See you on Friday...

Last week was interesting in the King household. Not at all my best to date (and hopefully not my worst).

On Monday, we were informed that Ryan was put on a special assignment team that will require him to work in Houston 5 days a week. FOR A YEAR.

Yeah. That.

He was offered this position in January because it is part of the UPS career development plan and after discussing, we turned it down. This may mean that he wouldn't get any more promotions in the company, but we were okay with that. We are happy and we value our time as a family. My job has lots of crazy hours, I volunteer at Radley's school and church and with him being gone 4-5 nights/week, that would make a big impact on all of those things.

Well, UPS was not okay with him saying no and we were told that it wasn't an option. And the kicker? He was starting on WEDNESDAY. Two days later.

Y'all.

Let's discuss crazy. Because crazy is a wife that just got done running a school festival that weekend, exhausted, behind on work and then being told her husband would be gone 5 days a week. For a year.

(Have I mentioned my tendency to over-react?)

There may be a mirror broken somewhere.

(And I just realized that I now have 7 years bad luck.)

(Awesome).

So many emotions. Poor Cindy endured all of Monday via text. I think I went through all stages of grief in one afternoon. I also may have given a piece of my mind to someone higher in UPS - that went well. I yelled too much at Ryan, because, well, obviously. I called work and told them I had some things to deal with and would be in on Wednesday.

We discussed. We prayed. We told the kids. We called in the village. We prayed some more.

My discussion with that person must have made a tiny impact, because Ryan got to have the rest of the week off and spend with us, which was wonderful.

Monday was my rage/cry/pity party day.
Tuesday was my let's make a plan/beast mode day.
Wednesday was get dressed and go back to work.
And today - today it begins. Today I am ok. Today I know that this is the plan - even if it isn't MY plan. So today, we make it work.

As the week progressed, I got more information about what this all means, so here's the inside scoop on UPS, y'all. The company is going through a giant project to revamp their routes - make them all more efficient so customers (you and me) get their packages quicker. He will be travelling to centers throughout SE Texas - farthest being 90 miles away - and riding the "trace" with drivers. Then he will issue a report/recommendation to make those traces (or routes) better. He will be at each center for 6 weeks and rotate to a new location. Some days he may be done early enough that he can drive home, but more than likely, he will be gone Monday morning - early Friday afternoon.

In so many ways, I am glad that this was a band aid effect - let's rip this sucker off and get it over with! The next 6-8 weeks is my crazy time at work, but we will get through it. Then we get a "break" in our schedules with summer before getting crazy again. Then comes peak season, and each team member gets sent back to their home center to assist with that crazy, so he will be home for most of November and December. (Which let's all agree, it's like he lives somewhere else then anyway!)  And one of his rotations is the Bryan center - so he'll be home for 12 weeks out of the year.

So I have 40 weeks.

Y'all, I've grown 3 babies already, what's one more, right? And when this one is done, I won't have to change any diapers or have sore boobs. Win!

Some days are going to suck, but that's true no matter what. There are lots of single parents that do this every day all day. Military families are separated by much more than Hwy 290. We got this.

God's answered prayers pop up in the craziest ways. I have prayed for the ability to say "no" to more things. This is the answer to that. I have prayed for my marriage to continue to grow and strengthen. This is the answer to that. I have prayed for the ability to be guilt-free about finding time for myself. This is the answer to that. I have prayed for myself to relinquish control. This is the answer to that. I have prayed for the courage to depend on Him. This is the answer to that.

And while I clearly don't love all these answers - I am thankful for them.

And I am thankful for the answered prayers that I haven't even thought to pray.

I am thankful for my family and friends. My village.

In the seven days since this news was given, so many prayers have been lifted for us. And we have felt them. And I thank you.

Ryan, I am proud of you. I am thankful for you. I appreciate all the bath times, late night water refills, extra minutes of sleep and endless cover sharing that you have given me. I will miss you. 5 nights a week, I will miss you. But don't worry about us, we got this. Be safe. Work hard. And come home.

See you on Friday.