For two weeks and three days, Shane has been home. There are times I swear it feels like he never left, while there are others that I get teary eyed just thinking about how much I missed him over the past year. We quickly picked up on our life before he left for war-going out to eat, making food, watching movies, going shopping, and laughing a hell of a lot. My bed is no longer so big, and my nights are never sad. I wake up feeling full of life rather than like part of me is missing. Life, short and sweet, has been awesome.
The day he came home was just as I pictured it would be. Shane would get off of a bus, be in formation, and I wouldn’t be able to see him until the soldiers broke out to find their loved ones. Once the formation dispersed, there he was- my husband on American soil. We walked over to each other, did the hugging and kissing and looking at each other in disbelief thing, went to grab his bags, and away we went. All of my fears and anxiety were erased the second I saw him again.
Hooray!
Since he returned, Shane has had to go into work most days for classes and such. You know, on how not to beat your wife and whatnot. (Seriously) I’m pleased to announce that we are problem-free, and have never been better! Our nights have been filled with an assortment of date nights, hiding away from the world in our apartment, and spending money. In the past couple of weeks, we got a new car for Shane (Mazda 6), a big screen TV for the living room (Chyeaa), and a new wedding ring for me (because I deserve more diamonds after this year, duh!) All of the major purchases are done, thank goodness, because…
I got fired. Yep, that’s right. “Melanie, we’re letting you go. Gather your belongings and leave.” I shit you not. For those of you who don’t know, I got a job on day four of living in Texas at the Fort Hood Sentinel as an account executive. That’s fancy for “sales rep.” So for the past year and a half, I spent my 9 to 5 selling ad space in the official military newspaper of the largest military base in the country. I liked my job…for awhile. I met Cathy who became an awesome friend, and the salary wasn’t too shabby. I liked scoring decent contracts and making money. But as time went on, I cared less and less and that became a little too apparent. I still tried my best though, that’s the thing. I won’t make excuses or rationalize, but I will say that a number of double-standards and a lack of role model leadership directly resulted in last Friday’s climax of the long build-up to the ultimate “fuck you.”
It’s taken me a week, but I accept it. I am unemployed. Sort of.
See, we know I’m not one for sitting around. So last Saturday, while nursing my hangover, I jumped onto the internet and starting applying to all types of random crap. On Monday, I got an email from the head of Human Resources for a local school district inviting me to a Wednesday’s Substitute Teacher Orientation. I went, I filled out paperwork, I went through the training, I am going to start in a couple of weeks. The pay isn’t as fabulous as the glamorous sales rep thing, but it is money and it will be good experience. Supposedly I will be able to work five days a week if I want to, being there are 17 schools in the district and not many subs. Decent enough pay.
So, I got my husband, lost my job, found another tentative one, and here I am. I am doing pretty okay I think.
Shane has a snow day today because of the massive snow storm we got here last night. Two inches has rocked Central Texas, canceling work, schools, and an entire Army base. Stupid, I know, but I’m not complaining! Tomorrow we are going to Austin for the night, so I’m excited for that. And in a week, we are flying home for 10 days to visit. After that, Mrs. Gardiner will be hitting a classroom near you. I anticipate having some good stories to tell!
