my name will soon be in print - don't tell mom

i'm hoping to surprise mom, so we'll see how often she checks my blog.... but i have volunteered to write the weekly article for The Leavenworth Lamp this next week because the usual person who writes it will be on vacation (in hawaii, of all places) and unable to do it. i am very excited about the opportunity and volunteered immediately when she put out the email asking everyone for help - something quite unlike me, to just put my "skillz" out there. but i figured the time was right and felt compelled to do it. it's kind of a big deal... well, to me at least - probably not to the general population of Fort Leavenworth. it's just the weekly blurb from the housing office staff, but i'm hoping to spice it up a bit. i haven't fully decided what i'm going to write about. i'm thinking i might do something along the lines of "an enlisted wive's perspective of the Fort Leavenworth community/being a new Army wife". this would be interesting only because on this base, the officers run the show and the enlisted guys get shit upon - that's the rule. so for an enlisted person (or anyone associated with an enlisted person) to have a voice might be interesting. my challenge might be to not be cynical or negative; because my job at the housing office in particlar has afforded me the insightes into just how many ways the enlisted personnel are currently and will be screwed over in the future, with reguards to housing at least. so i have to figure out how to spin it all with an optimistic light. should be a challenge. because if i decide to go with a more "personal story" approach, how many people would really give a care? probably not many... unless i do a really awesome job of it. and i haven't thought of anything that good yet.
but alas, i just recieved my task yesterday afternoon and have until friday to complete it. i plan to be done by wednesday so i can run everything past a couple people so that i dont make a fool of myself for my first chance to be in print. i'm obviously excited but nervous at the same time. i know that this is 100% me. which is good. bring it on. but at the same time, i am doing this to help out denise, the marketing director. the marketing director who WAS my nemisis, who stole the job i wanted. i now know just how much i am REALLY glad i didnt get that job, and i actually kinda like denise, she's really nice and seems pretty cool; but i'm still afraid that she uses other people to stand on so that she can make her way to the top. so i am struggling with myself as i do this and am afraid in the back of my mind that she will find a way to take some glory or somehow make herself look awesome as i do this. ya know, word has gotten out that i know how to write and everyone brings their documents to me for proofreading. well, she did it friday for the first time - she brought me her newspaper article before she submitted it so that i could proof it. interesting. i dont mind doing it - it's a great way for me to stay sharp and use my knowledge that God gave me, i just think it's interesting. but i guess i just need to quit worrying about the glory. like i just said, God gave me the gifts, and it is my responsiblity to use them to help people and not to keep a score card for myself. the chips will fall where they will fall. i guess i can just hope that God will see fit to let my bosses notice that i am using my gifts, or that i even HAVE those gifts, when the time comes for a raise - if that's what He wants me to have.