Well. . . we have an answer. Finally.
After a LOT of details I haven't bothered you with, and 5 (or more) of Rick's supervisor's and liaisons in the company finagling over whether Rick was staying in Texas or if they were indeed going to follow through with their transfer approval to Oklahoma, and all the varying reasons why they would or would not approve a transfer at this time after all. . . we finally have a real answer.
And for those who know me well, you already know the answer because you probably noticed I didn't use a bunch of exclamation points after the first line of this post.
No, we are back to not being approved to transfer to Oklahoma at this time. They want to keep Rick in the Texas desert for a minimum of one year before they will reconsider a transfer north to OK. And they will only reconsider the transfer in a year IF the "powers that be" in the Oklahoma office specifically request his transfer. (Guess who's phone number got slipped to Rick as he left the Texas office this morning?) Do they even have a clue how much work it is on a mom to repeatedly move a crew our size?
I'm sure you can't tell, but I'm not having a real good attitude about this final answer yet this morning. I was praying and believing for Oklahoma. After the first supervisor said Rick was transferring, I had lined up so many of the "details" and contacts for the area in OK we had been told we'd be transferred to. I really haven't lined up all those things for TX yet. So my search begins again, just days before we head south. My biggest stress right now is helping Rick find a home for us. The housing market in the part of Texas we're going to is practically non-existent for 3 bdrms or larger. Rick has been out almost every weekend looking for a home there, just in case. More weekends than not, there are not even a total of 3 new homes to view, and that's even with being willing to look at homes that are half the size we're in now, and close enough to the neighbors to loan them toilet paper through the window when they run out. (Okay, I'm exaggerating, but only by a few feet! You'd have to toss them the roll instead of handing it to them!) Many weekends there have been zero homes to look at (like yesterday). Rick has even looked in the towns in each direction (by an hour's drive). Still nothing. A few average homes to buy, IF we wanted to go several hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, which we don't, especially knowing we could be transferred in a year. At this point, we don't know if we'll end up cramming our family of 8 into an apartment or duplex for the next year. I'm feeling discouraged. (You couldn't tell that, right?) Please pray that Rick finds something that is a blessing to our family instead of a drudgery, both financially and practically. Some place we can look forward to living in. Without having to leave our life long pets behind. And will pass inspection for the adoption homestudy. And a landlord as wonderful as our current landlords have been to us. And a window over my kitchen sink.
I really am trying to see the good in this, but I guess I haven't gotten there yet. I cannot see God's purpose in this location yet, but I'm trying my best this morning to turn it over to Him and just trust that He knows best. I promise I'll work on my attitude about it all, because I don't want to have to wander in the Texas desert for the next 40 yrs because of a bad attitude. I just pray that in a year, we'll be able to look back and understand why God sent us to Texas first, instead of Oklahoma. And hopefully by then, our girls will be home with us. It is for them that I am willing to live in the desert, if that's what it takes to proceed with our adoption. God must know the right home study worker, therapists, etc for the adoption of these girls will be in Texas instead of Oklahoma. I don't know. I do know I just want to be in God's will, fulfilling His purposes, and in my husband's arms, soaking in his warm embrace again. It's been a VERY long 9 weeks without him now.
I can't see it now, but I rest in the confidence that God doesn't ever do anything without a purpose, and a plan, one that is for our good, not to hurt us.
Someday, we'll look back. . . and we'll see His good in this.
I'm off to pack more boxes...
~ Michelle
Well, I was going to say something encouraging after reading this post, but then I scrolled down a bit and read your "blogging from a puddle," and realized God has already prepped you for this with all He was saying to you there. Go re-read your own previous post, and I think you might notice that He has known all along what His plan was. It's under control (though not YOUR control!). Lifting your family up in prayer for the peace that passes understanding! Love and blessings,
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Thank you, Amy. Even though we know God is in control, (Michelle and I jokingly remind each other of this sometimes by asking "What was that sound? Was that God falling off His throne? Nope!") it doesn't make the roller coaster of emotions any easier. We appreciate friends like you who surround us with your prayers and encouragement. It is the support of friends that has seen us through the bleak moments by sharing the emotional burden.
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