Whenever I heard the word, Ironic, either I'd think of the song, "Ironic," or, I'd read irony in a novel. I've never really applied it to life in general.
August 15, 2008 was actually the day things begun to improve in my life and irony slapped me across the face.
As my job required, I entered into Kmart in Springfield, MO to complete the reset job I was assigned to do for the cookies and crackers section.
While signing into the vendor log book, located at the service desk, I had noticed something I'd been discussing with friends, family, and myself, for the past week or so. Two ladies were taking applications for college enrollments.
Thirteen years ago, after my high school graduation, I received a scholarship to attend my hometown college in Moberly, MO; Central Christian College of the Bible (a.k.a. CCCB), for psychology. Apparently, at that time, after graduation, my plans were to attend school fall of 1994. My goal was to complete ten years of college. By the age of 28 I figure I'd have my PhD in child psychology. Instead, God had other plans for me. Three months out of high school, I was pregnant.
It was August 1994. School was right around the corner. Because I was carrying a baby, I had a HUGE decision to make. "Go to school, while being pregnant, and taking a chance in missing a month of finial's that my friends warned me about?" Or, "Forget school and be a mother?" A quick decision had to be made.
"Education and raise a child?" Or, "Be a mother, then continue my education later on in life?"
At eighteen, and pregnant, I had to weigh out my options. From hearing those words, "You're pregnant," I had already knew I was going to be a mother. There was no questioning it. Having a baby was actually a miracle to me and one of the best moments in my life. I mentally, and psychically, was ready. The only thing to decide was college or not?
After thinking about it for a few days, I decided to be...just mom. Later in life, if it's meant to happen, I'd return to college. That's just what I did. I became mommy, March 1, 1995.
Three years later, I was mommy again. However, this time, February 26, 1998 instead I experienced my first miscarriage. June 18, 1999, I experienced my second miscarriage. April 15, 2000, I became a wife. September 23, 20002 my fourth son was born. October 12, 2004, I had a little girl. As continue my years of being mommy, also being a wife, I still hadn't found the time to enroll in a college. Mommy years and wife years were to important to me. Yeah, I thought about it. I just didn't act on it or do much about it.
Bringing me up to August 15, 2008. Inside Kmart.
As I left the service desk to complete my project, I glanced over and saw the college they were representing. University of Phoenix. This was one of the school I wanted to check into because I heard a lot of good things about them. Plus, they had a new campus in Springfield. I had thought to myself, "Well, if they are still sitting there when I'm done, I'll talk to them."
An hour into my work, I discovered somethings wrong with the project. Some of the spots where certain brands were suppose to go—according to my POG—and tags were missing, it would be best to ask the dept manager about it. I walked back up to the service desk to ask for the department manager, the guy who I always talk to for this store, when it was brought to my attention he wasn't going to be in until that evening. I had to quest to speak with another department manager on duty.
Prior to going up to the service desk, the second time, I had noticed two women at one of the end isles of the HB department talking. Something guided my eyes to look at their name tags. Underneath their name one read, "Cashier." The other read, "Store Manager." I had figured who it was I needed to talk to but thought I'd ask customer service first. In case it wasn't the lady who's tag read, "Store Manager," under her name.
As I stood at the service desk, listening to the lady's name and where to find her, I cut her off. It was the lady I passed. The store manager. I knew exactly where she was. The HB section. I started to walk back where I had passed her giving University of Phoenix one last glance before returning to work. Just as I did, the blond hair lady pooped up with the question, "Do you work for Kmart?"
I stopped and answered, "No. I'm a local retail representative for a company based out of Plano, TX." It all started there. If you would have walked in, you would have guessed we were best friends chatting. She asked me about my job. Told me about the college. Showed me the home work she had to do, since she was also a student and working part-time for the college and part-time for one of the local hospital's. We just chatted and chatted about everything for an hour.
I had explained my situation of how I had plans to go to college after high school but couldn't because I choose to be a mother instead. How I had been researching different colleges in the last week, or so—now that all three of my kids were in school—but I couldn't because I had three kids I was raising and going through a divorce that I filed for October 2007, and so on.
She seemed more excited for me to attend then what I was.
As I looked over the degree programs this college offered, I realized the word, psychology, was staring right at me. Associates, Bachelors, and Masters.
After personally witnessing this was the school for me, she picked up her cell phone and called the enrollment counselor for me to talk to. I did and that day the enrollment counselor stated she'd be there until 8pm. I made plans with her to meet at 6pm.
Being the first day for my kids back to school, I promised them I'd be home to see them off the school buses. And on a Friday their schools let out an hour early. Then at 4:30 pm I had a doctor's appointment because of my very first car wreck—15 years after I received my drivers licenses—some guy rear ended me while I sat at a stoplight behind a truck. I had no option. I had a full day already. 6Pm was the earliest I could meet.
After completing my scheduled appointments, I headed up to University of Phoenix campus to enroll. The enrollment counselor again went over everything with me. Explained in plan terms to where I could understand.
Two hours later, I completed what I could and have to return today, Monday, August 18, 2008, to finish my enrollment.
Classes begin for me August 28th. Therefore, I'm overly excited and ready to start. However, I'm starting off with getting my Bachelor's in Business Management, then once that's completed, I'll just need to go an extra two years and I'll have my Master's in psychology.
Although, I'll be around 40-years-old, I feel it's worth...WELL...worth it.
The irony in this story actually happens to be the aftermath. When I went back to work and found the store manager to ask the questions I had to the cookies and crackers section, we both read the dates on the price tags, which were for May 2008 and July 2008. Meaning, no new product came in and no new tags were printed. It was then I discovered I was not even suppose to complete this store until August 18th and it was only August 15th. I was three days early. But both the blond lady sitting at the enrollment table and I certainly believed this was the school I was meant to attend, and to accomplish the course I had longed to complete.
In other words, we felt this was the time for me to continue my education. I sign from God. To not only better my life, but my children's as well.
The irony? I was in the right store on the wrong date. The college I planned to check into had actually set their own table there.
This make me wonder...how often, do we as humans, read between the lines? Or, look outside the little box we live in?