I'S ON MY OWN, NAH!!!!! LOL

I am FINALLY out of training. I start second shift today, but I am still off this weekend. I will have to work a 7-DAY stretch next week, and then my off days will be Mondays and Tuesdays. I am a floater, too, so I am sure that this schedule will change. For now, I am standing in for a lady who is on maternity leave.

So far, so good on my first day. I only made one mistake, but it wasn't a major one. It was fixable. One of my classmates just called me this morning telling me how horrible second shift was. I think that it was a matter of her being anxious and frustrated about being on her own than the actual workload itself. I like staying busy. It makes the time go by faster. I tried to reassure her by telling her that her first days are going to be trying, but that she will get better with time. She wants to sit next to me today. Go figure.

I paid all of my bills, but hardly have any money left over for "Valentine's Day." I didn't even have a chance to buy Valentines for the girls to trade in class today. I came home from work yesterday and went straight to bed! I was so TIRED! And, of course no one bothered to wake me, so oh, well........no Valentines!

Our anniversary is coming up, and I am in the process of trying to replace our wedding rings. We lost them in Katrina, and hadn't had a chance to replace them until now. We had one of those 3 pc. bridal sets. I was thinking about buying a more substantial set, but I remember the look on Pop's face when he gave me that tiny engagement ring years ago and asked me to marry him. And how torn he was one time when he threatened to break off the engagement, and I politely handed him his ring back and shut my door on him. He tried for an entire week to win me over and have me take him back! LOL And he never tried that again since!

Pops and I have been through a lot together. And neither of us are perfect. But for as long as I have known him, that man has ALWAYS loved me. And that has never changed. I am buying a smaller wedding ring set for the sentimental value more than anything else. He didn't have any money when he asked me to marry him. But he gave me all that he had that day, and the best that he was able to give. In my book, that is worth more than any amount of money, or any big diamond. I received the most valuable gift that any man could give a woman, and that is his heart. What a wonderful way to commemorate our 18 years together by remembering that it's not the size of the diamond on the engagement ring that matters most, but the significance of the promise to love behind it.

Adrian