Our Journey Begins Again

Over the years, we’ve had some really high ups and some really low downs… all of which, I believe have prepared us for the true appreciation we have for just “being” here. Having too much is a distraction. Having too little is a distraction. It often takes experiencing both in order to understand the blessing of comfort – that place right smack dab in the middle. That place is where I want to be. It’s a place of haves instead of have nots… but it’s not a place so high that it robs you of a humble character.

On the 10th, we got the call Barry had been waiting for over the prior week — the call to tell him it was time for him to start a new career path. Within 3 hours we were all packed and on the highway headed toward my mom’s house in Hattiesburg to take the kids because I would then have to drive Barry over 3 hours to the company he now works for to meet his ride to the port… at 2am! We spent some time with each other, spent some time with the kids, and went to meet Kylan and Kaleb at Walmart so he could spend some time with them before he left town.

Barry playing basketball in the Walmart parking lot with the boys :)

Barry with Kylan and Kaleb’s little brother, KJ

Barry, Kylan, and Kaleb

When we got back to my mom’s, we sat in the living room so he could soak up his last few moments with the kids before we headed out to hit the road.

Avalyn wasn’t happy at ALL about Daddy leaving…

I couldn’t really blame her, considering the next day was her 5th birthday.

Zoe wanted Daddy to pick her up…

… and so of course, he did …

10:00pm rolled around all too quickly and it was time to leave. Daddy got his work clothes on and started giving away random hugs and kisses and issuing out laughs and tickles before the goodbyes came.

Saturday will mark two weeks that have passed since I dropped my husband off to meet his ride to the port which would take him out to work for four weeks. Away from us. As I said in my last post, it has been rough but it’s what we have to do – it’s the sacrifice we have to make as a family in order to get to where we’re going… in order for me to get through law school. I’m so proud of him, but at the same time, I miss him terribly.

I can finally breathe. For the last two months, I have worked from the time I woke up until anywhere from 3 to 5 in the morning on web, blog, and graphic design projects, completing a total of 51 projects since mid-July. In addition to all of that, I’m also in school – a Theology major and as you all know I have five children. I kept asking God when I would get a break… when I would be able to concentrate solely on school because there was no possible way I would make it through the way things were going. Struggling to still not make our ends meet was taking away from the quality of education I was receiving as well as the quality of the work I was turning in. I was getting discouraged, knowing something was going to have to change. Then all of a sudden, my husband got a new job and everything is changing.

I’m still finishing up work that I have contracted, but once these projects are over, by the end of next week I will be able to decide when and if I want to accept a project. I won’t have to accept a $600 job for half the price because I need the money, working myself into the ground for a waitress’ salary. I can enjoy my kids and support them in what’s going on in their lives… be involved in what’s happening at their school… and maybe even actually get some SLEEP! Words don’t do justice to describe how grateful I am for my husband — and to God for making him my husband :) I’m married to a go-getter who won’t rest without success.