Are You Ready For This?

Are You Ready For This?

We're moving to Texas in March.

Surprised? We sure are.

With Z getting out of the Army, he has been applying for anything and everything he can -- both in his field, and literally anything else, including at a furniture store and a factory. There just ain't anything local. Nada. Zip. All those jobs that were "guaranteed" just one year ago when he started looking have vanished thanks to the state of the economy, despite his "brilliant" resume by industry standards.

Z has been working odd hours, 24-hour shifts, etc. for the last six years and has very firmly decided that he absolutely will not work anywhere that won't give him Sundays off. He has been frustrated with his schedule not allowing him to be more active in our current church, and was really looking forward to the next chapter where we could spend a lot more time doing various projects and activities where needed.

Money is certainly not everything, we realize that even as young as we are. In fact, he did turn down an $80K/yr job in Atlanta. It required a lot of international travel to places one really does not need to be right now, and when he would be home it would be a 24-hr schedule that rotated throughout the week. No, thanks. Not only would it continue to mess up our family life, but would still prevent being active in a church.

But -- the doors have been opening in Texas, which was not anywhere in our thoughts or aspirations.

Texas? Really????

The only things I know about Texas are: it's a big state, it could legally secede from the union (and is the only state with this right), it gets really hot in the summer, it has a couple of large cities, and it's pretty much scrubby brush once you get past Dallas/Ft Worth area. Oh, and they have cows, one type of which is the mascot for a rather well-known university. Well, and I know a couple of people that live there/used to live there. But it has been made more and more abundantly clear, in too many odd ways that can be listed here, that this is where we're being led to.

Z has two positions available, and a possible third and fourth to choose from once we get down there. The first job he has: we are helping to start a church plant geared towards the needs of some of our war veterans who are returning from abroad -- and their families who have been left behind during the deployment. There really isn't anything in the area to minister to these people, which is astounding given the sheer volume of our troops that are in and out of this location routinely. The divorce rate and suicide rate has been astronomically increasing among our military members and is currently at its highest level, ever. This is in large part because of the stressors related to our service members' missions, and inadequate resources for counseling this sort of situation either before they leave or when they return. The old standby just isn't cutting it any more -- war time, like it or not, has to have a different response than the one given in a time of peace -- although the ultimate instruction manual that really helps people (the Bible) remains the same, of course. Of all places that should want to help, it should be the church, right?

Z will get a part-time paycheck from the church until it is established -- and is guaranteed to be able to be more active at church since it's his job! God hears your prayers, truly, although He has shown once again that He answers them in ways you don't expect sometimes. To supplement the income, Z has a final interview for a engineering position with a particular company on Tuesday -- in the words of the manager, "because they have to get that formality out of the way". We'll know more in a week or two once we get the formal letter from the company.

So, Z has landed at least one position in Texas, and we are leaving our house and home at the beginning of March. We're heading out, not completely sure what we'll find when we get there, but know that somehow everything will be taken care of. It's the most terrifying thing, with a weird calm assurance woven into it.

It is truly bittersweet. OUR plans were to stay here, and enjoy where we are currently at. We bought a house, we have made some very dear friends here that we'd love to grow old with, have made investments in local pastimes, shops, the elementary school for A... Ultimately, though, as the now-famous quote intimates, "It's not about YOU." We want to do what God wants more than we want to stay here, as nice as it is here.

I am going to miss my mountains, though. We are going to be in the eastern half of Texas, which has a distinct lack of mountains.

But, I suppose one up-side is that they have Sonic drive-ins there. The closest one to Z and I right now is about 4 hours away, and we have made passing comments throughout the last 6 years that we really miss them. Me for the Cherry Limeades, and Z for the chili cheese tots (also known as coronary in a cardboard tray).

I'll post more info as I get it. I've had no less than 10 people ask me this week if I will keep blogging. Yes, I'm going to continue blogging after we move, although there will be a hiatus while the computer is unhooked and on the truck. I don't own a notebook computer, and don't imagine my CPU would get WiFi inside a moving van. : )