Three Hundred Sixty Five Days Later

On this day, last year, us Clampetts "Loaded up our truck and moved to Orlan-dee. Sand that is. Hot sun and leezards galore."

Amazingly enough, it's worked out for the best...although I had my doubts at first. The first punch came when the airport didn't immediately hire me. It was a hard blow to take, especially when I thought I would be back to work in a day or two. It took almost a month, and was a pretty agonizing
time for me mentally. Depression is a brutal adversary.

The second punch came before ever getting over the first one. After four days, Zach turned tail and went back to Georgia, homesick. It broke my heart. Seems ironic considering since he and I butted heads more than I ever have with my other two kids. I guess my relationship with Zach just proves that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and has made us both pretty strong(willed). It actually has made us closer. He and I talk more now than we did when he lived with us in our house in Newnan, and both end every single phone call with "I love you".

We've finally just come to terms with butting heads from four hundred miles away. In hindsight, seems like a good buffer. Bonus points, he tells me he loves me a lot more often now.

At least my sister is there to keep an eye on him too if he ever needs anything.

TJ has moved on and up as well.

Our oldest has moved from Orlando to North Carolina, which saddens me but has done great with his life and is a wonderful young man who is providing for his own family and pretty much knocking life out of the park.

Then there's my ride or die.

Massey and I have (luckily) always been close but this past year has made me realize exactly how much I truly depend on her love, wisdom, support and yes, even occasional criticism. Growing up, especially after mama died when I had just turned seventeen, I had Cindy...

Growing old, I have Massey.

Life doesn't get much better than that...or this.

After twenty nine years, we're still together. It's been the ride of a lifetime, with more than a couple of bumps along the way but nobody said it'd be easy.

 I can say with (pretty much) complete conviction that I have lived rather than just exist. What you put into life is what you get out of it.


I've done my best to reach out to stay in contact with friends and relatives back home. There's nothing I like better than writing, and by that  mean putting pen to paper. There is something wonderful about going to your mailbox and seeing a hand written letter or card waiting for you. I have written well over a hundred letters, probably more and have heard back from so many about how much it meant to them.

You know what?

It means a lot to me as well.

Right after my battle with depression when arriving here to find myself unemployed, and Massey kind of feeling lonely too...this happened.

My manager from my old job came to visit us.

Then several of Massey's friends came to visit as well. I love when company visits, you always clean house better.

Then I made friends here.

I can't tell you how much I love these three or how happy it makes me to call them my friends . We are all totally so different it's a wonder we ever bonded. Then again, opposites attract. Always have, always will...take my marriage, please. (huge Rodney Dangerfield pun).

So here we are, one year later.

Older and hopefully wiser.

Looking forward to what our future will bring.

Till next time...

COTTON