It's Not Really the End

It feels like the last day of school. Y'know, where you get to dress down, eat hot dogs for lunch, and play kickball in the field behind the school? It was very strange getting ready this morning, knowing it was my last commute, my last time making myself coffee at home, and the last time to make my favorite breakfast burrito to slop on my shirt on the way into work (gooey cheese is my favorite)! It's with bittersweet feelings that today marked my last day at this office. I'm ecstatic for the future horizons and challenges that life at St. Fozzie's will bring. But I'm also sad and will greatly miss the friendships I've fostered these last six years.

I don't care who you are or what you do. You may love your job and what you do for a living. However, if you don't like your co-workers, you will not be very happy at work. We spend many more hours working than we do at home and those people make all the difference. I have the greatest co-workers (no, I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid!). They supported me, encouraged me, and always knew when I needed a laugh (or let's be honest, when I needed a chocolate fix!). The Edge, Cake Lady, Squirrel-Eater, and Elk Man, you guys are the best and I will never forget how much you supported me. I feel like you all should receive honorary master's degrees, for listening to my ongoing rants about school! I will miss you all so very much. Count on lots of emails, since my current email addy won't change!

In celebration of my last day, my co-workers showered me with gifts and candy (hurray!) and they threw me an office-wide luncheon for my farewell. I'm not thrilled with being the center of attention like that, but The Edge made her rock-star mac and cheese for the occasion. Who am I to turn away mac and cheese and countless other treats? Anyway, we had a fantastic, if teary, time and I came away from it knowing I will be missed and that my hard work these last several years was definitely noticed and appreciated. Sometimes that's all we really yearn for in our professional lives: wonderful co-workers and a sense of appreciation.

And it's really not the end. It's just another beginning.