The OK Adventures of Peppersloth and Annie

In case ya’ll have lost track, I am coming up on eight weeks in OK! It’s also been a bit since I’ve blogged. So, let’s play some catch up!

                WORK! Work gets a little better every weekend. I got new shoes, and have started wearing compression socks. Both have helped with the pain in my feet. All of the blisters are starting to heal, although I kinda hate to give up my battle scars! Fortunately, I walk away every weekend with new bruises. The newest one is from a set of baskets that didn’t want to be stowed, and decided to smack me in the forehead. I’m hoping it knocked some sense into me…but I doubt we’ll ever know for sure! I like the people that I work with, though I wouldn’t really say I’ve made friends. It’s honestly kind of hard to become TRUE friends when conversations are few and far between. The warehouse is loud, and masks make voices muffled and hard to understand. My station last night was on the end, so all of the empty tubs were stacked high behind me. I was literally boxed into my station! My boss walked by and asked if I was building a wall to keep people out. I told him yes, and that I don’t like anyone…poor sap thought I was kidding!

                APARTMENT! The apartment is coming along. I’ve started decorating in my bedroom, and I’ve started putting books on the shelves in my closet. My next project is furniture for my living room. I HAVE decided that I would rather have a punching bag, over a kitchen table. What can I say, I like to hit things! The trunk is still full, but hopefully I’ll finish bringing stuff in this week…hopefully.

                SOCIAL LIFE! I know this is going to sound strange coming from me, but after eight weeks, loneliness is starting to set in. I would love to go to church, but it is pretty much impossible with my work schedule. I have reached out to small groups at a church, and have tried to get involved that way. It’s helping, but it’s not the same as being at a church service, or worshiping with friends. I’m trusting and praying that God has a plan for both church, and friends. I did restart online dating…gross. I know it has worked for lots of people, but it just isn’t how I want to meet someone! And I never have any luck with it anyway…for those of you that missed the memo…yes, I was dating someone in Ohio, no I no longer am. Don’t worry. I dumped him!

                TEACHING! I still don’t have a teaching job. At this point, I’m thinking it will be another year before I get one. But I’m still applying, and I am almost all set up to substitute teach in three different districts! It is, at the very least, a foot in the door. I was really hoping that this process would be easier and faster, but God seems to have a thing for teaching me patience. I’m going to have to have a talk with him about that! Wish me luck!

                FAMILY! I have been back to Ohio twice since I moved, and both visits have been amazing! Being fourteen hours away has really made me appreciate the time that I have with them even more. My nieces get taller and sassier every time I see them. I am trying not to be the aunt that visits and brings junky gifts with me. I want to maintain my status of ‘fun aunt’, and build meaningful memories with them. Considering that the six-year-old and four-year-old argued over who got to sit next to me last time I was home, I think I’m doing ok! Speaking of ok…

I’M OK! There is a passage in 1 Kings…I think it’s 1 Kings…it’s either 1 or 2! Anyway! Somewhere in one of the Kings, there is a passage where the prophet Elijah runs away into the wilderness because an evil queen is trying to kill him. An angel comes to him, gives him bread, and then tells him to take a nap. When Elijah wakes up, he travels to a cave where he gets another nap. This time, when he wakes up, God speaks to him and asks, ‘What are you doing here?’ Elijah has a meltdown (understandably so), and tells God he ran away because all of his friends are dead and he is next on the hit list. God tells Elijah to go outside the cave. Once outside, there is a wind, a fire, and an earthquake! But God is in none of them. Instead, God is in a low whisper. He asks Elijah again, ‘What are you doing here?’ Elijah once again tells God that he ran away because all of his friends are dead and he is next on the hit list. God says, ‘Okay, cool! Here is what I need you to do next!’ This very long paraphrase of this story is also a paraphrase of how I ended up in OK. My life in Ohio fell apart, and so I started looking for ways out. I believe that God sent me to Oklahoma so that I could nap, have a snack, and get ready for whatever is coming next. Maybe it’s teaching! Maybe it’s going overseas! Maybe it’s marrying a cowboy, and being a housewife! Who knows? Whatever it is, I’m excited to hear the low whisper…