A Fond Farewell

Today is my last day at the company for which I’ve worked the past nine years.  So much in my life has changed during that time, and I wanted to take a moment to reflect, and honor the amazing place which has been a home for those nine years.

First, I should mention that I am terrible at goodbyes. I completely fall apart, because in that moment of realizing I am saying goodbye, all the wonderful memories flood my brain, and I just think about how much I’m going to miss someone, and how much there is to say, and how I can’t say it all in just a couple minutes.

I expect today will be a roller coaster. As sad as I am about leaving, I am also very excited about my new position at SQLskills; completely opposite emotions. Sometimes it is overwhelming.

I had many thoughts about how to thank everyone.  I have a lot of people to thank, and so much for which to be thankful.  I want my colleagues and friends to know how much they are valued, and the traditional goodbye email didn’t quite seem like enough.  I don’t think I can ever truly put it all into words…

I met with my VP on Wednesday, to catch up and say goodbye. He was the only person that interviewed me all those years ago, after a quick chat with someone from HR.  The company was one fifth the size of what is now.  When I interviewed he asked me where I saw myself in five years.  I answered, “Development.”  He hired me anyway 🙂

I have had three managers in those nine years, and I am thankful to each for the unwavering support and the countless opportunities provided.  All three pushed me to get better, backed my every decision, and were right there if I stumbled.  I hope that at some point in every person’s career, they have a management team that empowers them to make decisions, and then stands behind those decisions, no matter what.  I have had that management team, and I am grateful and appreciative for their belief in me.

I have worked with amazing people here; people who inspired me every day and challenged me to become the best that I can.  My colleagues have made me laugh until I cried, and have picked me up when I needed a lift.  Special thanks to those who offered encouragement when I felt lost, and whose belief in me never wavered.  And thank you to those who worked through the toughest customer issues, on little sleep and a lot of stress.  In the end, we sorted it out.

I also want to take a minute to send out a huge thank you to my husband, Nick.  Our “company”, if you will, is the Stellato family.  My family and friends are a great source of inspiration and comfort for me, but Nick is the one who has been there every day; the one who has seen the very best and the very worst.  And he just rolls with it.  Thank you, Nick, for supporting me.  Thank you for saying, when I called to tell you that I won the SQLCruise contest, “Of course you did.”  Thank you for every time you’ve said, “I got it” when I told about my next trip for work, or for a SQLSaturday, or the PASS Summit.  And thank you for being a great dad to our kids.  I love our life.

Finally, this is not goodbye, this is see you later.  I’m not moving, and since I will be working from home, I plan to have lunch out in the “real world” once a week.  Let me know if you want to meet up.  To everyone who’s been a part of the adventure these past nine years, thank you for what you’ve taught me, for your patience, for your humor, for your trust and for your respect.  I wish you all the best on this journey of life.