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The 20's (part two)

TWENTY-FOUR (2006)

-          Working for my uncle as his personal assistant still.
-          Desperately working towards improving by 2.1gpa from community college at LeTourneau University. At the age of 15 it was really cool to tell people that I was a home-school student taking dual-credit classes for college hours. At 25 and still not a graduate of anything, that story about being 15 doesn’t sound so fantastic. O, well, I did finally graduate soon after turning 26 with 117 credit hours to spare; those extra hours didn’t apply to my degree plan since I had changed my major so many times.
-          Living at home again. For a while I lived with Papa and Grammy. My parents were renovating our house and I saw no need in continuing to subject myself to construction, workers, debris, and the general annoyance that is an interior designer guy who really wants to talk more about himself and what he’s done than what I like and think looks appealing.

TWENTY-FIVE (2007)

-          I bought a house. On my own. The papers were signed in June and the extensive face-lifting renovations began immediately. It was fun, exhausting, expensive, and completely rewarding. I didn’t move in right away because there was so much work to do. And, actually, in the very beginning of the process I thought I would just rent it out and continue living at home or with my grandparents. That thought didn’t last too long. I quickly discovered just how much I loved my freedom and independence. There was no interest on my part of seeking out a roommate. I was convinced that I’d never find a man who could handle or appreciate me that I could actually tolerate. My mind was set to be a single girl who taught school and flipped houses for fun. The work continued…slowly.
-          Summer Vacation in Destin, FL is a memory I will have forever. My parents, siblings, niece, and I rented a condo to share with my uncle and his family for the week. I can still hear Jack Johnson playing in the house as the waves crashed against my rented hammock chair.
-          I moved back in to Papa and Grammy’s house. This time they were in their new house. I can’t remember the exact reason for me moving back in, but I know in part that it was to be additional hands and eyes for Grammy during some of the darkest days of her life (and mine).
-          My heart still bleeds when I think about October 30, 3008.
-          Christmas in New York was a distraction for us. We took the entire family: all 21 of us to be exact to the Big Apple for a different kind of Christmas. Our hearts were still so tender, we thought it best to change our scenery altogether for that first year.


TWENTY-SIX (2008)

-          January was the beginning of my Student Teaching experience. This was a twelve-week season where I learned everything that a teacher should NOT do in order to be successful, effective, and pleasant. This poor woman was really convinced that she had it all figured out. It wasn’t until nearly half-way through when I realized that I had been duped. I learned quickly that it actually isn’t appropriate to arrive at school at 7:45am, which is the exact time students were released to their classrooms, and begin putting on your make-up by using the classroom locker door mirror. It’s also a good idea to have your lessons and plans ready BEFORE the day begins. Of course, I was the student teacher which meant I was enslaved to her for all those menial tasks such as grading, lesson writing, parent conferences, open house functions, etc., etc., etc. It took me a while to unclench my angry fist as I trekked through that awful experience. Now, I am thankful for it. Any time I catch myself remotely mirroring some of her choices and actions I want to get a rope and strangle my own neck.
-          I moved out of Grammy’s house and into my own. My eyes still blur over when my mind sees her crying figure through the stained glass front door of her house as I pulled away with the last of my things. It was moving day and I struggled with maintaining my excitement; trying not to succumb to the crippling guilt I was suffering.
-          My family was the loudest group of people that day in May as I walked across the stage as a Summa Cum Laude graduate. I cried when my favorite professor handed me my diploma and congratulated me. One of the greatest days of my life was May 10, 2008. It was Dad’s birthday. It was the day I received my dream car: Jeep Wrangler. That day changed my life.
-          Also present that day was a guy I had been dating. My parents didn’t like him from the start. I bullheaded my way through it just because I needed to find out for myself, even if it was the hard way, if he was the type of guy for me. Thankfully, he isn’t, wasn’t, and won’t ever be. Many times in relationships there is a defining moment that you recognize and can actually pinpoint as the specific reason two people grew apart. Sometimes these things just morph into existence. I think the deterioration of my relationship with this particular rough neck began the moment he announced to my entire immediate family that he “doesn’t read”. Of all the moronic things a person who really should be working on impressing my dad could say that has to be the worst. This guy was immediately crowned Chief of Idiotville with my dad and the rest of my family. Later we laughed about it. In that moment I was devastated. It didn’t break my heart to realize that he wasn’t for me. The struggle for me was more because I was hurting this guy who really hadn’t done anything specifically wrong. He just didn’t know any better, and I felt like I was holding him accountable for something he hadn’t been taught. My mom helped me understand that just because he hadn’t been taught that by his family didn’t make it my responsibility to teach it to him. He was an adult with eyes; he could figure out that there’s a different way to live and he could have it if he’d just apply himself. Therefore, I ended the relationship.

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