"Lead me, Guide me"

Today I was thinking about how Alex and I got to where we are at now. This may be boring to some of you, but I wanted to write about it while it was on my mind.

We were married March of 03. We lived in Boise. Alex was pursuing his Bachelor degree and I was working full time as a Dental assistant. Eight months into our marriage we were pregnant with our first baby. I was scared and nervous. Alex wasn't quite done with his degree, and was also unemployed. We didn't make much, and we knew that when that baby came, our roles would be switched. He needed to find a "sustainable" job because I would be quitting to stay home with our baby.

A few months into the pregnancy, Alex and I were busy looking for job opportunities. I searched the Internet and Alex did many "walk-ins". One day while I was searching I thought of all of his qualifications. I thought, " He has a degree in Diesel Mechanics....what about those who teach Diesel Mechanics?" So I googled Diesel Mechanic Instructor. Instantly I saw a job available in Laramie Wyoming for a Diesel Mechanic Instructor. I pulled up the the info and printed it. Alex and I looked it over and found he had just barely meet all the requirements for the job. He was a bit reluctant because he had just found a sales job that he was sure to land. We decided he should apply anyway. Soon after, we were contacted by WyoTech. They flew us both to Laramie, put us up in a hotel, provided a car rental, and took us out to eat. Alex was interviewed, and they even wanted me to sit in. It was awesome! The pay was good. Best of all, it was a great start to a career in teaching. I was sad to leave Boise, but I knew this was where we needed to be.

When I was 7 months pregnant we made the move to Laramie. We arrived with no where to live. We knew NO ONE. The Lord made it possible for us to find someone to take our Boise Lease. He also made it possible for us to find an apartment in Laramie. We found one our first day there that was "move in" ready and within our budget. I won't go into the details of Laramie Living. I will say this, I made some really good friends that will be my friends forever. The job was great for Alex. It paid well, and had many opportunities for growth. They really liked Alex. He was a great instructor and leader. We were on our way up. We had our daughter Dejah there, and bought our first house there. We had been there for almost two years when I was beginning to feel "unsettled". My friends were coming and going. I had no family at all. Our vacation time was spent driving to visit family. I was becoming and UN-Happy person.

I woke up one morning feeling a motivation to find Alex a job closer to home. I just knew he would not do this on his own. Why would he? He loved his job, and didn't mind being away from the family. We did not have the Internet at home, so I packed up Dejah and drove to the Library. I went to the kids section, got on the Internet and began my research. It didn't take long and I found two job openings for Diesel Instructors in Idaho. One at ISU and the other at BSU! The window to apply was closing in just a couple days. That evening I begged Alex to please apply. I told him, he didn't have to accept any offers, just apply and see. He did just that. He applied.

ISU was filled. BSU was doing interviews the very week we were going to visit Boise. We made our trip to Boise, and his interview was set up. They said they would let us know before we headed home. I remember the call. We were in the car driving somewhere. They were excited to offer Alex the job, then they told him the pay. My heart SANK. It was $10,000 less than what we were currently making in Laramie. And that income (although good) was tough to live on. I knew there was NO WAY we could accept the job. I was pregnant with my second child, and was so sad that I would have to go back to Laramie to have her. My Mom and I hugged and just sobbed for what seemed like Forever. Soon after, when we were getting ready to go back, my loving Husband came to me and told me he accepted the job. He couldn't bear to see me so sad and just knew he needed to make it happen. I was hesitant but so ecstatic! The job was going to start in two months. He needed to put in his notice, and we needed to sell our house...quick!

On our drive to Laramie, we talked about how we would sell our house. We thought of a friend who had been looking for homes within a certain price range. When we got to Laramie, we went to his apartment first thing to offer him our house. It was within his price range, and he said he'd talk to his wife. They came by to see it, and wanted it. They went trough the process and qualified. We closed the day we moved! We moved into my parents home. And our life here continued.

Since then, we have bought a house (at the market peak), began pursuing a Masters degree, and had two more kids. Our income is probably $20,000 less Now than what it would be if we had stayed. But guess what, I love my husband more than anything! He works hard. We have adorable children that are growing like weeds. Though times are hard economically, I promise to you that it is NOT money that makes us happy. I am grateful to be close to family. I have such a large support group around me. I Love My Savior. He has guided our life in every way. I know he will continue to guide Alex and I as we strive to do the things he asks of us.