Prepping for The Love Story - Boomerang Kid

Returning to my Mississippi hometown after living and working all over the South was humbling, awkward, yet beautiful. At the ripe old age of 25, I was at a crossroads in my life and I did not know which way to go. I spent the year trying to reflect, focus, rejuvenate, and mostly, be still.

I lived with my parents, yes I became one of those boomerang kids that returns to the comfort of the home that they had known as a child. But, this time I could help financially and spent the time bonding with my parents as an adult, as their friend.

I became my parent’s third wheel. With their six kids out on their “own”, well five of them were gone, they had become accustomed to eating out on the weekends, a sweet reward for all the dinners they cooked throughout our childhood. So, I tagged along, many a weekends you would see me walking into a restaurant with them holding hands and me walking right beside them. I love how my mom and dad adored each other and visibly showed their love. Remember, my dad that I speak of is actually my step-dad. He was the one who sacrificed for me and I am who I am today because of his love and devotion, taking me as his own, he was my daddy. We lost him a few years ago and I cherish every minute I was able to spend with him.

My first order of business when I returned home was to get a job. With a car note, insurance, and a student loan, there was no other option. A family friend runs one of the hospitals in our hometown, so he put me to work in Admissions of the hospital which required me to work every other weekend in the ER. Now, I am not a blood person, but I am compassionate. I was able to share that gift on many occasions when moms were scared for their hurt children or an elderly lady was weeping over her sick husband of 55 years.

After a couple of months, I was hired to work for the local cable company in the advertising department. Now, I liked helping with ad sales support, commercial filming, but HORROR, the time came when they needed me to help in the sales department. Remember, I am NOT a salesperson, that my friends is not one of my gifts. But, I did it, the people pleaser in me could not tell them no. This is when I began spending my lunch hour at the local library around the corner from my office looking online for what my next move would be. I enjoyed my time with my parents and would not change it for anything, but all good things must come to an end, or at least a stepping stone to the next thing.

So, I began looking for a job in my field in larger towns ~ New Orleans, Birmingham, Nashville, and of course, Memphis. I knew Memphis, I loved Memphis, and I had friends there, so it was the logical place for me to focus my attention. It was during this time that I finally began to acknowledge the hand that was guiding my life and started to pray for His will to be done, for Him to direct my path.

I interviewed for a position in the marketing department of Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation in Memphis, was hired, started packing and headed north. I rented an apartment in Harbortown on the Mississippi River and showed up at Baptist for the first day of another life-changing chapter in my life.

Stay tuned, we are getting close to "the meeting day" of me and Big Buckaroo.

The Park Wife


Read Chapter 5: Memphis - The Professional Years