Thank you

Thank you to everyone who has e-mailed, left comments, called, and expressed their love and concern for us this past week. We truly appreciate all the prayers and votes of confidence in our behalf as we struggle with what is undoubtedly one of the hardest decisions we have needed to make in 11 years. We have gone back and forth so many times, weighing the pros and cons of every option we have. I wish someone would just show up on our doorstep and say, "This is what you need to do and this is why and this is how it will turn out." But that's not how it works, so we lay awake at night talking and talking and talking and then praying and praying and praying.

I have shed a lot of tears this week - tears of fear, tears of uncertainty, and tears of gratitude that we have a few options. I'm so grateful for family and friends who have lent a listening ear - that has been the biggest blessing to me. Talking about it helps me process it (I know I must process a LOT of stuff for how much I talk, so you'd think I'd have it all figured out by now! :) ). In these conversations with you, I have gained insight and peace. Thank you.

In the way of an update, we still do not have any information about the transfer position to Washington. Greg was told that HR met this afternoon to put together the final package and that it would come on Monday. We are cautiously optimistic about that deadline. On the flip side, they extended the acceptance date of March 9. Since the information was delayed and management realized only 2 people in the group had ever seen Washington, they offered to fly the employees and their spouses up there and extend the deadline. We don't know at whose discretion we will go, but we will post when we know more. I am grateful we have this transfer position available, but we just don't know if it's viable.

While waiting for details on Washington, we have been doing what we can on the home front. Greg has been following a couple leads here, but with hiring freezes and layoffs abounding, the prospects are dwindling fast. The news reported we were the steepest declining state in terms of percentage job loss. I applied for a job with Wells Fargo last week and will have a follow-up/interview on Monday to explore that possibility. We have also considered Greg returning to school as part of the re-training program offered to employees who decide to terminate. Finally, he is looking in areas where we have family. All we can pray for is that the path we are suppose to take will be made clear and we feel at peace about the choice we make.

I would like to publicly thank my wonderful husband. Although I could never write well enough to do him justice, I am forever grateful for his strong faith and unwavering foundation. Anyone who knows me and know him, knows he is the glue that holds me together. A couple weeks ago he asked me on a date to a new restaurant here in town. We had received a free meal and $10 off coupon (guess someone up there knew we would need that!), so we had a sitter booked for tonight. It was wonderful to sit across from him and talk about where we had been and where we want to go from here and know that no matter what, we would make that journey together.