Happy Anniversary to Me

Any minute now I feel like there is going to be a flashback reel replaying the last year of my life. It's been a crazy year and as I celebrate my one year anniversary at work tomorrow, I know even greater things will come with time. I still remember my first day last year. I was scared to death that no one would like me and that I would not be able to do the job. Well, both of those turned out to be completely false. I have some of the greatest friends at work, including my best friend and I've succeeded with flying colors when it came to all of the stuff thrown my way. (Ok, maybe not with flying colors and not without partially losing my mind, but it has definitely been a learning experience!)
So here are some of the highlights of the last year:
- Trying to get my desk and computer up and running with a 50 foot network cable stretched across two rooms because nothing was ready in our office.
- Working out of boxes for the first two months because we didn't have filing cabinets.
- Learning to clothes the month-end books just 11 days after starting at the company and having to call my boss in England because I was stuck.
- The first Parties at the Plaza with the work crowd.
- My first trip to C-town with M last September. We had no clue what we were in for!
- Bowling with J and a few others and throwing my bowling ball behind me rather than down the lane. (I will never forget how hard J was laughing at me for that one!)
- Taking J out for his birthday and him spilling his beer all over M.
- Going to the Bottleneck Blues Bar numerous times with J, C, M and the rest of the crew and dancing our butts off.
- The Party Planning Committee succeeding at throwing the happy hour of the year celebrating J's promotion to Laredo Operations Manager.
- The Christmas party at Cannoli's where I spent much of the evening hob-knobbing with the owner of the company.
- The trip to C-town 3 days before Christmas where M and I had to learn billing and then take over when the "Christmas flu" was going around the office.
- Finding the drive-thru liquor store in C-town and driving around to find the houses of everyone who lived down there before they moved to St. Louis.
- FedExing cookies to Laredo for my bestest buddy.
- Going out with M for New Years and calling C and J at midnight to wish them a happy 2006.
- Spending my birthday dancing the night away with my coworkers at America's Pub and Patrick's.
- Having an "AR meeting" at the Eastern Conference Center with the President of the Company, Director of Operations, Billing and Accounts Payable.
- Going to Kobe Steakhouse of Japan with the President, Owner, Director of Operations & M and catching a flying shrimp in my mouth and also having the owner spit water on me after the president told a very funny joke.
- Watching the Owner play the air guitar when we went out for drinks.
- Getting AR down to 13%.
- Having everyone think M and I are fighting because we're switching desks and she moved to another part of the office for 2 days while her desk is being built. (This was late last week and today and it was hilarious to watch because we're closer than ever...but everyone was worried.)
- Becoming "Carrier of the Year" and finally settling in after a long 11 and 3/4 months!
- And finally, today...packing up my desk and putting everything aside this afternoon so that my new desk can be built in the morning. Tomorrow will start out just like my first day last year!

One final note, I would like to say thanks to Josh for putting up with me over the past year. (Heck...the past 3 years for that matter!) But really, if there was one person who had faith in me from the beginning, it was him. I still remember the day of my interview on July 1st last year and then him coming up that night to spend some time with me. He knew that night that I would get the job and do great things even when I wasn't so sure of myself and I appreciate that tremendously! And no Josh, I'm not moving to Texas anytime soon...you're stuck with me in Missouri!

Ahhh...the memories! Anyway, I'm in for a fun-filled day tomorrow. Besides trying to get my new desk organized, I have to get ready for my weekly meeting tomorrow afternoon and get all of my other Tuesday duties completed. It should be quite the day....and I'm definitely looking forward to coming home tomorrow night and celebrating with a Smirnoff!