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Today's Featured Biography

 
Victoria Phillips Albarracin

After graduation, I took time off until I knew what I wanted to do with my life. In January I went to MN School of Business for a year in Fashion Merchandising. Which I graduated with a diploma,(actually a double diploma). Which I tell people I have a Master's degree in Fashion Merchandising. An OOPS from the school. After that my first job was with Loehmann's in Roseville. Which went brankrupt. Then my next job was at Old America in Columbia Heights. Of course that also went bankrupt. 3 weeks into our liquidation, I was doing inventory at 8 stores in 4 states. That was an experience of a lifetime. I never been out on my own (with a group of people from other stores, & our district manager). That is when I found confidence, just one level in my life. More to come with the levels. I then was out of a job for a few months. Until I found a job with August Max. That lasted only 2 months. Big disappointment! I then had a friend that is a lawyer. SHe gave me a job as a receptionist. She was pushing me to be someone I didn't want to be. That lasted 8 months. Then I landed a job with Target. I started as a cashier. Within 4 months I was Team Lead of Food Avenue (snack bar). I did that for 4 years. Then at the end of my 4 years of being TL. Mom was dying slowly from dementia. She also had diabetes, & kidney failure. She was having dialysis 3 times a week for a year. Towards the end, dad & I were taking turns taking care of mom up until the last 4 weeks of her life. She passed on January 17th, 2004. Within that time I just starting dating my now husband Joel. Had my 20th high school reunion. In Septemeber I had found my birthparents with all the information I needed. Only to find out my birthmother died 4 years earlier. But my birthfather & I had written letter back & forth (only 3 letters) up unitl I had my stroke in December of 2004. I was in the hospital for 20 days recovering. Before that I was told I was given last rights. No chance of living or being a vegatated state for the rest of my life in a nursing home. 4 months later my case worker from Lutheran Social Services called me with the bad news. My birthfather died the 26th of December from a blood clot. The same that almost killed me. When I came home the day before Christmas Eve that I had received his last letter with money to buy myself a Santa present. Which I still wear today, my watch inscribed on the back "beautiful baby."
Now all I had to do is to get better, & still thinking of Joel as I recover. Finally I got a call a few months later after being out of the hospital. WOndering how I was doing. So I had to tell Joel everything that happened. Why he & Juanita didn't get any information out of my family. SO every time after that when Joel would call, he would always ask me how I was doing. I had to be positive & upbeat. He almost made the decision about breaking up, but I had changed that thought of his. He made a comment after awhile & few months after that he said to me. That I have changed, & he liked it. After that I hadn't heard from him at all. I had a co-worker that kept telling me that I should call him. I said, no, that he should call me back. She kept on me for 4 months. Finally I broke down & said sure. When we called him, Nida was the one to talk to him. Explaining everything, then I finally got on the phone. He told me that he thought one of his friends were playing a trick on him. Joel said that he would call me back in between classes. He called me back, & was apologizing profusely. We talk for 30 minutes, like we never lost touch. Within that week, he had left me a message on my phone. One night I was listening to it. I had a bad day, was missing Joel something fierce. No more than I put my cell phone down, it started to ring. It was Joel, & he had something important to say. Which took him 5 minutes, he then said to me, that he didn't want to be friends any more, & that he loved me. That was the day I knew Joel was the one man for me. Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New's Years Eve, New's Day came & went. Then 5 days later after New Years, I received a call from Joel asking about paperwork. At this time I had decided to go down & meet Joel face to face. But I also knew that I was going to be married to this man. Sure enough, Joel proposed over the phone. From that day on, we were counting the days I would be in Cebu, Philippines. I called him for 20 days straight explaining to him that he had a life do over. That he would re-propose to me when I was down there. Which Joel did, on his birthday, at the school, in the director's office, in front of the director & his wife. After that Joel & I went to another room to call my father, now is the time to ask my father,to have my hand in marriage. They talked for a while, then my father wanted to talk to me. Dad was so choked up (I am his little girl, & the baby of the family), he asked me if I was happy that he was happy too. Then the rooster crowed, he asked if that was a rooster. I said, yes, they are all over the place!
I was down there for 12 days. We worked quickly to get things in order, thanks to Mr. Sotto (the director) had a cousin, & knew the judge. So that we would be married the day before I left to go back home. We married February 6, 2006.
So now it is been 3 1/2 years, & I have been working on getting him into the country. We have had bumps in the road but we are truly in love with each other.
I have been back at work since June 21st 2005 from my stroke. I have been working at Target since September 28th 1999. This is my 10th anniversary this yeat. I know work at the Super Target in Shoreview. Still living at home with dad until Joel gets his visa. Then hopefully working closer to work.

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