Hello.
It's been over a year since I wrote my last blog. I read the last entry I posted and just had to sit back and think, just how much change has happened. How the season has changed, not just the natural one, but season of God's seeding and harvesting. If you couldn't tell I recently moved to the great Sunshine State of Florida. 16 months of more pain, exhaustion, leaving my job, getting a temp job, trying to get on a police force, losing every job and job opportunity on my birthday, was not easy. I was working 60+ a week at my CFA. I wasn't happy with where I was or what was going on. I was a few months away from graduating from Ole Miss. I was exhausted: mentally and physically. I lost sight of what was important and literally became a zombie to work and school. My family and friends got the little that was left of me and they never deserved it. But they still accepted what I gave them, the little time I awake or home.
I took a week of vacation in October of 2012 and went to see my Papa in Wisconsin. It was a great time to see him and play Yatzee every night and watch the Weather Channel. The weather channel will forever hold a place in my heart, mainly due to my Papa watching it every morning before we would go fishing in the old summer days. I took an extra week off after to clear my head and think of where I was and where I needed to head (or at least where I thought I needed to head). I came back to work and sat down with my operator. After discussing a few things, I choose to put my two weeks notice in. I knew my parents supported me, I moved back home and I took the first job that was available to me, a warehouse job.
Seven years of working for a company and I felt like it was a downgrade to go to a warehouse. Took a pay cut. Worked paycheck to paycheck. I knew something had to happen. I could not continue to work this job either. It was not the place for me. I KNEW this job was a season. I met so many people and personalities that I would have never met in a Chick-Fil-a. March fast approached. I worked for the warehouse for 6 months. Time flew by and I'm glad it did. I had tried out for Memphis Police Department, it was a very promising opportunity and with me just finishing classes that past December, I was ready to use what I had learned and apply it to a career. I passed all the tests and just needed a phone call to set up the last doctor physical and all I had to do was sign my life over to Memphis. But apparently that wasn't God's plan. I burned a hole in God's ear about this job. But it didn't matter how much I cried, how much I begged, how much I tithed, how much I gave to Him, it wasn't written in my plan.
It was Sunday, March 10th (25th birthday). I had forgot to check the mail that Saturday so on my way to the best friends house I stopped and checked it. Again I needed a phone call, not a letter. I had a letter. My heart sunk. I knew before opening I had lost this chance. I called my parents, who at the time were in Washington, D.C. for spring break. They were down that it didn't happen, but my parents were also happy I didn't get the job. My birthday had started off rough. I had my moment where I wanted to just crawl back and bed and start over. But that wasn't what I needed to do. I had a great birthday day with my best friend and even had her boyfriend come to dinner with us. We dropped Adam off back at his house and as Kelsie is driving down Church Rd, I lost it. I balled. I sobbed. I had no idea what I was suppose to do.
One thing I knew I needed to do, was go to work that next morning. BUT GOD HAD OTHER PLANS! At 530, I walked into the warehouse. I was grabbed by security guard and told to leave my badge and gather my things, they had made a few cuts in the warehouse and I was chosen. So within 24 hours, I lost my future career and my current one. I got in my car and cried all the way home. I yelled at God. I was so mad. I felt so discouraged and lost. I had literally hit ROCK BOTTOM.
The next three days I sought out a few job opportunities and knew I needed to decide soon. Bills don't care if you have a job or not. I had just left an interview and it was a sweet deal. Rough hours, but good pay, benefits, etc. But this job was nothing of what I had gone to school for, nor did I know what this job really did. But I was in need. I remember turning onto Pleasant Hill Rd. Driving to Starbucks to visit Kelsie. I got a text from Leslie, my first boss's wife. through a few texts, discovered she was in town and I invited her to Starbucks. Few minutes later I see my boss's truck pull in. I had no idea that Robb was in town also. So, here I am all dressed up from this interview and sitting at Starbucks on a Thursday afternoon. They asked why I wasn't at work, I then proceeded to tell them my wonderful story.
Then the unexpected happened.....
Robb said he wanted me to move to Florida to work for him at his store.
-move 435 miles away/ 8 hours away from family and friends
-leave a town that is all I know
-leave my best friend
-leave my sister who had just found out she was pregnant with her second.
I was told I wouldn't be leadership until I proved to the team I was a team player and was up to any task. I had to find a place to live. And start over. Robb told me to pray about it, talk to my family and friends, and to let him know.
I sat there at Starbucks after they left and thought for a few minutes until Kelsie got off. I told her the opportunity and she knew that it was what needed to happen. I also knew it was hard for her to hear that she could possibly lose her best friend. Going from living only 15 minutes from each other to 8 hours away was going to be hard. The next morning I picked my parents up from the airport and took them to their favorite restaurant, Casa Mexicana. I told them the whole story and my dad says "You're leaving tomorrow, right?" He's been telling me for two years to move to Florida and work for Robb. I just never thought it was the right time.
WELL NOW IS THE TIME. After two days of thinking, praying, talking, I called Robb and told him I accepted.
"NOW WHAT??"
Two Weeks later, April 1st, (No April Fools), I moved to Florida.
From there, everything fell into place. I started that next Monday. It was like riding a bike. All the rushes, the food, the people, all new and fresh. I met new people that I'm blessed to have met and the way we just got along from the beginning was encouraging and has made the adjusting so much easier. I have gotten to know three girls down here that I am so glad I can call them friends.
Friends from Memphis and Olive Branch have come and visit and it has been nothing but Awesome to see everyone come here and see where I live. My parents came down three weeks ago and it was incredible how much fun we had with just a day and a half together.
A week after my parents came down, I received several calls and text from my sister while I was at work, my mom had gotten in a car accident and was in the hospital. I felt HELPLESS. She had flipped her car 4 times and totaled her vehicle. She was awake and alert at the hospital. She had a bruised lung, cracked rib, and a laceration on liver. Katie, one of the three friends and coworker, took me to dinner that night and hung out with me to take my mind off of what had happened. I got to know her more and who she was. Katie left later and as I was about to go to bed, I had a knock on my door, it was Audrey and Casandra standing there with Disney movies and said we were having a girls night. We were up until 4 AM, talking, watching movies, talking some more. It was exactly what I needed. I knew right then that I was TRULY blessed with loving friends that would be there for me when things headed south.
So here I am, just like I was 16 months ago, sitting in a Starbucks drinking my Passion Tea Lemonade. But as a new Tia, a new chapter, a new state, a new season. I never saw this in my plans. As I said in my last blog, God's plans PREVAIL over mine, every time. I'm happy too that my plans didn't work out. I'm glad this plan was laid out in front of me. Love from the Sunshine State :)
-T
