Hope

Remember the Week O' Happiness post? About how this week could potentially be awesome? Well ... so far, it is. Obviously my job stuff has been the highlight so far, but I forgot to mention yesterday that Mark (finally) got a callback from the volunteer people at the Civil Rights Museum here in Bham, and he has his volunteer orientation on Monday! He's really excited to be actually doing something these days - he's been reading a ton, trying to prep for his classes (which will be crazy, to say the least), and he's also talked about potentially trying to get a part-time job at one of the libraries here, which would definitely help with the income side of things. You would not believe how long it takes places to call back about volunteer work - it's just ridiculous. He tried to volunteer several places in Chattanooga, and could never get in touch with anyone about it - he left messages, and they never called back. And even the CR museum here took their time, when they said that they were "desperate" for volunteers two weeks ago. I don't know - I guess they were just busy. But - all that said, he's excited.

We also went on a date night last night, to celebrate my awesome interview, and saw Julie & Julia, which I cannot RAVE enough about. I knew it would be good, but it was honestly one of the funniest movies I've seen in a while, thanks to Meryl Streep's amazing portrayal of Julia Child. It was wonderful. Even Mark liked it :) I HIGHLY recommend it, if you're looking for a good movie to see.

We still have yet to get our bed and box springs, which would really complete the week o' happiness, but there are several days yet before I have to return to Chattanooga (do I still have to do that? Really? I don't want to...), so there is time.

In general though, this week has just felt hopeful to me, which is something I haven't really felt in a while. See, these first couple years of our marriage haven't really been very easy. I wish we had been better warned. I wish I hadn't been so naive. It isn't the marriage part that was so hard - though that's what everybody warned us about. We are fine. We agree on money and spending and hardly ever fight about that (amazing, I know, particularly since we have, like, NONE), we agree on decorating, we agree on messiness factors, and really, when we fight, it's becuase he's tired or I'm emotional or hungry or tired, or some combination of all of the above (particularly when we're BOTH tired/hungry), and it's not really about any underlying issue. Because we talk things through. So that end of things hasn't been the problem. It's the job situation, the depression that comes when you just. can't. find. one. It's the having no money, no savings, no NOTHING because we got married two weeks after we graduated. It's the night shift, and feeling like I haven't ever really entered the "adult world" because I spend my days sleeping. It's because Mark knew basically what he wanted to do, and couldn't do it. It's becuase the freaking economy collapsed at everybody's feet. It's because of a lot of things that I wasn't aware of or prepared for, things that were entirely out of our control. Which, for me, the eternal control-freak, is the worst.

But now, even though I still can't control anything, I'm seeing this glimmer of hope, of things to come. Mark feels a lot better about his situation in general, and he's really excited about starting school (On Tuesday! Ahh!!), which makes things better for me as well. I have (most likely) actually found a job, in the area that I love, in the same city as the man I love. And I'm seeing what's ahead. I'm seeing the potential opportunites that Mark's master's degree will bring, and I'm seeing those opportunities grow as we broaden the area of our future job search to wherever (save california and NYC ... and also connecticut, cause I don't want lyme disease...). I'm seeing a glimpse of a day when I can stop holding my breath when we look at the checking account, when I can see a pair of shoes I LOVE and just flat out buy them, when we can buy a nice house, when we can have kids. Those will be good days. I'm looking forward to them. But right now - we're good. And it's a good week. And I'm hopeful and happy about the future, and God has reminded me that He provides for us, which is a good thing to remember.