I’m not sure describing this week as a dumpster fire would be completely accurate.

I’m not sure how to explain much, so I will mostly write about the week’s happiness. I am a planner and cannot stand not having a backup plan for my backup plan.

I wake up early and get home late. I work with Brent some days after work and work on the weekends, leaving little time for life. I did not notice how I deliberately filled my time until I met Ryan and realized how little time I had. All of the plants in my backyard are dead, and I have little time for anything else.

I’ve been a cat being thrown in a pool stressed at work, and for the last few weeks, it’s rapidly gotten worse, and it finally came to a head, causing me to turn in a resignation letter.
I love children. I love my babies.
However, taking care of six infants at one time is not for me, but I learned a lot from this experience. The problem is that I do not have a plan. I was trying to hold out until July as that is when I have time off to visit Ryan’s mom in Texas. Ryan suggested that I take time off until after July and get a part-time job.

He said he could not understand the stress and asked if I owed money to a bookie.

I was nervous about quitting but had instant peace after handing in my letter. I told my family Ryan’s suggestion about the part-time job and they all supported me and mentioned they were shocked I lasted as long as I did at this job.
ME: “WHAT?!?!?”

For months I’ve beat myself up about being a complete failure and taking the job God gave me for granted.

I am unsure what I want to do, but working in the plant section at Lowe’s sounds fantastic. Or a bookstore. Something quiet and relaxing while I can still work with Brent.

I’ve been reminded by several people this week that my purpose in life is to bring glory to God, and it is not working for money.

This week’s happiness was finding out Ryan would indeed be passing through New Orleans this weekend! We went to the Gretna market on Saturday morning, where I joked to Ryan that we should cut a piece of a tree so we could root it and start a garden. Next thing you know, this guy pulled out his pocket knife and made my dreams come true. The garden bench I found in the garbage a few weeks ago with Brent rekindled my gardening because sitting on the bench surrounded by dead plants and weeds causes the inability to relax. My garden is coming back together slowly but surely, much like this season of my life. After making our plant cuttings and hoping they take root, we picked up cupcakes and spent the day with Brent. There is a ditch in Brent’s neighborhood we walk to, and Ryan became “Tunnel Guy” and a way I could get him involved. When we’d walk to the “tunnels”, Tunnel Guy would call, and Brent began to ask about him. This past Saturday, I dropped Ryan off at the tunnels and drove to pick up Brent to bring him to finally meet Tunnel Guy.

We went back to his house so Brent’s parents could meet Ryan before heading to the park and eating hot dogs at Dat Dog.

A couple of years ago, Brent’s parents made a joke about being alive to come to my wedding, and my response was, “If I don’t sing Islands in the Stream with Brent at my wedding, I’m going to be extremely disappointed.” His dad looked sideways at me, laughed, and said, “Something is wrong with you.”

I also told them that added criteria for what I was looking for in someone was that they had to get along with Brent and be able to handle him because it shows character. Ryan passed enough tests knowing that I could not wait for him to meet Brent and his family, but I was nervous about how Brent would respond to Ryan. After spending about ten minutes with him, they became instant best friends.

Before Ryan had to head out on the road today, we went to Lowe’s to “window shop” and came back to my house with a plant.

This week turned out better than expected, and God made a way out of no way.

“When something goes wrong in your life just yell PLOT TWIST and move on”
Ingrown toenail, rusty nail foot, a special Needs prom, and a visit from a special gentleman