My New Job

I've made it through two weeks already without Stephen. The first week was the hardest, of course, but it is getting a little easier everyday knowing that I get to talk to him in the evenings. This is my favorite part of the day, but after we say our goodbyes and it's time to go to bed I just can't fall asleep anymore. I use to be able to fall asleep within five minutes, but it takes me hours now until one or two o'clock in the morning to finally drift off. I hate to say that I'm getting used it, but I am, which is good because I got a job!


A week after Stephen left I got hired as a horticulture plant technician at Cactus and Tropicals which is a little nursery a few miles from my house. They sell indoor and outdoor plants, but their main focus is interior plants and care. Every week I manage around 30 different accounts whether they are big office buildings, hospitals, schools, or houses I travel to different locations around the Salt Lake valley to water and take care of plants so they look their best. I love this job! I have so much flexibility with my schedule, I don't have to go into the shop to clock in or out every day, I get paid to travel, and I now have a second brand new smart phone that I use for work. Its a really easy job, but I'm not looking forward to the Christmas season because we will be swamped with poinsettias--having to install hundreds of them and then caring for each individual plant everyday, but it keeps me busy and flowers and plants are what I love. I am so grateful for this job.

My second day on the job I went to this magnificent muli-million dollar home to water her plants. They have a big iron gate that you have to punch in a code to open, but being my first time there I just parked on the street instead. So I went in to water the plants in her sun room and found a pond inside the house full of gigantic koi fish. I went into the kitchen to fill up my watering can and she had red granite counter tops which I've never seen before. The left side of the house is built over a small creek that flows from the mountains--the scenery and the view is unbelievable. The plants I watered were huge palm trees and a lime tree by the pond that was full of ripe fruit. So after I finished watering I walked out to the gate and it was closed. I couldn't get to my car and there was nowhere to punch in the code to open the gate again, so I had to scale over the wall to the neighbors and scale back over on the other side to punch in the code to let the other person I was with through the gate. As I climbed the wall I pulled a leg muscle really really bad, lol I had to go home and ice it. Next time I will drive through the gate so my car will trigger the gate to open again coming out.

Then the next day I was up on campus at the university and went into the student kitchen to fill my watering can, and for some reason all the knobs to the faucets were backwards to what I'm used to to turn the water on and off. Anyway so there was a lot of water pressure coming out of this faucet and my can was full so I tried to turn the water off and ended up turning it on even more so my can overflowed spraying water everywhere! I was drenched in water as well as the floor with students coming in and out; my work buddy was just laughing at me. It was a good thing that was my last stop for the day.

Besides this job I am so grateful for my family. Not just my family but Stephen's family too. It's so nice to have them around close by in case I need something or just want someone to talk to. They have been so great with Stephen being gone checking in with me to see if I'm doing alright. My family has been doing to same with phone calls and text messages, and I just want to thank everyone for all your thoughts and kindness towards us. It's not that great living alone with no one to talk to or eat with, so thank you all so much; I couldn't have asked for a better family or husband who is doing his best to do his job and provide for our own little family. Stephen is working so hard and learning a lot. I'm sure he is really looking forward to the day he gets to come home next spring. I love my family--both of them. You guys are awesome! And I love you Stephen and am looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks!