So this year has been good to my little family. Some may say otherwise.
Recently we moved to Idaho, near Boise. I was to start a job for the DOD in October, I was really excited, it was a job that I knew I could excel at quickly. I had talked to a few people in our ward that worked there and they let me know that with my experience I would be headhunted by other departments after I hired and that would mean a nice raise. I was excited at the prospect... but then they pushed the start date to sometime in November, then they pushed it back again, and then stated that they did not know what was going on, then no contact at all. So I took a job, part time, at a local grocery store working nights stocking the shelves. They had an opening after I started for a computer field tech, I applied and was excited that I may actually start being able to support my family in the way that I should gain. Our savings were being drained, and life living with family is not always how you think it may be, even if you are best friends with them. My eldest boy was doing well, but not treated to well. His cousins did not like to play with him and one of them liked to scream at him all the time and hit him lots. We tried to work these wrinkles out, Ethan is a big kid (2 years old and just about 40 pounds) so I was not worried about him. In fact most times he just sat there smiling not knowing what was going on. Other times he would give his persecutor a big hug. It was very rare that he was hurt by them, I was worried about the emotional conflict that he was having due to Beth or I pulling him out of the situations even when he was not at fault, thus upsetting him and making him feel as if it were his fault. I admit, there were times it was his fault, and we were sure to jump on that as fast as we could. Many times it was not.
Some would say that all of this was leading to a bad years end, I would disagree. I moved to Idaho knowing that that was what I was supposed to do. I have no doubt that was what I was supposed to do. In the process we have a renter in our house in Phoenix that really needed a home. We have income from that house. We will be able to afford a bigger house (once I have been working for time again) We grew closer, as a couple, my wife and I, and as a family. We learned that some things are not as we suppose and not to judge another's situation based on what we perceive, if it be good or bad in perception. I grew closer to my youngest, whom I had a hard time getting close to because how fuss he was. I learned to deal with it and eventually how to make him happy. I have come closer to God, and that I feel is a great blessing. All in all I look at it like the Mormon Battalion, they were asked to leave their comfort, and they struggled on their journey, the test in the end was to see who would obey and who would falter. This I feel was the same, it was to see if my family would obey. I hope that we have proved that we can. This may not be the end of it, there may be more on this journey, and I hope that I am ready for it if there is.
So all in all things are going great, we have our stresses, but those are to be expected. We still have our faith and our family, those things no one can take from us. Things will work out, they always do, so I don't worry. For all those that have helped us along the way, thank you, it is appreciated. May everyone know the spirit of God this holiday season.
