Hey everybody who doesn’t read anymore because I haven’t posted in forever,
It is my hope to get back to writing again.
Not just the blog but generally speaking.
Seeing as this a new post for a new time in my life, I figured I would share with you what has transpired in my life since the last time I posted, which was April…
Seems like eternity.
I bring you back to May 2015.
I had just graduated from Regent and the future looked bright.
WE HAD A PLAN (Plan A):
Brandy gets a full time job that pays for all the things.
I audition and get acting work as I’m able, maybe donate plasma for a couple extra bucks.
I stay home with the kids, cook healthy, and stay in shape.
Brandy had a couple of job interviews lined up that we felt really good about.
I picked up a couple of gigs while we were in Virginia.
Staying at home with Jacob was great.
Everything seemed like it was falling into place…And then everything fell apart.
Brandy didn’t get a job.
I couldn’t find a contingency job.
And we couldn’t afford to stay in Virginia Beach in our current situation.
In early July, we (family of 3) moved in with my in-laws in their 3 bedroom house.
It was cramped.
PLAN B:
Don’t stay more than two weeks in one place.
Travel between PA and OH to alleviate the burden on our parents.
I’ll work construction two weeks a month until we find permanent jobs.
By August, we knew it wasn’t working. Financially or emotionally.
Still couldn’t find jobs in our fields.
Nothing made sense.
It didn’t make sense to get a minimum wage job when I could work doing construction for my Dad and make a decent wage.
We moved to Pennsylvania with my parents.
PLAN C:
We had more room.
We had two rooms to ourselves (a room for Jake and an upstairs kitchen we slept in on a futon) but you quickly realize how small a house is when you’re sharing the house with six other people. Brandy continued to work from home doing freelance for Regent and Baker Publishing, while I worked for my dad.
We very quickly realized we needed more space. With limited funds though, we knew we really couldn’t afford to rent a place while saving to move to…wherever.
It was right around this time that we got some pretty big news too…
BABY #2
PLAN D:
In need of more room ASAP, we decided to renovate my parents’ attic (with financial and physical assistance from my parents)!
Not an easy task…
…But we did it.
We did the upstairs kitchen too.
So we moved up to the attic and had a nice little apartment.
Then Brandy got the call.
A job opened up at Baker Publishing Group. Her dream company.
They flew her out to Michigan…
Our PLAN A was in reach again!
She didn’t get it.
GAME OVER
We (more me) were crushed. We loved our family and friends in PA, but this had been our plan since Virginia… Now foiled TWICE.
With that door pretty closed, we decided on one final plan.
PLAN E:
Screw it. We’re here for awhile. We’re happy. We’ll keep our eyes open for a teaching position for me, but we’ve made ourselves a nice little place.
A MONTH LATER (or so)
*E-mail buzzing noise*
In the depths of my sadness, Brandy got an e-mail from her now boss at Baker.
They wanted her for a different job…
Now that she was SEVEN AND A HALF MONTHS PREGNANT!
After a LOT of prayer, thought, advice, alcohol (but none for her, I mean, come on).
We decided to do it.
PLAN F (A2):
It was difficult and expensive. The hardest few months of our lives. But we did it.
Brandy got a job at her dream company.
I’m playing Petruchio (a dream role) in a production of The Taming of the Shew with Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company (come see us).
We had another baby! Kaeden Lewis.
I’m a stay at home dad who cooks healthy food by day, acts by night, and donates plasma when I can for a couple extra bucks.
We’re not rich, but we’re making ends meet.
Just like we planned on back in June of 2015.
I drive home from rehearsal feeling immeasurably blessed by my life.
Married to my best friend.
Hearing her talk about a job she’s passionate about.
2 great kids.
Getting to act with some absurdly talented and wonderful human beings.
It’s a pleasure to be in the same room with these people let alone acting with them.
It was a really long road that brought us to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
From Virginia Beach, Virginia to Columbus, Ohio to Scranton, Pennsylvania, and finally to GR.
And it has been worth every minute of it.
I’m back, baby.
scritch out.
Son of a Scritch 