falling in to place

Two years. Over two years.

It's been over two years since I've worked outside our home. But not any more.

When we moved here, I had just quit my first nursing job on a crazy busy and stressful telemetry floor (heart monitoring). I hadn't hardly looked back. Most times I completely forgot that I went to school and have a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. But the job messed up my sleep in a bad way, amongst other things. And I was always missing Noah so much even though I only worked part time. I was always missing Terry since I had to work every other weekend. It felt so great to be done.

But here, I found out that staying home with Noah (and then Evie) was hard work too. I guess I hadn't ever really done that because I had been in school when Noah was born and then straight to work after. I realized that I needed a break. Just something one day a week or even less.

In March I dropped my resume by our hospital. They didn't have any openings though. Bummer. Then I kind of forgot about it amidst the busyness that was our summer. One day in July after I got an invite to a conference I just thought that I should try another hospital. I was ready. It was time. So I dropped off resumes to two local hospitals. I talked to the director of nursing at one, a really nice woman who seemed genuinely interested but didn't have any openings. The following day I got a call from the other director and we set up an interview for the following Monday.

One day Kathy watched my kids while I went to run some errands. When I got back her husband Dr. Dave, as Noah likes to call him, was there. He asked me if I would like to periodically fill in for the nurses at his clinic. I said I was interested but that I had an interview on Monday and was hoping for one day a week.

The very next day Dave and Kathy came to our house for a youth group meeting (b/c they help) and the first thing out of his mouth was, "How would you like to work one day a week?"

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was kind of flabbergasted. I was really really excited and accepted almost without talking to Terry. I called the Lex director and cancelled my interview and started at the clinic the next week, which was Wednesday, August 26. I work one day a week, Thursdays, with Dr. Dave's PA, Amy. And actually, last week I filled in for the other two docs that work there. It was a challenge. The whole thing is a challenge, but it's good.

It's a complete "God thing" if there are such things. B/c I'm learning more and more that nothing is coincidence, that God is in complete control of my life. As I wrote in my journal yesterday:

"God has just as much of a plan for me as He does for ______ [b/c I compare myself a lot].
...
God is just as sovereign in my life as in _______'s life [b/c He "seems" to be more active in other places].
...
God planned for me to have what and who I have in my life [b/c it seems like it's my responsibility].
...
God's hand is on my life. I am where He means me to be. I am who He means me to be [even today]. My family are who He means them to be: FREEDOM"

So, God's hand has always been active, but it's seemed just a little more obvious to be lately.

Oh, and that reminds me of what else He's done... We want to home school. But we're not sure how to do it in this house b/c we don't really have a "school area." We've discussed different options but hadn't decided how to make it work.

The decision was taken out of our hands, sort of, b/c we're moving!

We live in a parsonage. A really great parsonage (people are always really surprised when I remind them that's where we live). The senior pastor lives in a parsonage too. Well, soon, he will no longer. He's been here 13+ years and the church is going to give him more freedom with a housing allowance. He bought some land and a house that he's going to move onto that land the beginning of November.

Since the church owns both houses, they gave us a choice - to stay in this house or move. Originally we thought of just staying. But after seeing the other place, we feel very confident and excited to move. It's got more space (not that this place doesn't b/c it does), a better neighborhood, TREES!, a wonderful backyard, a homeschooling room and even a guest room (b/c we do love having that for our family and guests).

We're so excited!