Stop & Smell the Roses..

After our wedding, we headed to our first apartment together in Michigan. It was small, but it was ours. That first summer of our marriage, Joel worked from 3am to 9am at the local UPS store as a loader, then he went straight home to call and find out where he was needed by Huffy Bikes to assemble bikes/grills/shelves around the southern MI area. He did this job until about 6pm each night. I left for Old Country Buffet to work as a greeter about 10am and was home by 4, but then went straight to the testing center where I worked each evening from 5-10pm grading standardized tests of students in southern MI. It was a rough start to a young marriage, but I guess we survived because we were never together! HA!

The next 3 years involved me teaching, first at a private Kindergarten, then onto the ghetto of Highland Park--the city neighboring Detroit and arguably more scary. I have stories to share of my 2 years teaching 3rd grade there--those will come another time. Joel finished his Masters Degree in Music Performance--we made some LIFELONG friends at his school and just 3 days before he made the drive to Bolling Air Force Base in Washinton DC to audition for a horn position, we found out we were expecting our first child. Fortunately he WON that audition and so our journey brought us to our current home in Maryland.

I stayed home with Jackie for her first year, then went back to teaching for 2 years until Josie Mae arrived. I thank Joel for giving me the opportunity to be home with my children. I also thank him for the support in letting me follow my dream of being my own boss and taking a complete change of career to start my own business from home.

We've been married 11 years and we've been thru alot together. Just the other night I was sitting at his concert at the Air Force Memorial and in the background sat the Pentagon & Washington Monument as the sun was setting. Silly me almost started crying...sometimes I get caught up in the day to day and forget to stop & smell the roses. I've got a great life here...with an incredible family. The hardships along the way only help me appreciate it even more. I only hope everyone can find a rose and stop to appreciate it more often...