Are We Really Leaving???

Saying goodbye sucks! Plain and simple! As I mentioned in an earlier post, our office is in the process of moving. What I didn't mention, is that the 3 agencies in our building are going in separate directions. My agency, Rural Development is moving to Crawfordsville. The other 2 are going to Attica. This makes me sad in sooo many ways! These people have become like family to me. It's funny because I was so reluctant to start working down here. My friend Tracy's mom, Sandy offered me a job with FSA as a temporary in the summer of 2001. I almost said no because I had no office experience and knew nothing about computers. She assured me it was a simple program and I would be fine. When I walked into that office in August of 2001, I was so nervous! As I mentioned, I knew nothing about computers. Nada, zilch, NOTHING! I didn't even know how to search the internet. Thankfully Mary told me about Yahoo. I didn't even know what that was! Turns out there was no reason to be nervous. Susan, Mary and Debbie took me under their wings and showed me the ropes. I stayed on as a temporary over there for almost 4 years until there was a full time opening on the Rural Development side. Then I was actually starting a full time job with great co-workers, plus I was still in the same building with the people I had become so close to! It doesn't get much better than that! And not to mention, my friend Lori had started working in the building! Lori and I were Bff's in junior high when I went to Fountain Central. We were inseparable! You could either find us running the streets of Hillsboro or Mellott singing to the likes of Run DMC or the Beastie Boys! And then I moved away and we didn't have the same technology to keep in touch that kids have nowadays, so we kind of lost touch. Our paths crossed from time to time in the grocery store or at a preschool meeting. I was SUPER excited when she started working here! And from the day she started, it was like 20 years had never passed. We just jumped right back into that friendship we had in junior high. We've always said it was a good thing I moved, because the 2 of us probably would have gotten into trouble if we had stayed together! And here we are having to say goodbye again. This time will be easier to keep in touch. We have cell phones and texting and email and instant messaging!


When I think of this building, I think of the song by Miranda Lambert, "The House That Built Me". Not so much the actual building, but the time spent here, the memories and the bonds formed here. Not that the building didn't teach me a few things! This building taught me to be an excellent toilet plunger! It taught me the true meaning of "dressing in layers"! You froze in the morning and smothered in the afternoon! No matter what season it was! I learned that you can catch a snake on a piece of baseboard that is coming off the wall. That little snake was stuck like glue on that baseboard! And in our lunchroom! There were some pretty freaked out people in the building that day. I got to be the lucky person that discovered it! But most of all, this building taught me the true meaning of a "work family". I had never had that before. We've laughed together. We've cried together. We've laughed until we cried together. It has been a super fun ride! And I must admit that while I don't really cry easily and especially in front of people, this whole situation has turned me into a total crybaby! Silly because I am very blessed to have a job. And I will still be with the other 3 people from Rural Development. We all get along great. So it's not like I'm leaving all alone! And people move or transfer all of the time and they don't act like big babies! And with today's technology, It's not like we won't keep in touch. But I can't help it. I will miss our lunches together, dance party Friday's, just seeing their faces everyday! Even though during busy times, we may not see other people from the building, it's just nice knowing that I can walk next door or across the hall and they are there! I guess we are all starting a new adventure. But I will always cherish the memories and the friendships I have made here at the Covington USDA. I love you guys and I will miss you all like crazy!
P.S. No more proper goodbyes! I tried to say goodbye to Susan and it was proven that I couldn't do it without bawling! Snot bubbles aren't very attractive on me!

Mary's 40th birthday party

My 30th birthday party

Me and my Lori!

I wasn't kidding about the snake! Poor Mary sat right next to him for her whole lunch and didn't even know he was there! Of course he wasn't going anywhere. This dude was stuck like glue! And we discovered he was still alive! We were used to seeing the occasional mouse, but never anything like this! And one time Lori let a bird in. Now that freaked me out more than the snake! Debbie could be heard shrieking 2 counties over when she was peaking her head into the door and Lori flapped her hands out of the cracked door. Debbie thought it was the bird! That was one of those laugh until we cried moments!

It wasn't just reptiles running around our building! Lori, the crazy cat lady, found this abandoned little kitten and brought him in one day. We put him down and he crawled up underneath the cabinet where the baseboard was off. For 3 hours, we tried coaxing, scaring, yelling, everything we could think of to get him out. We ended up having to pry the bottom of the cabinet off to get him out. And needless to say, he ended up coming home with me and is now the best kitty ever! Bry named him Mikey!

Dance Party Friday's! Andrew showing us his moves!

Blue Friday's! I am super loved!

Told you we had fun!

We will have to have some family reunions at Robies!

So glad the RD gang will still be together!