Today I get to finally write the blog post that I have been waiting months years to write.  Gary once again has a job... not just a job but a career.  For 35 long months we have struggled with looking for work.  Gary has been back to school, worked as a research assistant, done cold calls for a seed company, delivered pizzas, painted barns, bagged vegetables, and done any other odd jobs we could find.  It's been 3 years of raiding the piggy bank and emptying the children's savings accounts.  It's been stressful, especially for me the ultimate control freak.  Gary, the much more relaxed and trusting half of our duo has reminded me often that "We will make it, God will see us through", and if all else fails he has laughingly reminded me, "If nothing else, they'll feel sorry for the kids.  We won't starve."

It's been a high stress time, but it's also been a great time in alot of ways.  People have often asked if I'm sick of Gary being in the house and underfoot all day.  I can honestly say no.  I guess I'm weird, but I'm more than happy to be with him 24/7 pretty much all week long.  It's nice to have a few hours a week with no Gary and kids, but for the most part I love having him home.  He has loved being home.  Unlike most dads, Gary has been able to watch both of our kids grow up from babies.  He's not missed a thing, and you better believe he loves that.  We've had no money, to do things, though he always seems to scrounge a little something up for birthdays and anniversaries.  But we've had alot of time together.
I have often wondered what we are suppose to be learning from this experience (mostly so that I can learn it and be done already, haha).  I'm not sure that I have figured that out yet.  I know we have seen just what a loving Church and family that we have.  They have done so much for us, giving us money, letting us know about job openings, and most of all continuing to support us and let us know that they are praying for us and believe in us.  I know we have a better handle on needs verses wants.  I was a pretty good budgeter, but I think I'm better at it now.  It's shocking just how little you can survive on when you have to.  Of course, I've moderated my views some since my anti-Government aid, college days.  We would have been in even worse straights if we didn't have the unemployment and food stamps.  I know in this time we have seen the providential care of God on many occasions, more clearly than I ever had before.  There were so many times where we just felt we had no options left, and didn't know what to do, and those were very often the days that someone had thought of us, not knowing, and sent us a little something to help out.  Furthermore, I believe if we could weather this hardship, there is nothing that can come between Gary and I.  We promised to stay together for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer.  As Sis Sharon Kuder told us once, "We've tried worse and poorer, and we're ready to try out better and richer."
Getting this job could be nothing more than the blessing of God.  In a rotten economy I can't tell you how many jobs we've submitted applications for.  Most of those didn't go anywhere, but we did have several phone interviews, and even a handful of positions that made it to multiple interviews.  Nothing was coming together though.  Then in June, a recruiter found us.  Gary was positive, but I was doubtful, after all we've worked with a ton of recruiters and after they fill the position we never hear from them again.  This guy cared about us though, he thought Gary was a hidden gem, and would make a great employee.  He called all over three states setting up interviews, and working the system in ways we couldn't have done alone.  We still aren't sure how he found us, but we are so glad he did.  He coached Gary through not only the basics of interviewing and stuff, but did research on the companies, and the people we would get to speak with, finding out just who they were and what they were looking for.  He found positions in the "price range" that we were hoping to find, but having no luck locating.  He sold Gary, and made it possible for Gary to just sit down and talk to them.  He then laid everything out in a way we couldn't have and got top dollar for Gary.  This company is everything we hoped for trustworthy, solid, and their top concern is customer service.  They are family people, who love the community, and respect the farmer.  They have done more than we would have guessed or expected in compensation, benefits, and relocation expenses.  We couldn't be more grateful.

Even as excited as we are, of course it's a little bit sad to think of leaving the place that has become home.  I've gotten quite use to the idea, of no real winter, and I hear that Indiana has some 6 month winters.  And of course it's hard for both of us to imagine leaving Little Union.  The Church that has gotten us through so much, and the people that mean so very much to us will be missed terribly.  For Gary it's even harder in alot of ways, it's the only home he's ever known.  As much as we will miss, we must confess that the adventure of the next part of our lives, and the close of the joblessness chapter is such a relief and a joy.

All we can say to everyone is thank you, so very much.