15 Years at UTMB

Today is the 21st of july and I'm home in front of my computer after working the night shift. I want to post these thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind. Yesterday, the 20th of july, marked my 15th anniversary at UTMB. Had I been asked 15 years ago where I was going to be today, I wouldn't have had an answer. Had it been suggested 15 years ago that I would remain at UTMB this long I would have laughed at the folly of the thought. My original plan was to spend 2-3 years here, get my degree and move on. After all, my father was a "30 year man" and retired from UTMB.
I remember, as I was growing up, how he would come home after a rough night or day on call. I promised myself to not ever work "for the state". I would not ever work at UTMB in any capacity.
Funny how life can turn on a dime and how easily promises to self can be broken. I was married barely a month or two when Dana told me she was expecting our first daughter. I immediately called my father and asked if he could arrange a job interview for me. My life was about to really change in a matter of just a few short months. I was to become a father myself and that meant real responsibility, a real job, health insurance, retirement, and other such job benefits. No more part time job bull shit. My world was about to end as I knew it and a new one was about to begin. Less than 2 months after my start date, Victoria was born at UTMB in Galveston.
Her sister, Judith was born november of 1993 and Stephanie was born february of 2000 there also. Consequently I have not ever separated myself from "the state" for more than a month or two since. My fate is as good as sealed and it looks like I'm to become a "30 year man" as my father. The Lord doth work in mysterious ways.
I would not ever imagine following in my father's footsteps so closely. Well not exactly so close, my father is an x-ray tech and I'm a nurse, he's been married and divorced 2 or 3 times and I'm still married to Dana. My father remained in the same building for 20 or more years and I have worked between Galveston, Texas City, and prison infirmaries all over southeast Texas.
As I type this, I'm thinking about my father and all the changes he has seen over 30 years and all the changes I have seen over the last 15 years. I'm proud and happy to say we actually were employed for 5 or so years together although in different departments and shifts. We know a lot of the same people, some of who have known me since I was a child. Many have retired as my father has and today only a few remain. We have worked with a lot of great people over the years.
It's so incredible how much we turn out like our parents no matter how hard we try to not become like them. In the end we can not escape our ultimate fates and a part of those fates is to assume some of the mantle of our parentage. Either we do it because we become parents ourselves or because we grow in wisdom or for whatever reason, some things we are unable to escape from.
I'm looking forward to the next 15 years, God willing. I drove out of the parking lot this morning thanking God for my little job and for these last 15 years and the years to come as He sees fit. It's all in His hands. I take comfort in this knowledge.