What a week

Between my dad, my sister and my niece visiting me here in Minneapolis all last week, and me trying to get up to speed at work, last week was crazy. Let's get work out of the way. There is a lot going on, and a lot more that I need to learn, and I'm not learning it nearly as fast as I would like to, but I am making progress. I ran into my divisional in the hall last week and she asked me how my transition was going. I made a face and told her it was going...but I clearly would like it to be going better. She laughed and said "Keeva, I know you! You want perfection, and you just have to know its going to take time." Yeah ok, so I don't necessarily need perfection (it would be nice though) but I do need to feel like I know what is going on in my business. And right now, I feel like I know about 15% of what is going on....although things are getting better everyday. This past week, my Sr. Buyer was out the latter part of the week, and I was out Wednesday and Friday as well, so it made the days when I was at work quite busy and hectic. Next week however will be even more hectic, because I have some big meetings that I need to prep for and it will be my first time putting together and presenting my own business forecast, which I'm very nervous about. I'm already planning for some late nights though. And honestly, I think I'm probably in a better position than most who start out in my situation because I got a lot of good experience while I was still in training and waiting to be placed. Thankfully a lot of the work that is on my plate right now, I have done before - my concern is just applying it to my new business, which operates differently. Once I really start to understand my new business, I think I will feel more at ease. Until then, continue to pray for me!
Now onto my family's visit. We had a lot of fun. The first weekend they got here, we went to church on Sunday (Hip Hop Sunday at Sanctuary Covenant church) - it was my first time there on Hip Hop Sunday too and I was expecting the worse. It actually wasn't that bad. Think of a church service where the praise service involves rapping and breakdancing, popping and locking. Yeah, I know - hard to imagine. It was unlike anything I've ever seen before but not as bad as I had heard from people I know who go there. After church, I had a Valentine's Day party for my niece and sister. We made valentines' cards, and bracelets. And we made food - mini jello cups,and strawberry cake which we cut up in little pieces. Then we had a tea party and ate the cakes and fruit dipped in chocolate. During the week, they hung out at the pool in my building, and went to see a play by the Youth Performance Company called "Little Rock 1957". I didn't go see it with them since I was working but they enjoyed it. We also took them to Gameworks in the evening after I left work. Wednesday we spent the day at the Childrens Museum, then went to see "Confessions of a Shopaholic". It was cute. I can never be labelled a shopaholic b/c I'm not nearly as bad as the girl in that movie. Thursday was another pool day then we went back to Gameworks. On Friday, we spent the entire day at the Mall of America. They rode rides all day at Nickelodeon Universe - the amusement park in the middle of the mall. And we shopped - a little. I bought some jewelry from my favorite jewelry store there (For Love 21) but that was mainly it. Then we had dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, which was my first time there. It was good. When we left the mall, we found ourselves in a middle of a snowstorm so I had to drive about 30 mph all the way home. On Saturday, we had brunch at Hell's Kitchen, one of my favorite brunch places here, then I took them back to the airport. All in all, it was a fun week. The kids drained me of what little energy I had, but it was good to see them. And it was nice to hang out with my dad too. My niece even left me a parting gift - chocolate milk spilled on my plush carpet. I tried to get it out but no such luck so I will be having a cleaning service come. Thanks Madison! I love you too :-)...no really, I do, but she has single handedly convinced me that I am not ready for kids.
Otherwise, I am relaxing today. After my family left yesterday, I went grocery shopping then resigned myself to my apartment for the rest of the weekend. I was tempted to go to sleep early but didn't want to throw off my sleep schedule, so I decided to stay up and watch episodes of Sex and the City (my favorite!). Today, I'm just lounging and trying very hard not to think about how long this week will be :-( Later y'all!