I shopped for groceries, we kept with our swimming lessons, we didn't hide in shame because of our choice to stop singing 10 songs and try to find what Christ really meant for us. But when you enter an aisle in a store, with your shopping cart, and you come face to face with someone that you used to see twice a week, it's uncomfortable to say the least.
I had no problem smiling, and saying, "Hi." I think they did though. IF I caught any one's glimpse, they were usually looking down, or turned their head the other way, as not to "see me". Not so inconspicuous though, they couldn't hide from me, nor was I trying to make myself a spectacle. I'd just as soon not run into any one I knew from there.
One instance of "not making eye contact" with current "members" was at the Thriftway Post Office {which I know is no longer standing}
My oldest son, -4 years old at the time- and I went to get packing tape and that's the location we went to. There was a gal in line, about 4 people in front of her, maybe two behind her. She was just a year or so older than me, married to a cousin of mine, and she had tried to convince me to come back to "church" She emailed me that she'd even sit by me if I did.
She knew my son and I were there, I wanted to say Hi, but I knew she didn't. I wasn't about to cause a scene or make her more uncomfortable than she obviously already was!
So, we got our packing supplies and headed to check out, walking directly passed her, without either of us acknowledging each other.
That was strange. Weird, no one else we knew was around, so it wasn't like anyone would have "seen her" or had to "shun her" because she smiled or said hello to us.
I pitied those types of people, and I still feel sorry for them that the way they treat others that "leave" is what they think they're supposed to do.
We had put our house up for sale, (by owner) and within the time we placed an ad in the newspaper, we got an offer. We were walked through the closing of the sale by an acquaintance, and we were moving!
God was watching out for us through this whole process, and we praise him today for this intervention He had in our lives. Who's house sells in less than a few days? Well, God can make anything possible.
So, we weren't sure when we'd be "going into management" or moving wherever God wanted to put us, so, we bought a trailer house (mostly for our upcoming hunting trip) but we weren't sure if we'd be living in it either!
After our hunting trip, we parked our trailer house at my husband's parent's house and stayed with them until we found an apartment that we could rent until the destination had been chosen. I think that took a month and a half, maybe two.
We finally settled into our cozy two bedroom apartment, in Milwaukie, waiting. Training, meeting, and waiting for the boss to say go.
Well, it didn't take long, and the boss said GO!
We applied at Redding, CA. Looked at homes, tried to figure out if we'd be making a life there.
No. Not the right fit for us.
Just a few days after our return, I remember getting a phone call, "East Idaho Falls!" he said with such enthusiasm, I could tell by his voice he was smiling, "750 miles away!" he wasn't kidding.
"Where?" I asked...in confusion. Idaho was a bit of a dreaded word growing up...I wasn't sure what to think of this. I got on the computer, and started finding out where he was talking about.
The orange color on the map at the right, is considered Bonneville County. That is where Idaho Falls is located. The red area on the map at the left is where Clackamas County is located, in OR. this store is a long way away.
"There's an opening in East Idaho Falls." He explained. They want us to go tomorrow.
Wow, that was fast.
That was the day before Mother's day!
"OK, I'll start packing." so I packed up a bag for the boys to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for a few days, and I packed a change of clothes and work clothes for my husband.
We got on the road, and made it to the OR/ID border.
{which I later found out Ore~Ida is located there...you know, the frozen potato company?!}
Makes sense now doesn't it?
There was a run-down motel that we found, and decided it was better than falling asleep on the highway.
That Mother's Day morning, we made the trek into Idaho Falls. We arrived by evening, dinner time, and were a bit uneasy feeling. I think it had to do with the altitude.
We drove into the store parking lot, and thought, "Wow"...it was sharing a parking lot with a Taco Bell, right next to a gas station/car wash. Not the cleanest store we'd visited, not what we were really expecting, but what we wanted. It was really windy! Dust flies everywhere over there.
We'd hoped for a "small town" feeling, and friendly people. That's what Idaho Falls, ID is.
I remember eating Mother's Day dinner at Outback Steakhouse, since it was Mother's Day, I was gifted a flower. We checked into a much nicer motel, across from the "falls" on the greenbelt. Neither of us felt very good, and I think we ended up taking a nap. The higher altitude really does a number on a person! We're talking 4,700 ft. above sea level, and we were about 300 at hilltop Oregon City, If that!
So, the next morning, I take my husband "to work" and meet his potential boss. Interesting.
The rest of the day, I looked around town, and drove around neighborhoods looking at houses. I spoke to a realtor about possibly moving into the area, and he was going to get us some homes to look at if we were to come back. Great! Off to a good start at least!
Well, this is what he wants. He knows he can do well here, and after returning home from our "trip", he received the call that he was hired.
Good thing we had a trailer house! We packed it up, drove to Idaho Falls, and stayed at a KOA with our boys while looking for a place to live.
What a phenomenal time in our lives this was~
