Also, a little nervous and scared about the idea of moving to another unfamiliar city, friendless again but would you really expect any different from me? Me neither :) Accepting change is hard but pretty inevitable. At least I have some great family out here, the job is a great opportunity and I get to do something I love. Still doesn’t make it any easier to not go back to Germany but nothing would. So right now I will take a little time to be a sad and the excitement will surface later. This is a job that I have been one day hoping for and I guess now is the time. God knows what’s best. So needless to say, it will be great but I have lots to think about and prepare for in the coming days. Thank you so much for all your support and prayers. As I sit here awaiting the train (it’s delayed a couple hours), I’m just trying to process it all. Wishing I had a companion for the trip to West Glacier cause I’m “needing a shoulder” but will be good to reflect and relax I suppose. A little emotionally exhausted right now so those of you that I haven’t talked to, I apologize and I will talk to you soon. Need a little time as my direction has become more clear. Back to Montana and should be at Levi’s in Kalispell Thursday night.

Interview Day

Well that was the most nervous I have ever been walking into a grocery store :) I had to wait all day until the interview at 4:30 and wasn’t too crazy but definitely had some anxiety. I did morning devotions with my cousin Tim and his family and then we had breakfast. Afterward, I did a little interview prep and decided to hop on the treadmill to clear my head a little. Then my cousin, Jill and I went to lunch before she dropped me off at the train station to head into Chicago. I at least got a little nap in, on the hour long train ride to downtown. I battled the cold wind on a 12 minute walk from Union Station and entered "the Grocery" store, as ready to go as I would ever be. Still a little unsure about my full desire of the outcome, but I did my best and gave it my all. There were only a couple questions that I wish I could have answered better. The interview was in the cooking school kitchen area of the store where four high tables were placed in a rectangle and I was on one side and around the other tables sat 6 Staff. One from the regional office and the rest in store…education manager, store manager, produce supervisor, prepared foods supervisor etc. Overall it was a pretty friendly crowd but definitely hit me up with some tough questions and a couple intimidating ones. I must say by the end of the hour interview I was pretty exhausted. At 40 minutes I was wondering which of these questions would be the last :) At about 5:30 the last question came and thankfully it was an easy one. The one lady that was asking me all the tougher more in depth questions said, “ I just have one last questions (instant relief and thanking god in my head :) )…….Do you have a sense of humor and if you could tell us one movie that makes you laugh every time what would it be?” My answer instantly popped out confidently with a big smile on my face, “Yes I do and Dumb and Dumber.” In the interview, I learned more about the job that made me feel a little more nervous, in that, it is a high profile leadership role in a high profile store. She told me that a few times and said I would be considered one of the leaders and role models and expected to be the best since this store is in the top 10 of the couple hundred Stores worldwide. I also learned that this Healthy Eating Specialist position is new and I would be expected to take it and run with it immediately. So a lot of creativity, organization, knowledge and confidence in a startup program would be extremely necessary. Wow, actually makes me pretty nervous and made me question if I had what it takes. I think I could do it but it might be pretty stressful until I get in the groove and hope they like what I am doing. Anyway, I will find out by tomorrow evening whether I got the job or not. To be completely honest I have no clue. One thing that I think may hold them back is that I am fairly new to working in nutrition. It came up a couple times in the interview but who knows. It isn’t in my hands and what is meant to be will be. Either way I have enjoyed my time with family and will catch the train tomorrow back to Western Montana.

Just in Time…….Made it to Chicago safe and sound

Well, I’m glad Dad and I made it to Wolf Point and he made it back. This morning the roads leaving town were closed and blockaded due to the wind and snow. Good ole eastern Montana; always good for a winter challenge :) Funny how it would be this weekend. On the train, I thankfully had a sleeper so was able to lie flat and get some rest last night. After studying a bit and watching a movie, I laid my head on the pillow and was surprisingly able to shut my mind off for a little bit. Today it was more interview prep and a little reading. Also decided to skim through pictures and small video clips of my experiences over the last year. I smiled, I laughed, I lost my breath and fought back a few little tears but was so glad I had so much evidence. So many new experiences, so many different places explored, meeting new incredibly amazing friends, and realizing how much of have changed. I wouldn’t trade this last year for anything. It has all lead me to where I am today and who knows what the future holds. But as I look back on these memories, I realize how much I truly am thankful for and I need to remind myself about when I feel down, or lost, or confused. I really have had some amazing life experiences and am looking forward to many more, wherever they may be :) I know people say that can’t keep track of me but neither can I. Taking it one day at a time :) I made it to Chicago a half hour early and took another train out to my cousin Tim’s house. I met his family and we had a great dinner and visited into the evening hours. Big day tomorrow; In the couple days some big decisions are going to be made for my future whether I get the job or not. Lots of nerves but know that God will place me where ever I need to be.

Happy Birthday Mom and Grandpa and off to Chicago I go

1/24/2010

Well, by the looks of the snow storm in Eastern Montana this morning I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to go to Chicago or not. After church, I made breakfast for my Mom and Grandpa as it was both of their birthday’s today. My grandpa turned 94 today. You wouldn’t know it by the looks of him. What a handsome young looking fun man! I’m so glad I have been able to spend some quality time with him these past couple of weeks. Very priceless. We enjoyed scrambled eggs with garlic, tomato, feta and spinach, a fruit salad, and ezekial toast with jam and afterward we washed it down with Mimosas. My train wasn’t supposed to leave Wolf Point until 4:30 but by the looks of the weather we either needed to get on the road or cancel the trip. So I quickly packed up my stuff and my dad and I took off down the road (which was “closed” according to the road report). The wind howled at somewhere around 50 miles per hour and snow flew across the road but not many drifts were created so thankfully, we weren’t bucking snow banks. The visibility in a couple places was EXTREMELY minimal so those points were pretty scary but we made it. After bumming around town, we sat at the station and awaited the train which was surprisingly right on time. So now I sit here, cozy in my little roomette, studying for my interview on Tuesday and relaxing for the 22hr ride to Chicago.

Just Kidding.........still here

So it turns out I didn't leave Scobey as planned. Thursday night I got an email from a job in Chicago wanting to do a phone interview on Friday with a possible in-person interview on Tuesday. So I postponed my travels and am still here in this icey, snowy, blizzarding part of the country. It is actually a good thing I didn't leave as the roads are not good at all and sporting events in the area were cancelled due to travel conditions. Hopefully I can make it to the train station 45 miles away. I had the phone interview yesterday afternoon and it went well. So to Chicago I go. I am hopping the train in WolfPoint on Sunday and have my interview on Tuesday afternoon. It is a job with a large grocery store and the position is the Healthy Eating Specialist for the store. It is a really cool job and is the only thing that is keeping me from my return to Germany. A job opportunity that I could not pass up and had to try. We'll see what happens. What's meant to be will be :)

Small Town Appreciation, Bye Bye Scobey

So I have been back in Scobey now for the past 5 weeks and tonight is my last night for a little while. It has been a few years since I have spent this much time back in my little home town. A lot of mixed emotions are presented but there is always a great appreciation that I have for this place I call home. Not many people have experienced coming from a rural community and many would not understand the structure, culture, or environment. Scobey is a little town with no stop light, 6 bars, 5 churches, 1 school, a county newspaper, post office, two grocery stores, a bowling alley , a nine hole golf course and movie theatre still owned and run three nights a week by Edgar, a 80 year old long time resident. A little town where it's ok to leave your house unlocked and your keys in the car ignition. It is found as a little speck on the horizon of this big sky country. Its surroundings can be described as the amber waves of grain, just like the words from a little song you may know called America the Beautiful. It is a community where everyone knows everyone’s business whether you want them to or not but also a community that pulls together for everyone in their time of need. Here, you look out for each other, you support each other, and you call everyone by name. For example just last week a special community man passed away early one morning and by 9 that next day three dinners were already planned for the family. Everyone pitched in to set up a space, cook, bake, and clean-up, three nights in a row.
You may wonder what there is to do but there is plenty. It may not be like the big city but I remember keeping myself busy back in the day and it sure doesn’t seem like anyone has any trouble these days either. Shopping and clubbing just aren’t on the list :) Which is good for me since I’m not really into either of them :) People look forward to league nights of bowling, golf, darts or cards, community dinners, high school sporting events, snowmobile runs, bar dances, high school or community music concerts, and friendly get-togethers. It is a little tougher to get as involved when your not living here any more but that’s ok when it’s short term. It’s a nice, quiet, relaxing get-away but now I’m ready to get back to my reality again, whatever that may be :)
Never will I regret growing up here nor will I dread coming back. It has been my “home” now for the past 29 years and always will be.

Progressive Dinner

Tonight I hosted a dinner party for some of my family here in Scobey. I spent most of the day cooking and preparing the 4 course meal using a sort of Italian theme ending with a German flair. Of course the meal was accompanied by a few bottles of red wine and great company. The first course was an easy appetizer of Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil leaves drizzles with a little bit of Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar. Next came a cup of Homemade Tomato Bisque soup and a slice of freshly baked Jalapeno/Provolone French Bread. Our main dish, was a whole wheat pasta mixed with shrimp, broccoli, sweet bell peppers, drizzled with browned butter and topped with grated Romano Cheese. I didn’t want a heavy cream sauce since we were doing a progressive dinner and we needed to be able to enjoy it all and not be too full for dessert. AND a tomato sauce would have be a little much since we had the Tomato Bisque. Finally, I served a Birne Kuchen (Pear Cake/Tart) for dessert. I was taught by my personal pastry chef in Germany how to make it with plums but pears are currently in season and I didn’t have access to any plums, so pear it was. The dough was a little one he and I like to call 1-2-3 duff :) Along with the dessert, I served some Schumli coffee from Germany and Crème Café (similar to Baileys) made in Heidelberg for anyone who wanted to try it. Everything turned out very good and overall it was a successful meal enjoyed by all.

Baby It's Cold Outside

So here I am...still in Scobey, Montana. Doing a little office work for family friends, wearing out the treadmill, hanging out with my parents, and tryin to survive the cold winter :) This morning I woke up it was -34 degrees Fahrenheit. We are in the coldest area of the USA right now (not including Alaska) Man, I am not used to this kinda winter any more. The snow is piled up and large drifts have been created by the ever-so-common wind we get up here in Big Sky Country. I brushed off the dust on my old snow boots and jump into them so I could tromp outside. Even walking a half of a block is quite painful. Your running nose freezes, your cheeks burn and you can't take a deep breath without coughing to prevent your lungs from freezing up. Brings me back to many fond memories as a child, back in the day when it didn't seem like such a big deal. Don't get me wrong it was just as cold and it seems like we had even more snow then, but it also was a normal winter occurance that I had every year. Memories of walking a mile to the "S" hill dragging along the sleds, ice skating at the little rink by the hospital, and snowmobiling in the fields all gather in my mind. Such good times :) Now I'm such a wuss :) I did try to find my old ice skates though but haven't had any luck yet. For now I will stay warm by the fire at home, drink a little hot tea, and keep on working out a plan for what comes next, all the while reminding myself to stay in the moment.