He Did It

Those that know me have likely experienced my competitive nature. While it was nurtured around card tables, in the classrooms of St. Edmund's and Ellis, in our backyard and on athletic fields, the personality trait has carried over into my career.


While I'm proud of the contribution I've made to corporate America at the age of 36, I sometimes find myself looking around the conference room, assessing my peers and wondering if I couldn't have been a little further, a little higher up, had I spent more time in the career development office in college.




Back in 2004, I graduated with a Varsity Lacrosse letter at Notre Dame, a major in Art History (with a summa cum laude mark on my degree), many hours spent in between the ceramic studio and stage, several nicks on the dance floor of Finnegans, some amazing friends, but no career prospects. 




It took me three years, meandering through character defining jobs, to figure out I needed to get a more practical education in order to get a more practical job. So ... I didn't study for and mediocrely took the GMAT, pushed my way into Notre Dame's MBA program, and enrolled with about 15 other girls who showed promised of a dual degree.




The first day of MBA school, I told a guy with floppy blond hair that I would be at CJ's that evening. He showed up, we started talking, and I started smiling. As my jargon prone colleagues might say at work, 'there was there, there.' And I enthusiastically signed myself up for it.




11 years later, 3 kids later, my crowning achievement is my family. And despite the time it took to get here, I wouldn't change a thing about the route I took.


But as I write this, reflecting on the number of times I've scribbled the word 'I' over the past several paragraphs, I'm pretty sure I'm assuming too much responsibility for my path in life. I speculate there was more of a Him, with a capital H, behind the plan.




My Aunt Dee Dee, who in partnership with her sisters keeps Hallmark profitable, sent us a very nice card for our wedding anniversary this week. It said, hope your special day is full of time for celebrating one of the greatest gifts you've ever received ... God's gift to you of each other.



There was something about that circuitous career path, that was very purposeful, and I do feel like God guided it. Had I not experienced my 20s, had I not gained some much needed humility, had I not gone on some good and bad dates, had I not gone back to Notre Dame, I might never have met Peter. I might never have found the character to complete mine, which I believe is exactly what God had in mind.




Since we met, God's also delivered two MBAs, one MRS, three beautiful children, one loving home, and the potential for so much more if we choose to keep love in our hearts.


While there are days that I find defeat, when I come home, I'm reminded of the one thing I've truly won. him, with a lower case h. And I thank Him, upper case H, for making it possible.




Happy #7 wedding anniversary, hubby.


Lo.