Another month down. The first half of the year tends to go by crazy fast. It feels like it was just the other day when Christmas was over. Now we're in April. Crazy stuff.
Last night, Kyle and I took a long walk. It was a beautiful crisp night, and out here in Graham, you can see tons of stars. A lot more than you can in Fort Worth, and especially more than Houston (Spring). That's a nice perk. It reminds me of being on my Nana and Bumpa's property in Elgin, TX. You could see so many stars out there. My cousins and I would take walks after dark because it was cool to do that sort of thing, I suppose.
I was reminded of a time specifically, walking with my cousin Cory and admiring the stars. I can't remember why we were out there so late, but I just remember looking up and staring at the stars. At that moment, I was in awe. Last night, I felt like I was in that same moment, all those years ago. Looking up staring at the stars. It was as if time stood still for just a brief moment. All worries and aches didn't exist for a small moment in time. I savor those moments when they come my way. It reminds me of why I'm here and it's a small glimpse at the bigger picture. It allows me to not get sucked in to the daily grind of life.
Lots of things are in store for us this year. I will share a few now, and some much later in the year. For starters, I finally started my program at BYU-Idaho and am now wrapping up the first semester. It felt like it took forever. I did a whole year of institute classes in order to get this going. My education has been a long path for me, but I have never given up. I think I've taken a total of 2 and a half years off since I graduated high school. (Counting the year of religious courses). But I have never once thought of not finishing it out. Never. My associates degree is not enough for me. I believe I have bigger things in store, I really do.
The Lord is fine tuning us. I wonder what is next in our journey. I can't help it. I can't be complacent. That is both a good and a bad thing. This whole chapter is still a head scratcher to me. I still can't wrap my head around it. My husband is a Sports Editor. So weird. I mean, he has always dreamed of doing that, but I never thought it was a possibility. We were set on him obtaining a city government job, getting his foot in the door, then when he obtained his masters, move up to city management.
A year and half in Spring has changed that course. It was a tough 18 months. It truly was, I won't sugar coat it.
He had been applying for city jobs for the majority of time while he was at Avis. He got two bites, out of the hundreds of jobs he had applied to. That is not an exaggeration. By the time the summer rolled around, I started to have my doubts. I started thinking, "Something has to change". Then, things at his work started to get worse, more animosity between management, more getting screwed over, it was building up to max capacity.
About a month before his job ended at Avis, he found a journalism job here in Graham. He told me that he would be shoe in for it. I told him absolutely not. That was not part of "the plan". Then when things started to worsen at work, I caved. He had emailed his now boss about the position, after not hearing from them for a few months. That resulted in several emails back and forth, turning into a pre-interview screening process. She then told him that the Sports Editor position had just become available, and with Kyle's experience with his internship with the Utah Grizzlies, she thought that would be a better fit for him.
To be completely honest, I wasn't entirely on board. I was set on "the plan" we had made in the last semester at UVU. I thought that if we wavered, we would never get there. I wanted to wait it out. Kyle ultimately didn't want to do it if I wasn't on board so he agreed he wouldn't go to the interview.
Exactly two days before Kyle had lost his job, I had a change of heart. I can't explain it. The only explanation is the spirit preparing me for what was to come. I started feeling bad. I knew he was miserable at Avis, and I shouldn't let fear overpower me and any potential opportunities. I called him up at work and told him he should go to the interview. He was surprised, but grateful for my turnaround.
Two days later, Kyle no longer was employed at Avis. Three days later, Kyle interviewed and became the Sports Editor of the Graham Leader
That is no coincidence. I don't believe in those. This is where the Lord wants us. I know it. I feel it. I bear my testimony of it. He softened my heart so I can be open to blessings. Kyle was impressed to email her (which he has never done before), and that resulted in this amazing opportunity. We were both lead by the spirit individually, and collectively. It is truly amazing when I think about it.
We didn't know that it would end so quickly at Avis. But it prepared us for the blessing waiting for us.
We have tweaked our plans a bit, but we are still on a good path for going forward. I don't know why the Lord gives us specific trials, but I do believe that each and every one of our trials our tailored just for us. Our trials our unique, so we can grow and become who we are destined to be.
What did I learn from all of this? Plans change. God's doesn't. He has a plan for us, and it might not always be what we intended. That was a huge learning opportunity for me. I thought that I was doing the right thing by "sticking to the plan". But it wasn't what God had intended for me, and he let me know by changing my heart a few days before another trial had happened. I'm so grateful for Him and all of His blessings. I wonder what else God has in store for us.
Be prayerful about your decisions and plans. Always include Him.
God be with you all
~Katie B.
