Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Back to School...We're Moving!!!


Back to School

Well, after weeks of praying, phone calls, mountains of paper work, and several money discussions, we have decided that Joseph will be finishing his graduate degree in English at UW-O!

We are so excited for the opportunity for Joseph to finish this program (he is about half way there) and get him onto a career path he feels good about spiritually, financially and creatively. After years of living paycheck to paycheck, we are willing to make that extra commitment to rough it for one more year with the promise of a more financially sound future for our family. As an extra special bonus, this move will allow Joseph to pursue some of his creative dreams, as he has discerned are not just dreams, but a calling.

I personally am very excited about all of this for many reasons:

1. God willing (we REALLY need to unload our lease) we will be moving back to Oshkosh. Joseph and I feel in love and got married in Oshkosh, so I feel the Sprit is truly alive there! It would be my dream to set up camp and stay put. Visions of home ownership and sending our kids to Catholic schools in Oshkosh dance in my head as I drift off every night---but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself!

2. I have never made it a secret that I really don’t like Milwaukee and do not want to raise our children here. Now, I really don’t have anything against Milwaukee, and I have made some wonderful friends here, I just don’t feel like it is our “home.” I have always lived my life on feeling and intuition, so this nagging feeling that Milwaukee is not where we are going to be has been eating and eating at me. I did enjoy my time here and the company we kept here. I have every intension of not only keeping these relationships, but nourishing them. I’m even hoping to continue coming down to our mom’s/play group once a month.

3. The man I feel in love with 4 years ago while in gradate school at Oshkosh was full of ideas and dreams. He thrived on brainstorming sessions and possibility. As life has handed us some challenging times, I saw this part of him slowly whither away. I’m so happy God has helped him see that this part of him does not have to change just because he is a husband and father. Seeing the glimmer back in his eye has been heaven to witness!



As for work, I will continue on with my jobs (working from home is amazing in this type of situation) and Joseph will be staying on as a consultant with the AOP, something he can do at home. He will also have an assistantship at the University.

Please pray for our family during this stressful and exciting time! We are trying to orchestrate the perfect storm here, as many things need to fall into place for this to happen. Because we do budget out almost everything that comes in, there is little room for “moving extras.” However, enough things have come together that I thought it was time to share this prayer with our friends and the blogging world.

Before we can make the big move:
Joseph has to “pass” his heart appointments next week.
We must find someone to take over our lease.
We have to find somewhere to live and secure the money to do so.

Please keep us in your prayers!!

5 comments:

Katie said...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I assume we will coordinate the play dates we go to each month!)

SO THRILLED FOR YOU BOTH!!

Kelley said...

Wow- how exciting and nerve wracking! And what relief and contentment lay ahead! My prayers are with you, that God will direct your path! Yours is a faithful family. I am confident that you will be able to follow His lead during this transition! God Bless!

Roxane B. Salonen said...

Holly, you remind me of how I felt when we moved back to the place where we had fallen in love, gone to school, gotten married, etc. I had the same dreams as you did, and they came to fruition. You just know when it's the right decision, and it will fall into place, upwardly. :) But certainly, I will jump on the prayer chain and petition for things to happen in a timely manner. Good luck getting ready for this new adventure in your life!

Anne said...

Congratulations on your upcoming move, it sounds like you will be very happy. Somebody just sent me a link to a Catholic Herald article about adoration, and the story was about you! What a small world! I know God will bless you in whatever you do! Pax!

Kim said...

How absolutely wonderful, Holly! It certainly sounds like God's hands are in this and directing you and Joseph. And to see Joseph's spark of creativity and excitement come back must be wonderful! While being parents of two young children is difficult, it doesn't have to take away the people we are. My prayers are with you!