Are we there yet?

We’ll be doing IVF in April.

Cycle day 1.

That’s all I have to say about that right now.

Everybody in my house is sick.  We’ll be back to regularly scheduled programming soon.

We pulled into the parking garage about twenty five minutes early.  This, of course, is not shocking considering I’m obsessed with being early.  My quirk worked to our advantage as we pulled in next to one of the women who helped coordinate the event (we sat next to her at dinner.)  We followed her to where the party was going to take place, since the place is huge and we had no clue where to go. 

We took a seat in some comfortable chairs in an outside corridor and enjoyed just talking to each other for a while. As we sat there in conversation, the CEO, President, and VP of the company strolled in.  Behind them was the mayor, a senator, and a few other important looking men.  This was quickly followed up with checking our coats, putting on the mandatory name-tag, and headed in to find a table that was close enough to hear but far enough away to misbehave.

Then came the handshaking.  I shook the hand of the man who created this.  He looked like he could have been somebody’s Uncle Larry.  Just an average man, who created something…  I looked at Justin and asked, “Who was that, and was he important?”  I quit asking after a while, seeming as the room was filled with people who created some military something or another, was an important member of the military, or an extremely influential so and so.  The room was a fine cocktail of engineers, inventors, hackers, marketing people, programmers, and sprinkled with a network guy or two.  Veeeeeery interesting.

We didn’t dance.  There was no way to squeeze ourselves on to the dance floor without bumping into a balding man and his eager to show off her freshly taught moves wife.  The band was really good.  Thank heaven for the fact it wasn’t an orchestra.  They changed the name of their band to get it past the guy who signs off on the entertainment.  I guess they needed to sound more respectable.  The first dance of the evening was all of the VPs of each department doing the electric slide to Mustang Sally.  Funny?  Hell yeah!  It was nice to see important people, those earning several years of our salary annually, out there shaking it in good fun!

We didn’t win a door prize, and the food wasn’t all that great.  However, the company at our table was nice.  We laughed a whole lot, and that’s what made the night.  The woman next to me kept saying the same things at the same time that I did. Turns out she’s somebody important in the marketing department.  Basically if I ever want/need a job, I have one now.  Always nice to have in one’s back pocket. 

We were told what the Christmas bonus will be this year, and it’s not as much as we hoped but more than it could have ended up.  So, there you have it!

Tonight we have our second Christmas party, and I’m hoping that Lucky is feeling better.  He’s on antibiotics for an ear infection.  He meets Santa tonight.  Sunday is cookie day!  25 plus different cookies to be baked, and made into Christmas gifts for friends, family, and employers!

I was just informed by my husband that a state senator and the city mayor will be in attendance this evening.  Ok, so if I wasn’t nervous enough about tonight’s “party,” I certainly am now.  We all know these things aren’t about fun as much as they are about being seen by the right people, networking with them, and working the room like a highly skilled politician. 

I can talk to anybody, but don’t like large groups of people.  I especially don’t like large groups of people I don’t know.  The only people I know from his work won’t be there, because they are on vacation.  I won’t even have a glass of white wine in my hand to avoid fidgeting and to calm my nerves.  Shoot, I won’t even be holding a caffeinated beverage.  CRAP. 

So, now I’m going to worry all day that my dress isn’t just right and just how much I hate my haircut.  All of a sudden a night in is sounding so much better.  I mean, how can you beat a movie in your pajamas with somebody who doesn’t care that you like flannel, or that your hair is sooo not cute, and your makeup is all over the place?

Let’s hope the bonuses they are handing out are worth the nerves.  Perhaps we’ll even win a door prize, and that would make up for the almost certain blisters.

Three words for you….  company Christmas party.  It’s tomorrow.  The last time there involved a social hour I was at a bar.  The last time there was dinner out, I know it was at a family friendly spot.  The last time there was dancing was surely when somebody got married!  However, those three things will occur tomorrow.  Justin’s Christmas party will be done with style.  There will be door prizes, last year they gave away i-pods and plasma screen tvs.  This year they are doing gift cards and a vacation in the company condo (think house) on the gulf coast.  Guess what my fingers are crossed for?! 

So, tomorrow I will hand over the diaper bag and baby and pick up my purse and heels.  I’m sure there will be blisters to report on Saturday.

Speaking of Saturday, we have another Christmas party to attend.  This one is quite different from the aforementioned.  This is a party for the foster and adoptive children.  I’m sure there will interesting stories from this one! 

Ok, now wish me luck as my little one has a cold (and it’s all my fault for sharing it with him.)  The entire house smells like vapor rub.  Yummy, I know.