That caught me off guard

I don’t think my social calendar has been booked so tightly in my entire life. As you can imagine, The Guy and I are very busy with the upcoming move to California, so I’ve been trying to book up my days and weekends to visit family and friends one last time before I go.

My co-worker Julie wants me for next Tuesday and Saturday nights — so I wasn’t expecting a surprise party like I had last night when I got back to work. She did that because they knew I can piece together things, and put two and two together fairly well. They had to trick me!

Let me back up a moment here.

The Guy asked to use my car (his isn’t winterized) and I had to ask a co-worker who lives around the corner from me, if I could hitch a ride with her in the morning. I almost regretted it because she likes to arrive 1-2 hours BEFORE work even opens. But I didn’t want to take 2 busses and over 45 minutes of travel to get to work that day.

Considering how nosy I am when it comes to planning secret events or wondering what my co-workers are up to on a daily basis, they’ve definitely pulled the wool over MY eyes last night.

I had no clue about the whole thing and I loved that it was such a surprise. You know how some days it’s a fun day at work and you just chat a lot? Yesterday a few people had their office doors closed and I just thought they were in a bad mood so I didn’t bother them. Much to my dismay, of course: PLANNING A PARTY! Friggen right!

I’ve never had a surprise party before – and now I know what it feels like to be truly surprised.

My bosses daughter, a fav co-worker of mine, (Amy) booked me in to hang out with her after work. I thought she was being pretty smart booking me off a few weeks in advance due to the fact she knew I’d be busy with the move. Little did I know.

We headed to the mall at 4:30 and didn’t get any questions about me sneaking out early since I hitched a ride into work with L at EIGHT A.M! Because low and behold The Guy needed my car for this secret going away party! I was wondering if he was using my car for moving preparations and I mentioned to some co-workers “he better not be having fun with my car tomorrow” (he usually asks to use my car to go skiing/biking). Amy and I took my bosses car and had to be back to the office by 6pm. When we pulled into the parking lot, I parked quickly as I wanted to sneak in the back door to give my boss a good freight, so I literally ran up the hallway but also trying to be quiet.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I passed the board room, and that’s when I saw 3 co-workers sitting across, smiling at me. My face probably dropped and that’s when the tears started flowing and I snuck away to cry for a moment. When I walked into the board room, I noticed the popcorn, the candy, pizza , popcorn and Fossil gifts. All of my favourite things. Jeeze the staff knows how to make someone feel special, and loved.

They definitely know me well and it was ALL FOR ME. I’m not a crier – so this was a little uncomfortable at first, but then it was all okay because everyone else was crying, at me crying. HA HA HA!!!

Just finished bawlin’ my eyes out. Mascara on my lids. NBD.

I sat down at the head of the board room table where then I wore a fun Tiara and my boss read out the speech that she wrote, toasted pepsi’s to us. My knees were shaking and I was trying not to bring it to “the ugly-cry” I mean, it was getting pretty close to that. I am so glad that I made a lasting impression on my workplace, for them to love me that much to put together all of this wonderful surprise party for me.

After I got home last night, I read every message that was on both of the card. The wedding card was all “aww” and when I read the going-away card I cried once again. For instance, I couldn’t even read out a coworkers sweet message to me to The Guy. I couldn’t get the words out because it made me cry again! And my buddy Amy? “There will never be another Nancy” – ugh…. Tearing right at my heart b’ys.

Here I am opening my Fossil gifts, including a Fossil stella watch that my work gave me as a thank you gift for the 7 years of “service”. :)My new Fossil Stella watch, the “What does the fox say” Fossil bracelet, and an amazing Fossil purse!I will have fond memories and stories of each and every person I worked with. I told them to please remember that this is so hard for me to leave and as they know, I probably wouldn’t have left the job since I have enjoyed working there, and never wanted to leave. This is a new chapter in mine and The Guy’s lives and I mean – who can say no to California right? We gotta do this!

The past 7 years working there, I have grown from an awkward shy person to having a very (also awkward) outgoing, distinct personality – all because they helped me grow there. Pushing my boundaries, making me become a “marketing person” and get out there and introduce myself to strangers, and put together AGM’s. I couldn’t have done it without the best boss I have, and will ever have. I thank my boss for giving me that extra push out of my comfort zone. I’ll miss her a lot.

My plans are to e-mail all the staff on a weekly basis so they will never have to miss me, but they may get sick of me – since I plan to send photos of me wearing a tank top and sun glasses in California, while they’re all freezing their butts off here in March. I also mentioned to every one of my 30+ co-workers about my website and me being an active blogger for the past 10+ years, so they’re probably reading this re-cap. Hi guys!!!!

I want to thank each and every one of them again, for the seven years of fun times and pleasant memories. You don’t know how much I will miss my co-workers.

Lots of love, from the spastic dancing newfie, who hates mornings, can’t handle caffeine, and loves candy.

Xo – Nancy.

p.s: Blogging will be sporadic until we get down to California. As you can imagine how busy we are, packing, visiting friends, saying our goodbyes and disconnecting the interwebs soon.