We are closing in on the end of a whirlwind year
for our family. Last Christmas I was reeling from
Matt's cousin being shot in the line of duty. We
celebrated with him on Christmas Day, he was
already released from the hospital at that time.
It was hard for me to work through. I knew God
had miraculously intervened to save him but
I felt scared & out of joint. He was Matt's cousin,
childhood best friend, they worked together, &
the shooting was just a few blocks from our Nampa home.
Before I had worked through any of that, God started
pressing on Matt & I in a different direction. It started to
get really uncomfortable for us in areas of our life we had
previously thought settled. We have some names for God
around here, we like John Eldredge's "Divine Thwarter," or
Matt Chandler's, "Haunting", Beth Moore has said, "He's just
the bossiest thing." Yes, we felt all that in our wonderful life
we built in Nampa. Thwarted. Haunted. An unrelenting pull
away from the comfort we were enjoying.
In 2010, Matt & I had a ridiculously good vacation to Seattle.
It worked it's way into our minds as the Promised Land.
Remembering that we are raising 4 little people prompted us
to take another, more realistic, trip. In February we drove on
icy roads to stay in Seattle's crappy hotels, wander Safeway,
& stalk affordable neighborhoods. We thought the surefire
cure for the unrest we felt was to see milk at $6.00 a gallon
& witness a few back alley drug deals.
Nope. In fact, after a tear-filled church service, Matt felt like
we were supposed to move and NOW. So we headed back to
Idaho and began to plan it out. Matt spent the spring trying to
wrap up the work he had loved for eight years. It was a heavy
load to set down, bittersweet in every way.
We found ourselves on the road to Seattle. Matt & I,
my sister, 4 kids, 1 dog, a minivan, a moving truck, and
2 fish in a crockpot inside a vintage Mercedes. Sounds like
a bad country song, eh? We moved on Memorial Day,
along with half of the Northwest. The last hours spent in
traffic just minutes from our new home, felt like days.
The first month was exhausting. And lonely. But we were
so hopeful. Our new adventure had begun.
Matt took a week to get us settled and then began to look
for work. The idea we had was that either A: This was going
to be a 6 week sabbatical and then we would go back to
Idaho or B: Matt would find meaningful work that was not so
hard on our family. (and, that this would all be made clear
once we were moved. You know? Like a nicely wrapped gift
left on our bed pillow.)
It was not clear. Not one moment of clarity since we left the
208 area code! The summer moved on with many
blessings- amazing neighbors, generous friends, a better
understanding of our family. But no insight, no plan, nada.
I could go into how this played out, but I won't. I will say that
the waiting was excruciating, soul-squeezing, draining,
exhausting work. Matt & I agree, the hardest it has ever been
to hold on.
School started after Labor Day & I had decided there was
not enough chaos in our unemployed, unsettled, impatient
lives. Let's Homeschool! I wanted to quit on the first week.
But we persevered and we are at a better place with it.
I love having the boys home and learning more about how
each of them think. That being said, I do not think it will be a
long term situation for our boys.
Come November, we thought we had hit rock bottom &
surrendered. And then the bottom of rock bottom fell out
from underneath us. All the rejection, emotion, & panic of
the job search was too much. I asked Matt if we could just
leave the applications that were in process & not apply
anywhere else. We agreed that he would not apply any new
places & if we were not gainfully employed by the New Year,
we would pack up from our extended sabbatical & head back
to Idaho.
We are now in the throws of Advent. Matt & I greet this
season with a new understanding of what it is to
wait. And! Matt got the call last night that he has
a job, starting...
The first day of the New Year.
Merry Christmas to you & yours from The Archuletas
