Washer’s on the fritz

On Wednesday of last week, our options were Nashville and north Louisiana. Wednesday of the week before was when we were told that the opportunity in Raleigh did not feel T.J. was a good fit for them at this time. That was the day after we lost the second contract on our house. Closing for that contract was set for the 31st of January. What once broke our hearts now keeps us from being homeless. Remember, even if we don’t get to see the benefit that results from what we believe is a tragedy, there is another perspective. My mother encouraged us to trust our gut and if she was feeling uneasy about us going out, she’d ask us to stay home. I hated it growing up but I love the outlook she passed on to me. She would check to see if there had been a car accident along the way or a storm came through. She believed that her instincts were keeping us safe from unforeseen harm. I learned two important lessons from her: 1) Trust yourself and your unexplainable impulse to react one way or the other. 2) Let your imagination run wild with all of the possible positive outcomes of your unfortunate circumstance.

In one week, T.J. had 3 offers through a recruiter. Shreveport, Monroe, and Nashville. Both of us were not very excited about these locations. So Wednesday of last week, we went out on our own and applied to several dealerships in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Within minutes of sending out his resume, people were calling him. He spent 6 hours on the phone answering questions. I was at home replying to emails from potential employers who’d seen his application and reached out immediately. This was not unusual. It seems to come in waves. Again with the washing machine cycles. Tons of interest, offers, pick one, falls through midway, and we’re spit back out for another go at it. Now, don’t forget, we’ve been at this for months. It was August of last year when a recruiter from a Kenworth dealership ran across T.J.’s resume and wanted to see if he would be interested in filling a need for Service Manager at their Cheyenne location. I can still hear his voice laughing it off, “I told him that I am not leaving Colorado.” Umm, WHY NOT?!?! That was the beginning…

We had a frank discussion about our lifestyle and future in Colorado. We came to the conclusion that a move out of state was in order. We pursued the offer in Cheyenne but an internal candidate from Iowa came forward unexpectedly. We moved on with the job search, slowly at first. By November, we were flying to Atlanta. Then we picked up pace.

Now here we are. One moment, prospective jobs are drying up and all interest in our house has ceased. But every second is a chance for the winds of change to blow in. At this moment, we have three offers on our house in the works and a solid job offer in Charleston moving on to the next phase of hiring with T.J. On Tuesday, he will fly to Shreveport via Dallas to formally be offered a position there. The company in Monroe appears to be extremely interested in T.J. and has requested he drive to them instead of fly back home then turn around and get back on a plane to Louisiana. We agree. Less time on a plane or in an airport is always a good thing. 2 hours in a car is better than several hours in a plane plus layovers. Then there’s Nashville, the most recent player in the game. T.J. took that interview on Thursday thinking it was for a foreman position. It was a shock to hear that they were interviewing him for a Service Manager role. They loved him but had three more applicants to interview. The interviewer asked how long he’s been searching for a job and T.J. responded, “Since the end of summer.”

“We hope your search ends here.”

History tells us that our journey does not end here. You may look at this chaos and wonder why we continue to subject ourselves to the ups and downs. The way we see it, these pieces are building our purpose and taking us one step further in self-discovery. Cheyenne opened our hearts and minds to change. Atlanta taught us to dial in on what we need from a location and position. Raleigh brought genuine heartbreak. Each and every single experience throughout this journey has illuminated our path, repaired a crack in the road, or uncovered a split or turn along the way. We are weary and hoping there’s a bench up ahead soon. Truth be told, our faith remains.

Open your heart and prepare your mind for the upcoming stretches. Apply for that promotion, give sushi a try, learn to golf, start classes to get certified as a foster home, or dig deep into your soul to uncover your next adventure. Hopefully, there will be no end in sight to the growth.

Never stop seeking the next step in your mission to enjoy all this life has to offer.