Bon Travail!

Things are finally starting to make sense with our lives here in Anchorage. My job is in full swing and I'm really learning a lot. This week I even took on a very in-depth and challenging task and finished it on time and, I think, did a really good job. I get the sense that I'm making a pretty good impression on my judges and I still have another year to continue meeting people and learning about the legal system in Alaska. After the New Year I want to focus on meeting private sector attorneys and maybe even investigating some in-house counsel or business contacts. I like to keep my options open.

But this post isn't about me, it's about Leigh. Two years ago Leigh was laid off from her non-profit job in Buffalo. I suspect some unfair treatment, but the most certain thing we know is that the economy took a hit and her position was no longer funded. She didn't do anything wrong to deserve losing her job, it just happened. At the same time a lot of people in Buffalo were losing their jobs, so it wasn't like she could just easily find another one. Over the next two years she sometimes went months without working, then did some traveling with me, then temped doing everything from working in a greenhouse in Virginia to working for my grandparents' farm in Washington. Since coming to Anchorage she has been pleased to find there is a lot of fair-paying temp work available and she has been working pretty much since we got here.

Last week she had two job interviews, one at a local university and one at a major accounting firm. Yesterday she found out she was hired at the accounting firm! What a victory! After such a long time of being stressed over how she/we will make our bills 3 or 6 months in the future, Leigh has finally been rewarded with a real, permanent job that will challenge her and allow her to grow. She will be working with their tax processing team, assisting their accountants in preparing client taxes. Leigh has always loved maths and number games and in this job she gets to lord over her own database. I think her inner nerd has fully emerged from its hiding place! The best part is that the company she works for now is a Big Four accounting firm, so the perks are really something. Also, her new office building will be about 4 blocks south of the courthouse, so we can start having coffee and lunch dates throughout the week, not to mention using about 1/3 to 1/2 as much gas as we use now for our daily commute.

I'm so proud of her and so happy for her to have this opportunity. We haven't taken the nursing degree plan off the table yet, but we are allowing for more flexibility where that is concerned. If Leigh likes being an accountant then she may want to pursue this as a career instead of getting another degree. In Alaska someone with a bachelor's degree in a subject other than accounting can sit for the CPA exam if they have supervised accounting work experience for one year OR if they take 15 credits in accounting courses. So maybe this time next year I'll be blogging about Leigh taking the CPA exam or maybe about her signing up for nursing pre-req courses or maybe both?!

Yesterday after work we celebrated our small victory against the world by attending a UAA hockey game. The tickets were FREE through a university promotion. The Seawolves lost 4 to 3, but it was a fun outing. Today we have a long list of errands and are determined to hit the gym sometime, but we plan to continue our celebrations by having brunch at our favorite downtown restaurant, Snow City Cafe. I've also promised Leigh some baked goods this weekend. I'm thinking "Cornish" pasties and maybe some cookies to get us through the week.

OK, now my tummy is growling. I think I'll shower and usher us out the door toward our breakfasts!