KPMG: A Decade to Remember!

10 years! Holy moly, how did that even happen?! I mean, when I graduated college at the end of ’04 (yikes!) and started at this place, staying for 10 years was definitely not on my radar. My plan was to stay a couple years, and then use my experience to get a job in industry. My first busy season was the first year of implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley reform, so it was definitely a ummmm………shock as to the workload right away. But somehow, one busy season led to the next. The off-busy season times always seemed to make it worth it to stick it out 'just one more year'. "Okay, I’ll stick around to be a senior." "Okay, looks like we’re staying til Manager now." Hmmmm. Next thing you know, boom and you’ve been here a whole decade! And I'm the last (wo)man standing of my entire start class!

I have met so many incredible people in my 10 years here. Some of the most brilliant minds, that I have had an opportunity to learn so much from. And some people along the way who have become a few of my favorite people in my life today. So many mentors along the way, encouraging me, inspiring me, listening to me vent, and talking me down from the ledge at times. It hasn’t always been smiles; there have definitely been times when I’ve absolutely hated my job. Wondered if it was all worth it. Times when I wondered if we were all insane thinking that it was ‘normal’ to be working til 2am, only to return at 8am for another long day. It’s definitely been about the people and that’s how I respond when we talk about why we continue to stay. The people and the relationships you develop are what have kept me going all these years.

I don’t know what I get for making it this long. I’m sure I’ll get to pick a ‘prize’, similar to the luggage set I received at 5 years. But I think what I’ll enjoy the most is the pride of saying that I have worked at a place like KPMG for a decade.  I come from a very humble upbringing where nothing was ever extravagant. I went to a small school in a very small town. I was the first person on both sides of my family to go to college, let alone graduate with a Bachelors degree and an MBA. I worked my butt off during college and will likely be paying off my student loans until my own kids start college. Having this kind of a job, making this kind of money, is still kind of surreal to me. And the traveling that I’ve been able to do has been a bit crazy. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d travel to India for work, and now I’ve been 3 times this year!

While I started in Audit, my career path has taken a slight detour to a different role these last couple years. But I think it provides a great balance, both professionally and personally. I still get to work with the great minds of the Firm, while doing different things behind the scenes and constantly working on new initiatives. I have been exposed to so many groups and people whom I would never have had contact with in my previous role and it’s actually pretty refreshing. There’s always something new around the corner to challenge me and keep me interested. The team I work on now is so amazing and we all bring different talents and perspectives to the table. I’m honored to be a part of that team. And from a personal perspective, who wouldn’t want to work from the comfort of their own home office most days in yoga pants?! It has allowed me to be able to take my kids to school in the mornings, pick them up in the evenings and have dinner, go on field trips, go for a spontaneous lunch w/Austin in the middle of my day, and even volunteer for various projects at his school.  Yes, I do have to make up for that time in the evenings after the kids go to bed, but the flexibility to be able to do those types of things is so important to me. I never wanted to a be a full-time stay at home mom; that just doesn't fit into my personality.  It’s crazy for me to say (and for outsiders to often understand), that I truly do love my job!

So thank you to those of you who have supported me, mentored me, and helped me be successful in this journey so far! I have been blessed beyond belief.

**I was not compensated by KPMG for this blog entry. It’s straight from the heart! :)

(I just gave my office a little makeover over the Christmas break!)

HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY AUSTIN!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet boy!!! I don’t even know how I have a SIX year old!  It just doesn’t even seem possible. It feels like just yesterday I brought him home from the hospital and held him in my arms all night. But now my baby boy is a Kindergartner and growing up wayyyyy too fast for my liking. He’s still a mama’s boy, but definitely been more adventurous lately (and a little more rebellious at times!). Just last week he went to Six Flags with Daddy and rode big boy rides, even one that went upside down! I was so proud to hear that he seems to have no fear and just goes with it. He is the sunshine in my day. If I have a rough day at work, all I need is one conversation (or FaceTime session) with this kid, and my day is instantly better. Sometimes, after we put Chase to bed, I let Austin curl up in the bed with me. Just our special time. (Don’t tell baby brother!)

This weekend we’re throwing him a party at Shenaniganz with some bounce house fun, laser tag, arcade games, etc. He even has some friends from his new class coming, so I’m excited to meet them and their mommies. And since I've been in India this week, let's just say that this will not be Mommy's finest shindig with all the cute personalized little touches I usually like to do.  :(

 

His teacher has a tradition where the kids get sprayed with silly string on their birthdays. But she was going to be out for her wedding on his actual birthday, so he got to ‘celebrate’ a little earlier this week. Of course, now he thinks his birthday was on Tuesday, not Thursday! Silly boy!

Happy Birthday buddy! Mommy loves you to the moon and back!

Kindergarten: A New Journey Begins

Wow. I can't believe this day has finally arrived. The day you take your first steps to Kindergarten and seriously become a big independent boy.  When I held you in my arms for the first time nearly 6 years, it was absolute bliss. After all, you had caused me 'all-day sickness' for nearly my entire pregnancy and then high blood pressure; of course I was ready to get you out of my tummy! But I had prayed for so long to finally be blessed with a baby, and the time had finally come. You were absolutely perfect, with your big ol' head and chubby cheeks. I was in love from the beginning and knew that I would worry about you and want the best for you for every moment of my life. Everything I do is for you and your brother, to give you the best life possible. And today begins one of those big milestones, starting Kindergarten at an amazing new school. This was one of the reasons why we selected the lot to build our house on those years ago, because of the plans to build this new school just two blocks away.

Love at first sight!

Last week, we toured your class, met your new teacher Ms. Baker, and got you all ready for your big day. You seemed excited and had no hesitations. I admired your independence and eagerness to venture to a brand new environment. Mommy bought you new clothes, a cool Transformers backpack and lunchbox, and ordered your school supplies. We were all set. Last night you gave me your order for what you wanted me to pack you for lunch. We even made it to bed by 8pm, which is quite the accomplishment these days!

 

Meet the Teacher Night!

But of course, I wasn't as 'sure' as you were about taking this next big step. Would you be okay without your constant companion 'Woofie' for the first time ever? Are you going to cry when I won't let you wear that dang cape to school like you have everyday for the past 3 months? Would your classmates be nice to you? Would you know where to go in the lunchroom? Will you actually make it onto the school bus in the afternoon? Are you where you should be as far as skills go? My mind never shuts off worrying about you.

And now the big day has arrived. You were the first one up, at 5:30am, standing over me telling me you were ready for your first day. Seriously, who is this kid?! You never get up early. We got up, ate some breakfast, and got dressed. Rather than your usual athletic shorts and superhero t-shirt, you didn't even battle me when I suggested we wear the new polo shirt and plaid shorts. Wowsers, this is good. You were even excited to hold the cute sign I made for you to get the obligatory 'First Day' pics taken.

First Day!

 

Then we loaded up in the car. We had to take Chase to preschool first. (He also moved to a new class today, but was not nearly as cooperative, so no pics of him.) The classrooms opened up at 7:30am, and we were the first to arrive. You were so excited to locate your locker in the classroom, and remembered where your assigned seat was. I was in awe of your poise. You didn't shed a tear, didn't cling to me when I tried to leave, just sat in your seat smiling. You have grown into such an exceptional boy; I just love you to pieces. I have tears in my eyes as I type this blog.

So proud of this big boy!

You've been in daycare, preschool, and Pre-K over the past 5 1/2 years and have done incredibly. I have no doubt that you will continue on this streak and probably win over your teacher's heart instantly as you've previously done. I cannot wait to pick you up this afternoon and here all about your first day!

 

Love you!

Mommy

INDIA: A Different Perspective

Ok, so for this go-around, we have a 'guest blogger'. Jordan wanted to give his perspective on my 2-week trip to India and I thought it would be an interesting insight as well......
 

First off, let me say that this blog is by no means to get sympathy, because trust me, I know there are plenty of people whose spouses travel.  I am a "passionate  man" (as coined by Mica Anderson and Jen), but I will try to keep this as "manly" as I can.  

Jen and I first met in December of 2001, she was crazy about me and I indifferent to her.  Once she made me realize that she was the girl for me it was January 2002 (yeah I know it didn't take long)!:)  Anyhow, we really haven't spent an extended amount of time away from each other.  Honestly, the first trip I can remember being gone more than a few days was when me and my Cuz, took a trip to the Nascar race at Talladega and I called her very inebriated one night to tell her that I have never missed anyone that much since I went to church camp and missed my parents (needless to say my Cuz still gives me shit about this to this day, as does Jen).  

Jen and I both had a lot of unneeded anxiety leading up to her leaving (meaning her stressing out about work and leaving the boys and me wanting her not to leave for that long).  I wear my heart on my sleeve, so of course I got emotional a few times leading up to her departure which didn't make it any easier for her as she got emotional right back......in her own special way! :)  She didn't want to leave the boys for that long, i didn't want her to be gone that long, and I damn sure didn't know if I could play both roles for 15 days.

Well the day finally came for her to leave.  It was fun because we got to hang out with family, cook out, drink a little and pretend that the day would end with us all together.  Jen and I knew that wasn't it so we headed out that evening after an emotional goodbye for her with the boys (which honestly there is no words to explain her Love for our boys).  We headed off for DFW, laughing, joking, then it was time to say goodbye.  I held her close, we shed tears, tears of love that we needed each other, and understanding that everything would be ok 15 days from then.  I bid her goodbye and didn't turn around because I knew that my duty was to get in my Chevy, be strong, and take care of our boys, for her, for me, for them!

So enough of the mushy shit!  Jen being gone was the perfect opportunity for me to instill all of my wisdom into my boys and just do man stuff!  I mean what better opportunity do we have to pee outside whenever we want, walk around all day with no shirts, fart and laugh about the smell, and just be father and sons!  So, we did that plenty, we played outside and didn't take baths, we stayed up too late, we didn't eat right, we were just men (and little men) and I loved every minute of it! 

I attempted some normalcy and took the boys out to Chili's one night, then to Sweet Frog.  We survived, maybe only because the new little automated waiters at Chili's that include games, but hell I will take it!  They always asked about Mommy and we always looked at the calendar to see when she was coming home.  Those boys love their Momma, not sure why ;) j/k.  The 4th of July is when we really missed her, watching the fireworks, first time without Jen.  Luckily enough, I have great friends that came and celebrated the holiday with us (thanks Jed and Dixie).  We played music late into the night and Dixie led the boys in a few dances in the front yard as we celebrated, it was such as awesome time!  

I had every intention of making Jen's return something out of a movie when she walked through the terminal door and we tried, but as little boys do they got sidetracked.  :)  We went potty numerous times, I threatened to bust their butts in the middle of the airport, they laid down in the middle of the terminal waiting on their mommy.  You can't plan perfection, and the moment I saw Jen walk through the doors and the boys fell into their place of holding their "Mommy" sign and the roses..........hell it couldn't  have been a more perfect reunion!  It was in that moment that renewed me again.  This incredible woman is so successful, so determined to be the best in everything she does, loves her job, loves her boys, loves me unconditionally.  I love this woman with everything I have.  Be jealous, everyone be jealous, and I am humbled, this is our life!!

INDIA: It's a Wrap!

I'm finally getting around to wrapping up my India trip on the blog. The second week was exhausting. Teaching all day, then going back to my hotel room and catching up on my regular job during 'U.S. hours' when everyone else was awake was alot. But I was basically a lazy bum that Sunday. I left my room for breakfast only and then spent hours watching Netflix. A productive day for sure. :) But just what I needed.

 

I continued to chat with the family back home daily through FaceTime. The boys kept asking me if I was still on vacation!! I guess because I was in a hotel room when they chatted me, they thought Mommy was chilling in some tropical location! Wrong. The second week there was definitely harder than the first. Homesickness set in full force. I got a little cranky. On my last day in the office, my class brought in a cake for me, and got me two small gifts. It was sweet of them to do that. They're all coming to Dallas for additional training once they come to the U.S. in a few weeks, and seem excited to reconnect with me then.

On my last night there, it was July 4th. Obviously, I wasn't home to celebrate and watch fireworks with the family, so I had to make the best of it. Afterall, I only had a few hours left! One of our senior managers from the New Orleans office is currently living over there with his wife, and he hosted a small cookout for the U.S. peeps. I'm really glad I went and had a great time with some bocce ball, grilling out, and drinking some good ol' Budweiser. After getting a little tipsy and sleeping just a few hours, I checked out of the hotel at 4am and headed off to the airport to begin my long journey home. Thankfully, my return trip back to the U.S. was uneventful and on-time. I couldn't wait to get back and be reunited. And let me tell you. When I finally walked out of the international terminal at DFW and was greeted by my family, it was pure bliss. I was that crazy lady crying who just dropped her bags, dropped to her knees and welcomed two sweet little boys into my arms. Chase was holding a 'Mommy' sign and Austin was clutching some roses for me. It was nearly straight out of a movie, just surreal.

 

After that, it was just days of trying to recover again from the jetlag. All I seemed to want to do is sleep. All the damn time. And I nearly did! I took a few days off from work to relax and spend with the family, but now I'm back at it! A big thanks to the hubby for holding down the fort while I was gone. I'm sure my absence for 15 days was no vacation for him, and he hung in there like a trooper!

 

Overall, it was an experience traveling that far, for that long, all by myself. Granted, I was pretty sheltered with my personal driver, posh hotel, business class airfare, etc., but still, give me some credit! I have a feeling I'll be back to India again for my job, and will try to be more adventurous. And I WILL be bringing a co-worker along next time!

INDIA: What I've Learned So Far

I will go ahead and preface this post that the below list was as a result of my own personal experience in India and may differ from others. I've learned alot in my first week here, so in no particular order.....

1. Handsoap in the bathrooms is a hot commodity. It was 4 days into my first week before the dispenser was refilled. (I went through ALOT of hand sanitizer!)
2. A construction hat can double as a motorcycle helmet and be acceptable.
3. It's common for a woman to ride 'side saddle' on the back of the motorcycle/scooter (and not fall off!).
4. Stripes on the roads and dividers are a waste of money here. What's the point?
5. Only drivers of the motorcycle have to wear a helmet. A wife or small child riding as passengers ride at their own risk and just hold on for dear life. 
6. A spa day costs significantly less in India, even at a classy hotel like the JW Marriott.
7. It's easy to get caught up in Orange is the New Black. You may sit up in bed 10 episodes later on a Sunday, wondering where the day went.
8. A Chi hair straightener requires more voltage than allowed by an Indian hotel outlet. No bueno!!
9. Car seats are practically unheard of here. Holy crap!
10. All of my 'students' were super-friendly. Although, they can get quite argumentative on whether their test answers were correct.
11. The GDC is basically on lockdown, with a badge required to get through nearly every door and classroom.
12. I still can't remember the conversion of Rupees to the Dollar. Gets me every time.
13. Unlike America, not all food establishments accept credit cards.
14. It's not unusual to have cows just standing in the road in the city streets.
15. Diet Dr. Pepper cannot be found. Anywhere. And Diet Coke is a luxury I found only on occasion.
16. I am  not meant to be a teacher. I have very little patience.
17. FaceTime is your best friend when you're halfway across the world away from your family.
18. The time zone difference sucks. You're basically sleeping when everyone else is awake/working and vice versa.
19. When ordering water, you MUST specify bottled and chilled.

I can't wait to see what other great knowledge I will gain in my last week here! :)

INDIA: One Week Down, One to Go!

Wow! I've really finished up my first week here in India. I'll be honest; I was pretty homesick as soon as I got here. Just the reality setting in, of being away from home for two whole weeks.

Even though the hotel I'm staying at is amazing and beautiful, I barely got any sleep Sunday night. This jet lag is no joke! I lost 10 hours somewhere that my body is still trying to find.  Needless to say, I was still pretty exhausted Monday morning. Before heading out on my first day, I ventured downstairs for some breakfast at the hotel. Incredible and delicious!!! Pretty much anything you want, and everyone is so eager to help you. (Some of the waiters/chefs got my name on Monday and remember me everyday!) I got a delicious omelet mixed up for me, as well as some fresh waffles made. My driver, Viru, was waiting out front for me, just as expected. After an interesting drive through the city of Bangalore, I finally got to see KPMG's Global Delivery Center in person. Wow, this place is no joke. There are people everywhere! The office takes some getting used to. And let's just say that the bathroom facilities are not up to my standards. Therefore, I usually try to limit my water intake during the day, to reduce my trips.

 

The office in India

 

My driver chauferring me around the city!

 

I'm usually not the first one to volunteer to instruct classes or workshops. I'm just not a fan of public speaking. But that's also one of the primary reasons why I agreed to this adventure in the first place, to push me outside of my comfort zone. After checking in, I was welcomed by a class full of professionals eager to learn about our audit methodology, as well as the U.S. culture. For many, this will be the first time they'll be coming to the U.S. (either for a 6 month stay or 3 years!) But I did see a few familiar faces, of those that had attended some meetings in the U.S. a few months back, so that was nice. Showtime! I'll admit, Day 1 was a little rough. It took some time for me to 'get back to the basics' and determine the best way to convey the information to this group. And for them to get used to my Texas twang. ;)

 

Each day got better and better, with me being more comfortable with the class, and likewise. But each night, I still struggled to get my body adjusted to India time. I couldn't seem to sleep (a.k.a. nap) longer than 2-3 hours at a time. It was exhausting!! Not even Advil PM was helping me. Everyday I started off with a rather large breakfast at the hotel, and usually just worked through lunch while my class was gone. Trying to play catch-up on emails with the time difference in the U.S. has been interesting. Although, two days I did venture out with some of the U.S. rotationals that are currently living over here. One day (after recommendations from a co-worker who has frequent trips over here), I went to this hole-in-the-wall (yet cute) little pizza place that makes the best handmade pizzas in a little brick oven. It was soooo good! And another day we went to nice hotel for a large buffet lunch. I know, I know; not very adventurous or Indian. But hey, I'm not a fan of Indian food in general, and I don't want to eat at random places where I can get sick! And I've been living off of room service in the evenings, which is pretty delish.

 

The week actually went by really quick. But I'm so tired of hearing myself talk, it's not even funny. By Friday afternoon, I was ready to kick back and relax at the hotel. First stop, the pool! Although, it got a bit creepy down there, with a couple guys getting chatty with me. One asked me if I wanted to go to the bar on the roof of the building next to us. When I politely declined, he proceeded to give me his room # and asked for mine. WTF?! I was just like 'Uh, I don't really feel like giving out that kind of information.' He finally got the hint and left, and then I waited awhile before I made my exit and quickly locked myself in my room for the evening. Seriously, you'd think this was the first time they'd seen a girl at a pool! I finished off the night by watching The Notebook in my room, while snacking on some Sour Patch Kids. :)

 

After an amazing 8 hours of sleep, I got up this morning to go get pampered at the hotel spa. Wowsers! I started off with a full body scrub, 90 min. massage, and then a 60 min. facial. Ahhhhhhhhh, heavenly!!!! Just what I needed. After that, I headed back down to the pool for a few hours to relax. This time I came prepared, with headphones to listen to music and my iPad to read. Surely that would give off the vibe that I didn't want to be disturbed. Success! It was indeed a relaxing day here in India.

 

Relaxing at the pool!

I can't believe that this time next week, I'll be on a plane headed back home to Dallas! I miss everything about home, my family, my friends, my co-workers, etc. desperately. Each day, I FaceTime with the boys before they get up and then again at night before they go to bed. Definitely thankful for amazing technology that allows me to 'see' them on video. They love to show me the countdown on the fridge where they're marking the days off before I come home. Jordan seems to be surviving without me, along with the help of some family and friends to help watch the boys a bit. It definitely takes a village to raise kids!

Austin showing me the calendar where they colored in every day for my countdown

Getting to 'wakeup' Chase in the  morning from all the way over in India!

Overall, once I finally got here, the week has gone by pretty quick. Each day is an adventure getting to/from the office. And it's definitely humbling to see the surroundings and think about the way of life around here. Definitely makes me more thankful for everything I have back home. Interacting with the class has been fun and interesting, getting to learn more about their culture. Traveling to India has never been on my 'to-do list', but this is definitely going to be an experience of a lifetime.

 

There are literally hundreds of motorcycles/scooters on the roads, and it only adds to the chaos!

Just an average day on the streets of Bangalore

One more week to go! I can totally do this! :)

As a bonus, here is a video Jordan sent me this week of Austin dancing to his new favorite song 'Turn Down for What!' Crazy kiddo! And Chase could care less about what's going on, as long as he has his snacks. :)