I'll miss my friend...

Mike and I moved to Kansas in August of 2000. I'll never forget the day that we pulled out of my parents' driveway. The main thing that sticks out in my memory is how hard my brothers and my dad were crying as we pulled away. I was a little scared about the move. I had just graduated college and Mike was going to be finishing college in Kansas...so I was the one looking for the full-time job. Mike and I both felt like God was leading us to Kansas...we just didn't know why.

We had visited the college campus in May of 2000 and I had started my job search at that time. I went to the nearest big city (a town of 30,000) and went from gym to gym. My degree in Kinesiology and certification as a personal trainer was sure to land me a job! I was surprised as I was told at each place that I was "overqualified". How in the world can a 20 year old college grad be overqualified?!? I didn't understand. Instead, I just kept searching. We stopped in a small town neighboring the college to inquire about rental houses. The receptionist began talking with us and the topic of my job search came up. When she heard what field I was in she excitedly told me that the local recreation commission was looking for a new assistant superintendent! I figured that a rec commission was closer to my field than a bank was, so we followed her directions to the rec building.

I met the superintendent. He was a tall man that went by the name Junior (seemed a little ironic to me). He told me that they were looking for a new employee...but they hadn't advertised for the position yet. I left him a resume and then we headed back to Texas for the summer. I called numerous times during that summer and each time he told me that he hadn't advertised yet and that he needed to advertise before conducting interviews. Little did I know how CRAZY summers are at a recreation commission...and how little time he had to even think about interviewing someone now!

August came and Mike and I loaded up and moved to Kansas. The next Monday I called the rec commission and told Junior that I was now living in Kansas and would love to come in to interview. He said that he still hadn't advertised...but he decided that he could go ahead and interview me. Maybe he figured if he'd interview me then I'd stop calling and bugging him for a job!!

I met with Junior and the Board of Commissioners for an interview later that week. After the interview, Junior asked me to wait in the office for a few minutes while he talked with the Board. He then came out of the meeting room and offered me a job! I was shocked to be offered the job on the spot! I don't remember many things about that interview...but there is one thing that I will never forget. Junior offered me the job, told me the pay (that was my first introduction to what public servants make! lol), and then said, "Don't make a decision right now. Go home and talk to your husband about it...and pray about it."

Pray about it? Those words alone help to ease my nerves. I had just left a college where my professor openly mocked me during class for believing in God...and here I am having a potential employeer tell me to pray before accepting the position. To me...that said a lot about his character.

I (obviously) accepted the job...and have never regretted it. Junior is truly an amazing boss. I couldn't have asked for a better atmosphere to work in. Junior made it clear that family should be a priority. He was always happy to let me have a Friday off work so that we could go to Texas and visit my family. He supported my ideas for new things at the rec commission...from converting a storage room into an aerobics room to opening a full-fledged fitness center! He became someone who is not just my boss...he's my friend. He has also been a father-figure to me. Every day when I leave work he'll say, "Drive safe!" I know that makes my mom happy ;)

I'll never forget the day that I gave Junior a card (it had a picture of my first sonogram with Brody) telling him that I was pregnant. He was so excited that he cried as he hugged me and told me congratulations! When Brody was born...he became another grandpa to Brody! I remember walking into the office one day from the weight room and found a TALL Junior lying on the floor underneath Brody who was bouncing up and down in the doorway jumper. What was he doing? He was trying to get a sock back on Brody's foot!!! He is now one of Brody's favorite people. As soon as Junior walks into the gym in the morning Brody runs to the office door and says, "Junior!!" over and over until Junior comes into the office. Every day Junior will take Brody upstairs with him to help him sweep the gym floor (he tells Brody this is one of Brody's jobs). He also lets Brody follow him around the building as he works on different projects. Brody loves to help Junior fix things. Beware if you're in the building when Junior decides to leave to run a few errands. Brody thinks it's the end of the world! He sobs and sobs for Junior to come back! Lately people haven't been saying to Junior, "What will you do when Staci's gone?" No...instead they say, "What are you gonna do without your little helper?" He responds, "I'm gonna have to hire a 2 year old boy to come help me get all my work done!" I think they are really going to miss each other.

Thank you Junior. Thank you for the past 7 1/2 years. Thank you for making work a place that feels like a second home. Thank you for caring so much about me and my family. Thank you for praying for me. Thank you for allowing me to bring Brody to work with me every day...and for putting up with him on his "not so happy" days. Thank you for being a grandpa to Brody and for showing him so much love. Thank you for all that you do for the rec commission and the community. They are so blessed to have you as a leader! You have made such an impact on my life. I will never forget you or my years at the LRC. You have become family to us! It's so hard for me to believe that I will not see you every day anymore. I've been pretending like this day wasn't going to happen...but it's finally here. When we leave work tomorrow you won't say, "Drive safe. Have a nice weekend and we'll see ya on Monday." Instead...we'll have to say goodbye. As I'm typing this Brody is saying, "Mommy cry??" Why? Because I'm going to miss my friend!

I know that it's nowhere near enough...but all I can say is THANK YOU!