The Lord's Hand in All Things...

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

We made the trip to California (it was wonderful!) to meet with Dr. Balderston. His offer was quite generous and gave us a lot to think about. After the meeting we asked to have a week to decide since Aaron was to take his test the 19th. He agreed, and we spent the rest of the week enjoying our time catching up with family and friends. Throughout the entire time Aaron and I continued to discuss our options and which would be best for our family since we didn't get a specific feeling after seeing Dr. Balderston. We decided to make a list of pros and cons about each place. California had, of course, a solid job offer. One point to moving. It would also be great to live near more family and friends, and just to be in California where we both spent much of our lives. We both love the diversity and agriculture found there. The cons we found were the high cost of living and the necessity of me working to make ends meet, meaning our girlies would need to be in child care. Not only would most of my wages go to pay for the child care, but it would mean that I would not get to be with them as often and I feel I should, and I know that I would feel inept as a mother. Also I'd have extra schooling added on due to the credential program California requires for teachers, and I would have a very difficult time finding a job after graduating.

The pros to staying in Caliente would be a job for Aaron with a higher salary and fantastic benefits (something we've never had), Aaron's mom would be able to watch the girlies on the days I attend school at SUU, and I would be able to be with my daughters much more, fulfilling my responsibilities as their mother. We have also come to really enjoy living here, and we absolutely LOVE our ward. The cons were the long commute to school for me and the possibility that Aaron did not score as high as the school requires for the job, causing the job hunt process to continue.

Aaron and I have been praying for guidance on this matter, but had not received inspiration as to which direction we should head. We were both feeling tense and anxious. I was beginning to literally feel ill. Aaron decided last night that fasting was needed. Around lunchtime today he still hadn't felt anything concrete, so we decided it was time to pray again, this time with our decision made. I was once again reminded of how blessed I am to have an eternal companion that lives worthy of the priesthood he holds and to remain close to the spirit. After our prayer we layed down and discussed how we felt. I felt that a weight had been lifted and the anxiety in my heart was gone. Aaron said he felt the same. The confirmation we received is to stay in Caliente. We realize that we are taking a great leap of faith, or so it feels. There is a chance that Aaron won't get the job at the youth center, but we feel that no matter what, the Lord has asked us to remain here. Even eight hours later, none of the doubt or anxiety has returned. I still feel confident in the answer we received. The Lord has blessed us so very much. We have survived for almost three months without an income, savings or unemployment, our little house has been sold and the renter in our big house has decided to stay until the end of June. Our realtor called last night and said he has someone that is really interested in our house and will know next week if they plan to buy it, and our appeal for unemployment just went through. The Lord has truly been watching over and providing for us. I am so thankful for the blessings the Lord has poured out upon my little family, and the love I feel from Him.