... another chapter of my life ends...

Well, maybe you can't say it ends... but it sure does end somehow. I still remember being all excited, leaving Germany to start a new life/ new job in Chicago, IL... the farewell party with all my friends and family was a blast and a great turnout. I came here and started fresh with a bunch of energy and success throughout my life. So many good memories with my German friends when we met and had BBQ or Margarita night... going to the movies... having good food, explore the area, made trips to friends/ family. Business trips to different cities, the little flying Rona... always here and there, enjoying the new life. And I really did. I'm very glad I had this opportunity and explored everything, started in another country all by myself and was successful... I grew a lot and learned a lot about myself and how to get out the hidden potential that was waiting to be free'd. When I was at a very high point of my self finding and success, my wonderful husband came into my life with a crazy firework of amazing feelings I've never felt before. And now we're getting ready for the little wonder we've created who will join our family in less than 6 weeks!!! Amazing!!!

So this week it was my last business trip to Chicago for a while... here you can see my CHI cubicle where I spent a lot of successful hours ;). My coworkers decorated it for my Happy Birthday cake party already because it was my last trip. Even though they know that we Germans don't celebrate PRIOR to our birthday's ;)... they just didn't listen and did it again anyways. After they sang happy birthday to me I cleaned up my cube, and took all my belongings with me, even my name tag I took off :( and said 'goodbye' to everybody.
Now I'm gonna tell you the plan for the work comeback after Zoe is here. I talked again to my boss to confirm it'll all work out. And here in the USA it's not that secure than in Germany, which bothers me a little but I just have to let it go now. I'll continue working in the DET office in my current job until the delivery date. After the delivery I'll be able to take off 6 weeks to recover. In case of a C-Section I'll probably be off for 8 weeks (the doc/ midwife has to release be back for work). And then I'll work from home 30 hrs a week for KNLogin Administration or something else in case they decide to just replace my whole position and give me another job. I'll give up the Quality part because I would have to be in Chicago every other week for that and I also give up the sales calls and all the trips to the other offices. That way I can take care of Zoe, we don't have to drop her off at a Day Care and I don't have to fly around and barely see my husband and baby. I'm very glad this will all work out this way but again... I have nothing in writing or so... I just have to trust that this is all working out... very hard for a German to trust on that though ;).