Brittneythew Chapter Seven: Flip Flop

On May the 24th, 2002, it happened! Mom, Dad, Matt and I boxed up the last of my stuff, packed the cars to the brim, and I moved back home. Matt & I were on the road to a long distance relationship once again. What are the odds that we would flip flop like that? It was sad, but I was oddly OK. I guess I knew that I didn't really have a choice…and, I was on the hunt for a teaching job.                                        {Muscle men loading the car…}                                                    {Bye bye Baylor!}…It was a pretty busy summer. Two of my best friends were engaged, so there were dress fittings to travel to, showers to plan, and wedding stuff to do! There was also fun to be had while we were all at home! :)     {Above: Sarah’s dress fitting…Below: Thompson’s Around the Clock Shower}… Also, since Matt was working for the Baylor Summer Rec Team in Waco, I figured that there would be quite a bit of traveling to see my man.

But, it wasn’t an easy summer. (the first half, at least) Living at home after being a college student for 4 years does have its challenges, and it didn’t help that I couldn't find a job. I expected one to fall in my lap and it wasn’t happening. I talked to hundreds of principals on the phone, attended job fairs and interviews. I was quickly discouraged.

At the same time, Matt was super busy. (traveling for a week or more at a time)and the jealous girlfriend in me came out too easily. I knew that I just wanted to be with him. He was still telling me he loved me and I was still guarding. …Then, on June the 9th, while I was at Subway with Mom, I got the dreaded “we need to talk later” line. My heart dropped and I felt sick to my stomach. I didn’t eat and was anxious to get home so that Matt and I could have whatever conversation needed to be had. …And, it was “that” conversation. Matt was saying that it had just gone too fast and that he wasn’t ready…blah blah blah. And, long story short…I lost it! I was SO mad! How could he have said all of those things and then do this? I was bawling, but I was ticked! I told him that he was scared…and that I couldn’t believe that he was giving up! …And, in that moment, the whole conversation changed. He said, “So are you saying that you feel the same way that I feel about you?” And, I, of course, said yes. And, he was so relieved. Basically, he thought that he was in a completely different place than me…and dint’ want to get hurt! And, I, being too guarded, was pushing him away! Whew! …I almost lost him for not being honest about my feelings! Lesson learned! From that night on, we said “I love you” to one another ALL of the time! I wanted him to know! :)

And, that’s when the summer got better! … On the 17th of June, Mom and I traveled to Allen so that I could interview for a teaching job And, before we got back to Abilene, I got a phone call saying that I GOT THE JOB! I was going to teach 1st grade at Anderson Elementary and could not have been more excited! What a relief!

Then, after 3 weeks of being apart, I celebrated Matt’s 25th birthday with him in Waco at his AMAZING apartment (he lived in the basement of a church in downtown Waco…it was HUGE!) and started to fall in love with his puppy, Kia. I got to see him in action with the Baylor Rec Team and loved how great he was at being in front of people.  {Above: Matt as Dieken the Puerto Rican during Baylor Summer Camps…Below: Celebrating Matt’s 25th birthday}…Then, June 28th through July 6th was spent in Houston meeting/visiting his family. It was so much fun to meet his mom, sister, her fiancé, and some of their friends. We went to Moody Gardens, saw Matt’s high school in Dickenson, and went to the zoo. Matt preached at his Dad’s church on Sunday and I loved hearing him. He was so amazing! On the 1st, Matt took me to Galveston. We walked on the beach, had an amazing dinner at the Fisherman’s Wharf, and snooped around a fancy hotel. Matt even called and pretended that we were an engaged couple so that we could hear how much the Honeymoon Suite cost. It was so fun! We celebrated the 4th with fireworks and sparklers. Even though I had my insecure moments (how couldn’t I…I had spent 9 days with my new boyfriend’s family), I could see myself as part of this family, for sure!  The rest of of the summer was full of weekends together. Matt would spend the weeks at camps while I was in Abilene, we would talk on the phone at any and every opportunity, and then I would either go to Waco or he would come to Abilene.  For two weeks, I even kept Kia in Abilene…obviously this boy loved me if he trusted me with his precious baby! And, during that two weeks, I fell in mad love with that puppy! (and, my parents were falling in love with Matt & his puppy too!) And as the summer came to a close, we had more great news! Matt had gotten the job as the youth pastor in Valley Mills while he would be attending seminary, my precious Thompson got married, and I packed again to move to start my “grown up” life in Allen.                                                            Coming Soon:
                                         Chapter Eight: Miss Broyles & HWY 35