The hoops I must jump through

How long in a job should a person have to work before any sort of promotion should happen? I have been asking that for about 2 months now. I have worked at PCL since June 14th 2007. I was in the Army for 3 years and managed to get promoted 3 times. I am vying for a position within PCL called Service Coordinator. A service coordinator is a house manager, making sure all the books are good, staffing issues are taken care of, that there is money for food, and household, and that the clients are properly taken care of by direct support staff (what I currently am).
One of the things i have done to try to stand out is ask for more leadership opportunities, and being graveyard, there isn't much, but I was given the task of end of month paperwork! I think I did it correctly. I also lead meeting sometimes, but the most annoying thing I have to do is be dependable. When you are dependable, you are the one they ask to work on your day off. You get the most over time, whether you really want it or not. Your personal life suffers.
Sometimes it feels like the most I can do to impress the higher ups at work is do an outstanding job cleaning the house, and in my year and 1/2 of being there, I have had 3, soon to be 4 different service coordinator. It can get exsausting trying to impress people all over again. Well, I am finally getting the letter of recommendation from my current S.C., and that with my written letter of interest
will hopefully lead to great opportunities for me, and with my ability to support my family.

Speaking of family matters, My sister-in-law-to-be had a little girl on monday, jan 19 2009. Her name is Serenity Lynn, and she is a beautiful little baby.

Things my dog has destroyed

For anyone considering getting a puppy, especially a lab puppy, you should know, they have insatiable appetite(If I let her, my dog will eat til she barfs, eat the barf, and then eat some more), strong jaws, and not very discerning taste. Before I had a kennel for her, I came home to some unsightly destruction scenes. The apartment had been ransacked..Pieces of unidentifiable(until I located the destroyed product) garbage lay everywhere, and there, usually in the middle of my bed, there she lay with whatever it was she felt like destroying..all with the most innocent expression a guilty puppy can muster. I have no photos of the remnants, but here is a list of everything I can remember her eating:


My Zen stone mp3 player (while it was docked to the computer)
at least 5 bras.. she still will try to get them if she sees them
2 sets of headphones, including josh's wireless ones
underwear.. she still tries to get my undies.. I know, Gross.
a Spatula
plastic elephant bank
most of my old stuffed animals
half full waterbottles( those are what she likes to eat on the bed.. fun stuff)
she has tried to eat the wooden legs off my wingback chair
a phone charger
a laptop power chord (while it was still plugged in..she didn't chew it for long)
some of my plastic orange tupperware containers
circle k cups, again while with liquid still inside them
3 ps2 controllers (and she almost destroyed a Wii mote and chuck, but we caught her on that one before any real damage was done)
my 'best of friends vol. 2' dvd
the cat brush
at least 7 pairs of shoes (between josh and I)

That is what I can remember her eating off the top of my head. Some would get rid of the dog at this point, but Bowie, as hungry as she is, is a wonderful dog. She is sweet, a huge cuddlebug, smart (she really does want to please)playful with kids and the cat, a good watchdog, and I couldn't imagine getting rid of her, despite my loss of personal property. Her chewing has improved, and she does better with her toys now (while she was chewing everything in sight, she did have toys.. just wanted to make that clear), and really tries not to chew what she isn't supposed to. Labs make wonderful pets for those with patience and not too much attachment to their things. She is a part of the family and we love her.. our chewy naughty little puppy :D

Decorations buildings and bishops

So, the wedding is less than three months away and things are getting pretty well organized. Saturday my mom and I found really pretty green tall vases' and fake -oops- I mean silk, purple gladiolas and matching tall accent flowers. We also found deals on properly colored pebbles and stones. Yay!! Decorations are pretty much taken care of..A friend of my parents are 'gifting' us a wedding cake. She does really elegant wedding cakes, so I am excited. We have decided on appetizers and desserts in leu of actual meals, the wedding is at 3 so I don't think people expect salmon or steak dinners, but at receptions, having things to nibble on are nice while meeting all family and friends. I still need to call my sis and ask if she can bring up some cake plates *hint hint* Whenever I remember I should call her, its usually too late.. The bishop is booked, the building is booked, most of the decorations are aquired or promised to us, and i have the dress.. Its finally coming together..now, about the invitations ... the last real worry on my mind, we have the blanks, just not the announcement or all of the addresses I need.. The people I really want to come anyway should know where and when it is without one.