The Plan
Here is a blog I have been waiting a long time to write - we finally have a plan for life once we get back to the US. It has been such an emotional whirlwind here for us as we have worked to wrap things up here and come home. I haven't been able to write about a lot of it because there was a lot of uncertainly and change. I didn't want to announce something and then have to renounce it when it changed...which almost happened. So, here we go.
When we decided to come home we asked our family if they would be willing to support us for a while when we got there if we needed it. We weren't sure about being able to find jobs and we aren't coming home with a big bankroll to live off of. Our family has been more than supportive and willing to provide whatever help we need. Neither of us want to have to ask for help - "Hey Mom, I know I'm a grown up with my own children, but can you pay my credit card bill for me? And, hey, I need groceries and my car needs gas..." Not that there is anything wrong with that - there isn't at all. If we need the help we will ask for it and be grateful that someone is able and willing to provide it.
We went round and round about job searching. I felt that Jason should get his job squared away before I even began to look. He will be the one making more money and his job was going to be harder to get. I am a teacher with a special ed cert - lots of need for that in lots of places - and I can always sub. He felt that if either of us could get a job we'd be in a good place. I just feared accepting a job in say, Seattle, and him following up with a job offer in Boise...so, I drug my feet until Jason got a job. Then, he got a job! A completely unexpected job. Jason was hired by one of my dearest friends to join her marketing/advertising firm as a sales guy. There were (yes, were, as in not anymore...) all kinds of great things about the job, but something was off too. It wasn't his dream job - or a job even on his radar, you know? Neither of us had hoped to end up back in Yakima, the same city we'd just left, etc, etc, etc. But, I ran with it. I found us a condo to rent, reached out to all my friends there, started applying for jobs...then after lots of hard thought and sleepless nights Jason decided to back out of the job.
It sounds easy but the decision was incredibly difficult for him. Not only did he risk jeopardizing the relationship with our friend, but Jason is a provider and a hard worker. The idea of coming home with no job was worse to him than coming home to a job that wasn't quite for him. Fortunately, his foresight and belief that the right job was out there paid off. Jason was hired by Starbucks today to be a District Manager - a job that he has long coveted. He is thrilled - as am I. He will do great in that role. As for me - I have to retract the applications that I put in at the schools in Yakima. I will apply for work in our new place soon - there are special ed postings now. My hope is to be able to find something and start teaching full time in the fall - fill in and sub for the rest of this year.
So, our plan. We fly home on 3/18. Jason starts his new job 4/2! In the short two weeks we have between arrival and life beginning anew we will rent an apartment, get the kids into school, and go pick up the furniture that friends and family have been collecting for us. The schedule for that two weeks is pretty full between all the things we need and want to do - but the good news is that we will have all the time in the world after we get settled. We will be living in Richland, WA (or one of the neighboring cities). That's 3 hours the east from Seattle. We'll be living with all second hand, mismatched, furnishings - bohemian chic right? I'm totally looking forward to it. Can't wait to see what we can create!
That's it. Jason set his sights on a specific job and worked hard to get it. He believed in himself and waited to be recognized for how great he is. I am so proud of him and cannot wait to watch him succeed all over this job! And, I plan to take full advantage of his coffee connection...yay for me!
When we decided to come home we asked our family if they would be willing to support us for a while when we got there if we needed it. We weren't sure about being able to find jobs and we aren't coming home with a big bankroll to live off of. Our family has been more than supportive and willing to provide whatever help we need. Neither of us want to have to ask for help - "Hey Mom, I know I'm a grown up with my own children, but can you pay my credit card bill for me? And, hey, I need groceries and my car needs gas..." Not that there is anything wrong with that - there isn't at all. If we need the help we will ask for it and be grateful that someone is able and willing to provide it.
We went round and round about job searching. I felt that Jason should get his job squared away before I even began to look. He will be the one making more money and his job was going to be harder to get. I am a teacher with a special ed cert - lots of need for that in lots of places - and I can always sub. He felt that if either of us could get a job we'd be in a good place. I just feared accepting a job in say, Seattle, and him following up with a job offer in Boise...so, I drug my feet until Jason got a job. Then, he got a job! A completely unexpected job. Jason was hired by one of my dearest friends to join her marketing/advertising firm as a sales guy. There were (yes, were, as in not anymore...) all kinds of great things about the job, but something was off too. It wasn't his dream job - or a job even on his radar, you know? Neither of us had hoped to end up back in Yakima, the same city we'd just left, etc, etc, etc. But, I ran with it. I found us a condo to rent, reached out to all my friends there, started applying for jobs...then after lots of hard thought and sleepless nights Jason decided to back out of the job.
It sounds easy but the decision was incredibly difficult for him. Not only did he risk jeopardizing the relationship with our friend, but Jason is a provider and a hard worker. The idea of coming home with no job was worse to him than coming home to a job that wasn't quite for him. Fortunately, his foresight and belief that the right job was out there paid off. Jason was hired by Starbucks today to be a District Manager - a job that he has long coveted. He is thrilled - as am I. He will do great in that role. As for me - I have to retract the applications that I put in at the schools in Yakima. I will apply for work in our new place soon - there are special ed postings now. My hope is to be able to find something and start teaching full time in the fall - fill in and sub for the rest of this year.
So, our plan. We fly home on 3/18. Jason starts his new job 4/2! In the short two weeks we have between arrival and life beginning anew we will rent an apartment, get the kids into school, and go pick up the furniture that friends and family have been collecting for us. The schedule for that two weeks is pretty full between all the things we need and want to do - but the good news is that we will have all the time in the world after we get settled. We will be living in Richland, WA (or one of the neighboring cities). That's 3 hours the east from Seattle. We'll be living with all second hand, mismatched, furnishings - bohemian chic right? I'm totally looking forward to it. Can't wait to see what we can create!
That's it. Jason set his sights on a specific job and worked hard to get it. He believed in himself and waited to be recognized for how great he is. I am so proud of him and cannot wait to watch him succeed all over this job! And, I plan to take full advantage of his coffee connection...yay for me!
Sounds AMAZING! I'm so happy things have taken shape in such a positive way! Congratulations to you all! I hope we can still have you over for dinner before you head East.
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