I met with Deandra at a local mexican restaurant. We seemed to click immediately; the conversation just flowed between us. It didnt take long before we agreed this was the perfect situation for us both. I would move in on an agreed upon date. I was a little nervous because she didn't offer to show me the house before moving in, but I was just desperate to get my own place. I went back to Shelby's confident and so happy to be telling them I had a date for moving out of their home. The husband was absolutely happy to see me go, I could see the relief on his face as soon as I announced I had found a place!
Soon, the date arrived for me to move in. Deandra already had a bed and a dresser for me, which just made this deal that much sweeter. It was a cute little 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home. The bathroom I'd be using was a guest bathroom, but since it was just us 2, it was all mine! That first night's sleep was the best I'd had in ages. I had a home of my very own.
There wasn't an official lease. Just a typed piece of paper stating my rent amount and my refundable security deposit amount. We agreed we would each buy our own food and toiletries. I slowly started to buy decorations for my room to make it my own. Things were going amazingly well, and I was just so happy!
But wait! There's more! Things continually got better. It came about that Joe would be coming to America for a course at Quantico. He would be 9 hours away from me for 4 weeks! Joe and I also decided to get a dog. That is just how sure we were that this was the real deal for us. Big things were happening in our life together!
Those 4 weeks of getting to see Joe were absolutely amazing. It reaffirmed for both of us that we were meant for each other. I even got to bring our brand new puppy, Bear, to meet Joe before he went back to Israel. It was all so magical...well almost all. My job was not happy that I was gone for all 4 weekends to see Joe. I got a text from my office manager (not Shelby) one of the weekends saying how disappointed she was in me for leaving the office in such a difficult position of being 1 person short. I stood my ground and said that I valued this time with Joe more. When I got back, the manager and Shelby had a sit down meeting with me and served up some consequences for taking those 4 weekends off--all which were approved by the way! I was shocked, surprised and downright hurt. The supportive staff I had worked for were now being very stubborn and not empathetic to what was happening with Joe being in Israel. So I began a search for another job. And by gosh, I found one! I handed in my two weeks' notice, and sadly, it cost me the relationship with my boss.
That new job is one I still miss, to this day. I became a chiropractic assistant for a doctor literally one mile from the house I lived in. The hours were amazing, the pay was great, my boss and coworker were the best people to work with. I would have stayed there forever, honestly. But I finally found my own independent groove there in South Carolina. I felt independent and secure for the first time in a very long time. It was not to last, sadly.
Things took... a weird turn.
Deandra and I started having some issues. I won't air all the dirty laundry here. Deandra actually reached out to me this year, 5 years after this all happened, and apologized for everything she did. But things got weird, uncomfortable, and I truly felt unsafe in that house. Bear and I stayed in my room. It got to the point where I would go in and out through my window because I didn't feel comfortable going through the front door if she was home. I needed out, but couldn't find affordable options anywhere! That's where God showed up yet again.
Joe moved to Virginia permanently.
My wonderful boss encouraged me...well he basically amicably fired me (thank you Dr. D!!!!!!), and told me to get the heck out of South Carolina. And I sure did. I ran out of that house faster than you can say lickity split. Things with Deandra got even worse, again, I won't go into detail because frankly I'd rather not relive all of that. But I got out!! I made it!
I got another chiropractic assisting job in Virginia, found Joe, Bear and I an apartment, and wham bam thank you ma'am...here we are. Another dog, a baby, and another move under our belt.
Life got dicey. It got weird. It got wonderful. I learned so much about God. About His character. About His forgiveness. About His promises. I learned a lot about me! I get things done. When the going gets tough, I get tougher. I figure things out. Looking back on this story, I'm glad it happened. Not all of it, some bits I could do without. But as a whole though, it helped shape who I am today.
A wife. A momma. A full, fledged follower of Jesus.
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