So how am I doing?

It's been over two months since I did a post, and the reality has been that I've just been too busy... But things are slowing down for the year, so hopefully I can catch up on the news that I've missed, especially with my kids. I've been making notes and taking photos so it's just getting a chance to sit down and blog it all.

But just before I went AWOL someone responded to all my news about my kids asking how I'M doing. So I thought I'd catch you all up on my life a bit.

I came back to work on 13 September, 4 days after my last post, and almost 2 months ago now. And that was definitely a huge contributing factor to my silence. Thankfully I can honestly say that coming back was not at all traumatic. When I went back to work after having Joshua I really struggled at first, and was never really happy until I finished my articles. I think that coming back to UCT has definitely made a huge difference. And I think that all working moms with more than one child will say that it's easier the second time because you know what it's like being a working mom, and you know that your child will be okay. Having Hannah going to the same day mother as Joshua, who I know that I can trust completely, also made a huge difference in my peace of mind.

I came back at a hectic time of year, with things building up to the climax of the final exams. But I've just finished my marking (finally) and now it's pretty much planning for next year, finishing my work on the textbook I'm helping with and a few other projects. But nothing like the mad frenzy I've felt for the last little while. Not that the work I've been doing has been so hectic, but it's been the work on top of everything else that has been a bit much at times.

The other work related thing is that I applied for a permanent position as a lecturer at UCT, and after a mock-lecture presentation that I had to do, and a reasonably gruelling interview, I was appointed, along with a few other contract employees and some new staff. It's great to have that out of the way now. And it's only when I apply for promotion in a few years (after I do my Masters) that I'll have to go through something like that again.

So that's pretty much me on the work front. In terms of my calling at church we've been preparing for our annual Primary presentation, which will be this Sunday. All of the kids have parts to say, and there are 9 songs that I've been teaching them and hopefully they'll do me proud. I must say that they've managed to bring me to tears every year I've been involved, and I hope that they'll do the same again this year ;o)

And then the big news in terms of Church is that Andrew was called as the Bishop of our ward at the beginning of October.

Just to explain, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints we have a lay clergy. So all of our leadership have regular jobs and then do their Church work in addition to it. As a result you will hold any calling for a limited period of time, and then move onto something else so that the heavy callings are not permanently on a single person. The average period of time that a Bishop serves for is 5 years, although our previous Bishop had served for 8 years. I hope that Andrew's time will be more towards average ;o)

None of our leaders have a formal theological qualification like happens in many other churches. Rather you become "qualified" through your faithfulness, experience and through your personal study. But then you rely very much on the Spirit to make up the difference. We believe that all callings are decided on through revelation and inspiration, so it is literally the Lord who is calling you to whatever responsibility you have, and "whom the Lord calls, He qualifies".

Most callings in the Church are decided on at a local level, so for a ward calling the Bishop and his counsellors will pray to know who should fill each position, and the Stake Presidency will pray about Stake callings etc. But the calling of a Bishop is unique, in that every Bishop who is called around the world (and there are over 20 000 wards worldwide) is recommended by the local Stake Presidency, but their names are then submitted to the Prophet and his counsellors and they will authorise the call (and I know of at least once when the First Presidency sent back to say that the name submitted was not correct and the Stake leadership had to relook at it). It's quite something to know that President Monson, who we sustain as a Prophet, personally signed off on Andrew's call.

The members do then give a sustaining vote by showing an uplifted hand whenever a name is presented for any calling, so everything is done by common consent, and it's not like a decision is made and then inflicted on the members.

You don't "apply" for any positions for the Church, and we certainly did not look for this calling. I think that when we got the phone call asking us to come and meet with the Stake President both of us had very sinking hearts, because we both know deep down what the interview was going to result in. No one who has ever been a Bishop, or had one in their family, will tell you that it's easy. As we've spoken to other people though they tell us that the blessings are significant, and I think at times that may be all that keeps them, and often particularly the wives, going.

So what does all of this mean. Well, Andrew is now the spiritual leader of the 250 odd people who live within our ward, and he has ultimate responsibility for seeing that everything in the ward runs well. But delegation is a wonderful thing, and just about all of us have responsibilities that we need to carry out, so he doesn't have to do it all alone.

But there is lots of time sacrifice - we're literally being asked to live up to the covenant we've made to consecrate our time and talents to the Lord. Just this week: Monday Andrew went to visit a family, Tuesday was Youth, Wednesday he's hoping to be able to visit another family, Thursday is free at this point, but who knows, Friday he has to go to the Priesthood Preview for the new Deacons, Saturday morning I've got a Primary activity/practice, Saturday afternoon we're going to watch Annie at the Artscape ;o) and then Sunday he'll be home much later than us after church... So yes, I miss him already... We have to learn how to make maximum use of the time that he is home, and he's trying to do as much as possible after the kids go to bed etc, so that he still has time with them. And where it's practical and not something confidential we want to try and involve the kids, so we've gone as a family to visit a few people.

Up until last week he was having also to fit in studying in addition to everything else, but his exams are now over and hopefully he's passed them and then just has 2 more courses to do.

And I've already seen changes in Andrew, it's been amazing to see him settling into this role and the responsibilities that it brings. It's hard to put it into words, but he's almost "grown in stature". And in fact I saw these changes starting to happen even before he was called, but as he was being prepared by the Spirit for this. I know he'll be a good bishop - I married a good man.

So life is hectic, and I hope you understand why I haven't had time to tell you all about my life. Thankfully I have quieter times of year with my job, and I'm heading into one right now!

Surprise!

On Wednesday I was completely surprised for the first time in my life by a surprise party! At work they threw a joint baby shower for myself and another girl who is currently 36 weeks pregnant (I'm 30 weeks now).

My office is next door to Ilse's on the 5th floor, and our department's meeting/function room is on the 6th floor. Next door to the meeting room are some cubicles where "hotseat" is done - one on one tutoring for students, provided by the student tutors. So Ilse comes into my office, looking a bit flustered and says she wants to quickly show me something at the hotseat. I grab my office keys and go up with her, making some comment on the way up that I haven't even really looked at the hotseat since they did some renovations to it late last year. And then she pulls me into the meeting room, and says, no actually there's nothing wrong, but it's my baby shower! I truly was surprised!

All of the staff who weren't teaching at the time were all there to have a nice little lunch and get together, and they had all put money together for the two of us to get baby stuff (there are too many men in the department to expect them to actually buy baby stuff themselves ;o)) But I also got given a really cute pink blanket by some of the academic trainees - officially the first pink thing that we have! So now finally our little girl is starting to get some stuff ;o) We've been neglecting her a bit in favour of Joshua...

But thank you to the Department for their contributions, and just for all coming together to spend some time with us.

I unfortunately could only get my camera after just about everyone had left (remember I had just grabbed my keys and come upstairs) so this is more the aftermath...



Thanks everyone! Again - I work with great people!

My Professional Development

It's been an interesting week for my to reflect on where I am in my career...

We have a new Head of Department this year, and he decided he wanted to meet with each of us individually to discuss how we are doing in the four areas that we are supposed to perform in - teaching, research, social responsiveness and student/departmental admin (not actual admin work, but more student support stuff).

Because I'm currently on contract I am in the fortunate position that I only really have to worry about my teaching at this point, and at this stage of my life that about all I can handle. He's quite happy for me to renew my contract when it expires, instead of becoming permanent staff, so that I can focus on my family for the next few years still while my kids are small. It's great to work in an environment where they are so supportive!

But Mark made an interesting comment... Before becoming HOD he was the head of the Financial Reporting section, which I have always fallen under. So when I did academic training in 2006, and then when I came back he was my "boss" (in the informal kind of way that our department works). And in our meeting on Tuesday he said how he's been so impressed to see how much I've grown and come into myself since 2006. He said that his impression of me was that I was very shy back then. I was kind of surprised because I didn't really think of myself as shy - I had already been tutoring for 2 years before that, and at church I had had various leadership responsibilities etc, so I guess I thought I was already pretty confident.

But when I thought a bit more about it, I realised that yes, I have come a long way. And it's amazing for me to reflect (again - I'm amazed every time I do this reflection) on how the entire training program for CA's is designed to make us into confident leaders. Over the 3 years of traineeship that we have we are gradually, and yet remarkably quickly when you think that this all happens in 3 years, built up to a point where we can assume the leadership of a team, dealing with senior staff within our client companies, and taking responsibility for a significant portion of an audit. The program really is impressive.

And so yes, I am more confident now than I was 4 years ago. And if I also look at how I've settled into my job, and as I have become more comfortable, also become more confident, I guess the past year at UCT has also seen me growing significantly.

And one exciting aspect of that growth is that I have co-authored an article that is going to be published in the Accountancy SA magazine - SAICA's monthly magazine. And I am also helping with the 3rd edition of the textbook that is prescribed for the course that I mainly work on. So my name will also be on that textbook when it gets published in 2012! My part in the revision of the textbook is pretty small - the biggest changes that I've been involved in have formed the basis for the article that is going to be published, so that are very closely linked. But it's still getting my name out there, so I am very grateful to Ilse who has really been a mentor for me over the last year - on being a CA and being and academic.

I have been very blessed by Heavenly Father to be placed where I am. My training up to this point, and then the people that I work with in my department who all are interested in me as a person, and who are helping me to become the professional that I can be. I really am amazed when I stop and reflect!

Shelly Herbert CA (SA)

I am officially a Chartered Accountant! I got a letter from SAICA today confirming that my registration has gone through, and as of 1 July 2009 I am a member of the Institute.

It's been a long 7 years of preparation, and a bit of waiting now for my registration, but I can finally use the designation that I've been working for all this time.

And so the next chapter can now properly begin...

My new job!

Okay, so the question on everybody's lips is: How is the new job - the fantastic working hours, the wonderful work I'm doing, the great people I work with... (or am I just flattering myself ;o) )

Well, it's great! It's been a week and a half now, and it has certainly been a bit more of a hectic start than most people have, because the semester had already started, and in addition the accounts 2 part of the conversion course (where a graduate with any undergrad can do a BCom in one year to be able to be a CA ultimately - and the accounts 2 portion of the program is done in 2 months...) is culminating currently, and I was having to set a test question last week, an exam question this week, and I've been lecturing them this week... So it's been quite a start! And yet I still have worked much fewer hours than I would have before! And of course I really enjoy the teaching, so it really is a win win situation!

I'm in a temporary office for March because another staff member is leaving the end of this month, and I'll be getting his office. So at the moment my view is of the penninsula. This photo isn't out of my office window, but one of the venues I gave a tut in last week, but it's facing the same way. I look over a building at the Cape flats, and a photo just won't pick it up nicely. But this is my view, pretty much!

My new office will be facing towards Devil's Peak, but I'll take photo's when I move.

And then I was walking to my car last week, and there was this squirrel... Well I really like squirrels - always have... And this one seemed to like my camera! I got a lot of photos of it, but of course a squirrel is pretty small, so these are the best ones, and I hope you can see him...



So if anyone's in town, and on campus, you can come visit me - 4th floor of the Commerce building... And you'll find a very happy me!

My last day...

Well, the time has come. And I sit here with mixed feelings...

This is the last time that I will do any posts on this computer, sitting in this building, with these people surrounding me... And there is certainly a small degree of sadness at what I'm leaving behind. But don't get me wrong - I'm going to something where I am going to be SO much happier! So the sad feelings are pretty restrained, and mainly it's probably a bit of apprehension at starting something new. Although I've worked at UCT before, I'll now be there as a full lecturer, and so it will be slightly different. But I'm still very excited.

But despite that I have to say that I am very grateful to PwC for the experience that I've gained here. I feel that in a very short time there has been so much growth and development, and I do feel that I'd be able to take on just about anything that I wanted to. But I'm so glad that my articles are over! I never have to audit again!!!

So that's my story. I've got lots to update you all on, but I'll have to see if I have time this weekend... Things are a bit hectic at the moment, but hopefully it will all settle down soon!

Endless work...

These past couple weeks at work have been hectic! We've been auditing a company where we've just a division in Cape Town, so we have to send our audit report to PwC Johannesburg. And then they compile all the group results from around the country, and then ultimately report to the holding company in Ireland... So we've been on a pretty tight deadline. We worked last Saturday, and quite a few evenings (although never too late - I know some audit clerks have it WAY worse than what I experience)

But this week we finally sent off our "Memorandum on Examination" - just a fancy name for a report of all our findings. The partner was very impressed with the report that I had prepared, so that's always a bonus - but the best part is knowing that it's pretty much all over now! There are always things that hang around for a while afterwards, that still need to be sorted out, but the majority of it is over, and now that we've submitted, the time pressure is gone too. So that's a huge relief.

And next week I'm starting a new audit - and I'm going to be acting as manager for the first time. So very daunting! But the partner (who's a very recent partner, and actually acted as manager still on the job I just finished) believes I can do it, and that does help with your confidence... But I actually think one of the weirdest things will not getting involved with doing the detailed work myself. But I must admit it will be nice not looking for invoices! All those audit clerks out there will know what I mean!

And the best news of all is that it's just 5 weeks left now! We drove past UCT on our way to Fish Hoek today, and I'm getting really excited about it all! The thought of this level of stress being gone, of hopefully being able to go back to sleeping well, and having time with Joshua and Andrew, and to myself! I'm GOING to join a gym close to us, and lose some weight! I'm absolutely determined and committed. And although it will be "me" time, it's also for my family, so I don't even need to feel guilty ;o)

So here's hoping that the next 5 weeks go quickly!