by Hope
I sent Gymnast home on the train Monday night. I cried.
We won’t be together again until sometime this summer…but I do have him for the entire summer. He will once again spend part of the summer in Texas with my parents and part of the summer in Georgia with me.
But it’s so hard to miss the day to day with him, my baby.
Well, when he stepped off the train, there was no ride waiting to take him back to his dad’s house. And his dad was not answering the phone. He didn’t panic.
He walked over to a restaurant, thank God there were a few close and it wasn’t too late, and called me. I tried calling his dad a few times. But no answer.
Uber to the Rescue
Thankfully, I was able to book an Uber to pick him up at the restaurant and deliver him home – monitoring the trip the whole way. It was the first time I had ever used a car service that way. (We don’t have those services in the tiny town we live in.)
I am so grateful for the technology that allows me to monitor my kids via their phones and to book these types of services in these type of unexpected “emergency” situations. And I was doubly grateful that I didn’t even have to think twice about the extra $20 this cost me to get him safely home.
There was a time is the not so distant past that an extra and unexpected $20 would have caused a ripple effect.
I’m not sure what happened with his dad, but the important part is that he got home safely. (Although he was a bit freaked out by the conversation from the Uber driver, but I hope it was just him being antsy at the circumstances.)

Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
Hope- please feel free to message me about what suburb gymnast lives in. I live in the suburbs of Chicago, and if I am close could help out in a pinch.