Transitions

Alright, my little bloggies...

It's been almost 2 months since my last entry.  We've grappled with some of life's biggest stressors in the past few months: finding out we were moving halfway across the country so I could attend nursing school at Concordia, Moorhead, me starting nursing school in May (2 1/2 weeks after learning my alternate status was not in vain), flying out just prior to the start of my first class with Sonja so my MIL could watch her while I was at school during the day & Joe could finish the school year back in Tacoma, celebrating Joe's 30th and Sonja's 1st birthday on May 24th, flying back to Tacoma to pack up our lives and say goodbye to family and friends whom we have no idea when we'll see again, actually DRIVING almost 1500 miles from University Place to Fargo in 3 days, driving down to SE Minnesota to attend the 150th anniversary of my maternal grandmother's home church in Lewiston, going to a job interview and accepting a CNA position at an assisted living facility in Fargo, Good Samaritan Society, working almost full-time hours since the beginning of July, learning tons about elementary music (Joe), and taking care of a 1 year old to boot.  Not to mention unpacking, sorting, and storaging our stuff.  And celebrating 5 years of marriage in July!

Yep, the rumors are true: we moved in with my in-laws and we are not sure when we will move out as it is contingent on Joe's job.  God has ways of stretching our faith until the 11th hour.  We committed to moving out to Fargo BEFORE there was a promise of a job for Joe.  While visiting us in Fargo over Memorial Day weekend, he interviewed and accepted a part-time teaching position in Fargo Public Schools.  We were told we'd have to wait until mid-August to find out if more children registered for school and thus, a position closer to full time.  Now it is getting down to crunch time before the beginning of the school year and it seems as though everyday we get new tidbits on what Joe's job (and our income) will look like this year.  I have made a bargain with Good Sam to work the third weekend of every month...but with the demands of nursing school, I don't know if I'll make it past the first semester.  But from now until classes start on August 30th, I'll continue to faithfully punch in and punch out 30-40 hours a week at Good Sam.

And oh! I almost forgot! We bought ourselves a car! A 2004 Volvo V70 R, a real beaut!  Never thought the finances would come together so we could pay cash for such a nice car.  I've always driven cars with at least 100k miles on them, some at least 10 years old, ones that have some life left in them, but are starting to nickel and dime you to death with repairs.  Ahhh...it feels SO good to drive such a well-taken care of vehicle. I can now face the winter in Fargo with heated seats.  Goodbye Hyundai Elantra, the car we took our newborn babe Sonja home from the hospital.

Every now and then, the sheer stress and magnitude of what we've accomplished hits us...in different ways.  In 5 years of being married and almost 8 years together, we've realized we cope with stress in very different ways.  Some of these ways complement the others' and some downright clash with the other spouses.  A verse from Proverbs 31 comes to mind, "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."  I don't know if I can honestly say I "laugh at the days to come" because more often than not, I am CRYING and FREAKING OUT at the days to come.  I try not to "eat the bread of idleness", I don't think Sonja is old enough to "arise and call [her mother] blessed", and I think my husband's buying me flowers yesterday counts as praising me, "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all".

One day at a time...