Exciting News!

This past week has been crazy and I feel like I have been on a roller coaster for most of it. Let's begin with Tuesday evening, when Tara and I got dinner and played Dutch Blitz. She and I were in the middle of a hand - me kicking her butt - when she said something like, "Wait! Stop! I just thought of something!" I stopped playing and looked at her confused, not knowing at all what she was talking about. She then went on to inform me that Ben had stepped down from the Shipper/Receiver/Assistant Stock Room Manager position at PBK and that I should apply for it. "I can't see anyone else from our store in that position, other than you. You really should go for it." My initial response was something along the lines of, "I've got Ella to nanny for - thanks, though." I heard Tara out though, and my ears pricked up when she mentioned it being 40hrs/wk, set hours, a pay raise, having some leadership responsibilities, and coming with full benefits. "It's interesting that you're mentioning this to me now, Tara, because just four days ago, my health care fell through." So that was Tuesday, the night that Tara dropped this into my lap and threw a monkey wrench into my life...
Moving on to Wednesday:
I call Ericka, the General Manager of our store, and let her know that I would be interested in sitting down with her this week to discuss the Shipper/Receiver position. Ericka's response: ::gasp:: "Really?!" She sets up a time to take me out to lunch on Friday (today).
This afternoon:
Ericka takes me out to lunch, where we discuss this for two hours and I have an informal interview. Everything we discussed went very well and she asked me some really good questions. She came out and told me that she sees me as a leader, which I never really have considered myself a natural born leader. "That's interesting you say that, because I see you as a leader in that you do not follow the crowd. You have an amazing work ethic and go above and beyond every day. It's also obvious that you have set standards and beliefs that you stick to, even if everyone else chooses to go another way, and because you stick to your beliefs, I see nothing but integrity in all that you do. That's why I am confident you'd be successful at this job."
I have a formal interview this coming Thursday, with both Ericka and Ryan (stock room manager), and possibly Jackie, our District Manager. Ericka came out and told me that I am not jumping the gun by assuming I have this job, and to go ahead and assume that I have it, as she cannot officially offer it to me until this week. Oh, protocol. So, I should be signing the paperwork this week, and tomorrow is more than likely my last Saturday on the sales floor :)

And another perk that Tara forgot to mention to me Tuesday night:
paid vacation time! Two weeks paid vacation each year, along with one floating paid holiday each quarter, which means I can take one day off each quarter and have it paid for, AND paid holidays :)

Sad news, however....I have to break it to Ella's family that I am pursuing this. I'm definitely going to help them find a new nanny, though, and so now I am praying that the perfect person will show up. Everything on the PBK end has fallen into place perfectly so far, and I am trusting that it will all work out with Ella's family, even though I'm probably going to cry when I tell them. I just can't pass up health care and job security right now....

Off to bed....as if I can sleep! I'm too excited! (and nervous, and sad...)