Measurable Progress

On February 21, 2011, I was in a terrible spot. I had been separated a little over half a year. I was impoverished with no end in sight. I was working two jobs and exhausted. It didn't matter how much I worked, I would not be able to make my rent. It was just a matter of how slowly I wanted to drown. My children had the day off of school and I wanted to do something with them. I told them we were taking a "poor man's trip to Baltimore." We drove to the Inner Harbor. I couldn't afford to buy tickets to anything so we visited the gift shops to Hard Rock Cafe, Port Discovery Children's Museum, and the Baltimore Aquarium. I told them someday we would have more money and be able to go in. Then I bought them hot chocolates and we came home.

Today we went to Baltimore again. I have enough money for parking, gas, lunch, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, an overpriced sushi dinner at a restaurant on the water, and cookies for dessert. It was a great day. It was a poignant day. I'm proud of how far I have come.