Looking back on my last post, I realized that I had better do an update or people will think I've jumped off the planet in search of greener horizons. We have had a very rough ride in the last 10 months, but it looks like the fog is finally beginning to lift, and it is time to take stock of where we were 10 months ago, how far we have come, and where we are going.
A little background...
My dear husband of 30 years was abruptly terminated from his job of 33 years on August 15. He was given a severance check of two weeks' salary with not a by-your-leave or a kiss-my-butt. Looking back on it, he WAS given the kiss-my-butt when they refused to give him his unpaid vacation pay, which was to roll-over from year to year, as in their company policy... the company policy that they denied existed. We decided to sue over the matter, and apparently, the truth can be bought, because their bookkeeper who wrote the policy lied under oath against my husband. How quaint. This is the same woman who spent her entire salary at the casinos, and filed for bankruptcy three times. To say she was bought-off would be a well-placed educated guess. I am sure that karma will catch up to them all in one way or another, and although I would love to say that I would like to be there when it does, I really don't. Karma can be really ugly at times, and I don't want to be anywhere nearby when it rears its vengeful head at the "evil-doers", its characteristic three times for every wrong. Good luck with that.
But I digress... Where was I going with this? Oh yes. That's where we were. Back on point.
As of May 12, 2013, we have three college graduates in the house. Jason now has his Bachelors in Professional Studies along with his Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology. It was a long road for him, and I am extremely proud of his accomplishment. It took 10 years for him to escape the University of Memphis intact. He's awesome. I hope he knows that. He is now looking for work as a programmer, so any of you tech-heads out there, keep a watchful eye out for this up and coming star! He's coming for your job! Ha ha. A mother's pride.
Rhys now has his Associate of Science in General Studies and is going forward with his plans for Business Administration/Management. Again, a very long road, but he has had the support of his family and sometimes the threat of a size 10 boot up the butt to keep him heading in the right direction. This is the guy that his kindergarten teacher wanted to put on Ritalin because she didn't want to deal with a child who didn't know he had to sit in a chair for six hours a day. What does she know? I didn't let it happen. This is the guy that his third grade teacher wanted to hold back so he could be a leader instead of a follower. What does she know? I didn't let it happen. This is the guy that was shot in the back of his head while he sat in his Spanish class in high school. I didn't put him back in the same situation. This is the guy who never met a stranger and will be an asset to the life experience of anyone he encounters. He has excelled even though his school experiences have not exactly been the gentle life I would have wanted for this exceptional man. An awesome guy. I hope he knows that and keeps on truckin'.
Steve has landed a job after a 10 month search. It's not the job he wants, but I am extremely proud of his willingness to step outside of his comfort zone to take care of his family. And it may very well turn out to be something that he will love once he gets going. I just want him to be happy. One way or the other, he will be. It's only for a year. He doesn't have to work anymore after that if he doesn't want to. There. I've said it. Eat your hearts out, all of you who are suffering with delusions of retiring early. My husband will be able to do that. How is that, you ask? That's in the next paragraph.
I graduated from Southwest with my Associate of Science in General Studies and was uncertain of my path when I was turned down for a program I really wanted to be in and then made a HUGE mistake by going into nursing school at the University of Memphis. I had to make a life decision, and fast. I hate having to make life decisions on the fly. It's not that I can't do it, but I would rather have the time to do the legwork and come up with a plan rather than think as quickly as I have to sometimes. I went to Concorde to inquire about their PTA program. They talked me into OTA. In the meantime, Steve and a friend of mine talked me into applying at Southwest for their PTA program again. Couldn't hurt, but I also did myself a favor by keeping my options open for OT at the University of Tennessee.
What ended up happening is a comedy in itself. I was waiting for word from Southwest, but had to start the OTA program at Concorde. I was in the very first class on the very first day, and got a text from Steve telling me that I had a certified letter from Southwest. I told him to open it and he told me "Congratulations! You have been accepted!" Wow. Unexpected. Now I had to make another life decision and fast. I searched my heart over the next 20 minutes (ha ha) and at the end of class, I said goodbye and knew I was going back to Southwest. I felt like I had been on a rollercoaster, got off, threw up and got back on. Ha ha! There was a torrential downpour as I left Concorde. I trudged through 4 inches of water to my car, but I didn't even realize my feet were wet. So this is what it feels like to be happy. No, this is what it feels like to be elated! I have just finished my first full week of the program, and although it's only been a week, it feels like I've been there much longer. We have covered a lot of ground, and my first exam (Kinesiology) is next week. God help me!
So... where are we now? On the upswing is the quickest answer. After years of being tormented by Steve's former employer, we have hope. The boys are doing well with their goals. Steve is doing well with his. I am doing well with mine. We went from being almost destitute to having a bright future ahead. It's been a long road, and there are a lot of people who have to answer for what they did to my family. But we have survived. And we have endured. Now we will prosper. Take THAT, Karma!
Nazdrowie'
Paczki Puta
Friday, June 21, 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)