A true story: We're moving to Austin

part 1: Great Grace
Not everyone knows our story.  We're college sweethearts, now married and sweethearts foveva.  Sam's from Austin, I'm from Fort Worth. after college I got a job in Houston, and we've been here almost 2 years. I work in cancer research, Sam works for Ford Audio Video.  I am head over heels in love with my job. I love the people I work with, and the guy I work for. It's a first job people dream about--if the pay was different, I would do it for my whole life.

Sam, on the other hand is a different story. His story is of sacrifice and provision. He's learned a lot in the job he has, but it's never been his passion. But daily I've watched him work a job that has driven us both to our knees at times for our family.  He's the picture of a selfless, giving, loving man.

It seems since the moment we married (and before) we've prayed for a career for Sam. A place where his great passion can be put into use in the workplace.  And for Sam, insurance is the perfect fit. And after months and months of waiting and hearing "no" and "not yet" and "keep waiting," the time  has come. Sam has a job with State Farm and starts July 19th.

part 2: our incubator in Houston
When I took a job in Houston that started the week after my college graduation, most people thought I was crazy.  We were to be married in 4 months, and I moved our little family to a city where we knew not a soul. We're a 5 hour drive from my family and 3 hours from his.

but the best part: it's been wonderful. it's been an incubator for us--time to grow and stretch and soak our lives in all the best. best friends, best churches, and each other.  and it will be hard to leave. most days are filled with tears of some sort. but through the tears we're seeing the good.  the good that we have been blessed with here, and the better that is to come.

part 3: the job search continues
 so, Samuel starts his job on July 19th. From now until then, I'm job searching for things in Austin.  I want to continue working in a lab environment.  If the time comes for  him to start and I'm still jobless (in Austin) I'll continue working in Houston.  I'll stay here with some friends until I have a job in Austin.  If December rolls around and I'm still jobless, I'm moving to Austin at that point.  we've received grace upon grace for Sam's job and believe the same will happen for me.

part 4: family
we love Austin. Half of our family is there (Sam's side) and my family will be only 3 hours away. We love the state Capitol (where we got engaged!) We love our restaurants there, we love the feel of the city.

part 5: grace upon grace 
When Sam moves, he can live with his parents if I'm not quite coming with him.  And I have multiple places to stay here.  It's strange and it's hard and there are still fears, but this feels more right and more us following God than anything.  This is where God is putting us and it brings me immense joy to watch my husband pursue a job he's desired for so long. I have no idea how everything will work, or when I will join Sam in Austin, but we know God's going to blow our mind in all of it.

SO, in 5 short weeks Sam's moving to Austin. and I'm hoping to follow ASAP. it's none of our doing. We're just praising the One who lavished great grace all over our house. while it might seem out of our "5 year plan", God has given Himself and his Provision, and we're saturated in that.  We'd love your prayers as I job search for jobs in Austin, pack up here and say goodbye to wonderful friends. 

the waiting parts

if you've been around here for long enough,

you know that I blog mostly to tell our story.

the story of two sinners, covered in grace.

it's a story that paints the goodness of God,

not the goodness of us.

and this season of our story sounds a lot like waiting.

quiet, eager anticipation.

just waiting.

waiting for me to finish my pre-recs

waiting for Sam to find his passion in his career

waiting to know what city we'll eventually end up in. after all my school is done.

waiting to buy a house.

waiting (for AWHILE) for kids

waiting.

and sometimes.

well, most of the time.

my selfish and impatient heart does not want to wait.

like a 2 year old throwing a tantrum,

I beg and plead and cry to God

why not now!?!

why not now?

because the waiting changes.

the waiting is the incubator.

he's prepping, preparing.

and if we're being honest, this waiting isn't so bad.

( I will not be a whiney blogger, nor a whiney person.)

the waiting can be hard.

but the waiting can draw my heart to the only giver of life.

so I'll stay in the waiting.

because I want to transition well.

when the time comes.

a cup of jo

If you were to come over and have a cup of coffee,

we'd be in the airport waiting on my flight.

and I could tell you how exited I am to be headed to Disney World.

and I might be just a teensy bit nervous about the race.

but mostly so excited.

I would tell you how expectant I am for 2012.

for the ways the Lord will move and provide for our little family.

I know he will provide a path for schooling for me, and I can't wait to be a part of that story.

I would spill praise for the Lord for our jobs.

our house, our health. We are richly blessed.

I would tell you that I'm praying for change in myself.

a content heart, a patient spirit.  I'm weak and incapable of change

but trusting in the One who can change any heart.

If you were to come over and share a cup of coffee,

what would you share from your heart?

 

finding balance

i have trouble sleeping.
it's not that i'm not tired. trust me, i'm tired.
just that my mind buzzes constantly.

of custom orders, homeworks, things to study, jobs to apply for
of dishes in the sink.  kitchens that need cleaning. husbands that need more attention.
of runs that need to be run, weight that needs to be lost.

when I first started blogging, I was so intimidated by the "big blogs"
they seemed to have it all together.
happy kids, a clean house, great writing, adorable blog. HOW did they do it?
i used to finish reading blogs and feel inadequate. i didn't measure up.
as I have gotten to know a few of those ladies
there is one thing I have learned:
they probably don't have it all together.

and that's good.

there is so much we don't know about each other.
and so much we assume.
there is so much I haven't shared. 

I know my struggles are nothing compared to a lot of you guys.
I know that our job search for Sam is such a small thing on the level of problems we could have.
(he still HAS a job, which in itself is a huge blessing).

to me, this blog is a place of real. not of pretty-mashed up pictures that make all of our lives seem perfect, but of real women trying to live the life they're called to, and praising God along the way.
i have a desire for this to be a community of women loving on each other, ministering to each other. 

so I'll praise Him at 11:30, and 1:30, and when I wake up way too early at 6:30.