BIG TIME

 I have a new nickname around my house.  It's "BIG TIME".  You see I've been "promoted" for lack of a better term.

Sometime in late July there was a swirl of phone calls and a bit of confusion about whether they'd happened but I was asked to assume a new position at church.  For the past 4 years I've served as the Director of Public Affairs for my stake in Allen.  Some changes at the Dallas regional level left an opening that I was ask to fill.

I was very very resistant to this change.  Change is hard for me.  I was really excited to embark on things at the Stake level in the fall with Matthew in school 3 days a week--I was finally going to have some good solid time to do my calling well without the hassle of arranging childcare.

I'd just lost my mom and at the time was still grieving a lot.  I was still having days where it was hard for me to function.  How in the world was I going to do this?

The way the "call" came I knew it was coming before it officially came so I spent a lot of time on my knees, fasted and prayed, even went to the temple and felt nothing.  So initially I said I needed more time.  But then I had a heartfelt conversation with my Stake President.  He told me that 2 years ago he warned his presidency to have my replacement ready because I would replace Amy Fennegan when she was released.  He pointed out that I was the best qualified person in the region to fill the role.  And he promised me that my mom would help me.

With my new assignment came new biz cards, and a trip to Phoenix for training with the other "Big Time" folks from the North America South West area of the church.

One of my favorite things that happened in my training was meeting the guys behind the new movie, "Meet the Mormons".  We met Gail Halverson, "The Candy Bomber" and he was so fun!

 And this is my new BFF in the PA world, Jan Chappell is in Houston and works with my sweet Mother-in-law.

I promise I was the baby in the room, and humbled by many of them being former mission presidents and Stake Presidents.  But I'm used to that.