My Meador Story

Yesterday, January 29th was my 14 year anniversary at my place of employment.  Hitting the anniversary of anything is always exciting but this day didn't really strike me as anything too special.  I actually forgot about it until my boss texted me at 6:15am to wish me a happy anniversary. 
I went on to work, about my day just like normal.  We are so blessed to be busy with business and my group came up Sunday late afternoon for a planning and organizing meeting so honestly, I was just focused and ready to get work done. 
I had to run an errand for work in the middle of the day so I hopped in the car and ran down the street to pick something up.  Isn't it always those quiet places where our mind can sort of rest when God speaks the loudest?!  I cannot tell you how many revival moments I have had in my shower and in my car!  :)
I'm driving down Fairmont and all of this sudden I just starting thinking about how long 14 years is.  At least how long that has been in my life.  I started thinking about who I was 14 years ago.  And the more I started thinking about it, my chest got tight and I started to get overwhelmed.  Not overwhelmed in a bad way, but overcome with emotion thinking about who I am today and how much that day 14 years ago changed my life.

I actually started working for Meador back in the summer of 1994.  All of my friends were busy tanning and going to the mall and my dad insisted that I get a job and learn responsibility.  So being that we just so happened to go to church with the Meadors, fortunate for me.....Mr. Meador told dad he would put me to work if he wanted to send me down.  So of course he did and I started my first office job.  I remember for two weeks straight, I sat in what was probably a 4X8 closet/room and took sticker labels off of a roll and put them on a piece of paper and faxed them.  STACKS OF THEM!  I have to tell you, with the place that I sit in now and some of the decisions that I have to make, those sticker faxing days sometimes sound awesome! 

So I worked Summers while I was in high school (I was the pastey one with no tan) and when I graduated I worked Summers and Christmas break.  I grew to love the people so much and it was always so exciting to come back.  Now that I am older, goodness knows what everyone thought of me but I was sure excited to see them.  I definitely wore skirts that were too short and had PLATINUM blonde hair but I think I pulled my weight in work when I was there. 

In 1997, at the very end of the year, I quit.  I have no idea what I was thinking.  I was in school and I think I thought I deserved a break and I was going to leave and have some time to myself.  At this point I was back in Pasadena and going to San Jac and living with my parents.  So whatever.  I was 19.  I knew everything. 

Late January of 1998, maybe 3 weeks later, I find out I'm pregnant.  That's a subject for another blog but lets just say, this wasn't planned and my life was out of control.  All of this sudden, that blank canvas had some painted in areas.  I was so scared.  What were Jarrod and I going to do?  What was our future going to be?  Would we do this together?  Would we be able to make it?  What about where we would raise this baby?  I just quit my job and Jarrod was at school in Austin.  (Well - he was enrolled.  ;)  )
I had some serious decisions to make and they were no longer decisions that I could make selfishly.  There were a few certainties in this situation.  We would raise this baby and love this baby and I had to go back to Meador.  I remember thinking, "What are they going to think?  They aren't even going to want me back."  But I made the dreaded phone call.  I actually don't remember if I went up and met with them or if I did everything over the phone.  Val and Margaret would probably remember better.  But I called them and pleaded.  They were so gracious and after a phone call to my boss, I was hired back.  This time as a permanent employee.  It was January 29, 1998. 
Today as I was reflecting back on that time in my life, my heart was filled with so much gratitude for those 3 women that were willing to take a chance on me.  They were willing to look past my immaturity and could see potential that rested somewhere within me. 

 These people changed my life and became my second family.They threw me a baby shower.  They were there the day that Kayley was born. They threw me a wedding shower.  They were at my wedding.  They were there when we bought our first house.  They have cried with me, prayed with me, scolded me, praised me.  They encouraged me back to church when I was wrought with guilt and scared to face it.  They were there the day that I was baptized.   They held my hand through deaths and illnesses. They have loved my child like she was their own.  They have allowed me flexibility so that she was never in a compromising situation or had to ever stay home alone.  They have held me accountable to be who they saw in me when I couldn't see it in myself.  They have been family.
So much of who I am today is because of that decision that they made in January of 1998. 
I thank God for His mercy on me.  For His love that He shows me through them.  For the fact that I get to go to work every day and touch lives.  It's a unique job and a unique place.  Based on Christ.  I'm beyond blessed. 

Today I consider it the best it's every been. I have the best team around. They are my family. We are all completely nuts and we have the most bizarre personalities and I couldn't think of 4 people I would rather have on my team.


 The best peers.  I consider them sisters.  The most amazing leadership and an owner that puts Christ at the center and makes decisions after he has sought the Holy Spirit. 
I say all of this because I am so thankful that I serve a God that "works all things for good for those who are in Christ Jesus."  My life is so much richer and just plain more awesome because of that place.  Our decisions matter.  And that day, their decision changed my life.