So it was just after my 29th birthday in February 2009 and my wife and I left for New Orleans. I was going there for our 2009 GM Conference. She was coming because almost all of my extended family lives in Louisiana. A lot of them were not able to come to the wedding so a huge blessing that the GM conference was in New Orleans.We stayed with my dad's mom in New Orleans two nights and my mom's mom in Shreveport for one night. I had not seen them in years so it was great to see them as well as introduce Stephanie to them.
We had a blast hanging out downtown when I was not in meetings and Stephanie loved walking around shopping when I was in meetings. We ate a lot of great food (We have tried making beignets a few times since and it is just not the same) and saw a lot of historical sites.
After our conference had ended, we took a trip with a buddy of mine and fellow GM with some family friends around where Hurricane Katrina had devastated the city. We took no pictures because pictures were not needed or desired. It was crazy to see the destruction that was still there 3.5 years later. Blocks and blocks of empty homes, destroyed homes. I saw my great aunt house in the lower ninth ward. It was crazy just to be down in the area knowing what had happened and the lives that were changed and even lost. My great aunt has been from home to home after the hurricane before getting settled in a retirement community, where she is today.
We got back from New Orleans and everything went back to normal. We decided to go to St. Louis for Father's Day to spend some time with my side of the family. I had remembered to email the HR Director at my friend's company and did so letting her know I would be in town. She agreed to a time to meet.
We got into town on a Wednesday night and I met with the HR Director on that Thursday afternoon. I thought it was just going to be a chance to get my name out there and if something came up down the road, they would let me know. She let me know that a position had just opened up within the past week for a Manager on Duty position at their busiest hotel right across the street from Busch Stadium. She wanted me to go meet with their HR Director the following day, which I did.
I had a total of three interviews for the position while I was there. We came back to Phoenix and had two more phone interviews when I got back. Just after the 4th of July, I got an offer on the job. Stephanie was leaving the following day for Little Rock to visit her mom. After a few days of talks, I agreed to the position on a Friday afternoon. I called Stephanie to tell her and she was stoked and glad that we were able to work things out. She wanted to trump my news and man did she!
Phoenix Part 13- The time has come to say goodbye and oh yeah, the news!!!
enjoying the story.
ReplyDeleteAnd what news was that? :)
ReplyDelete