Oops... (redux)

Well, so much for being better about updating! Before I finally post pictures of Ethan's big boy room (which was just completed this weekend, so that's why I was slacking on that post), a quick recap of the past few weeks, as they've been quite eventful!

First of all, I referenced a meeting with my DS in my last post and promised to update afterwards. And then I didn't. Well, the meeting went well, the job possibility I had worked out was approved, and I was all set to go with a job that would allow me to be commissioned this June! I was excited about it, but I still had one outstanding resume at a church that had yet to start reviewing applications. So when I received a call from that church requesting an initial interview, I decided to go ahead and go along with the process just for the heck of it, even though I already had a job lined up at our current church.

The interview seemed to go well, and less than an hour after my interview was over, I received a call from the head of the search committee letting me know I was the only candidate they were pursuing and asking me to come back for a second interview in two days. Well, that was unexpected! Since my parents were coming into town that weekend, I asked to push the Saturday interview to Monday, which gave me more time to figure out what I was going to do. Monday's interview lasted 3 hours between dinner with the pastors, a trial lesson with a group of kids, and more questions from the search committee. I thought it had gone well, but I was no closer to an answer for what I was going to do if I was offered the job, which it seemed like I would be. Sure enough, Tuesday morning, the pastor called to offer me the job. What should have been a joyous event was instead full of stress and heartache. I let the pastor know I was now deciding between two positions, but that I would try to give her an answer as soon as possible. And so it began.

Over the course of the next 24 hours, I received countless calls and emails from members of the search committee, telling me how much they wanted me, telling me that I was an answer to their prayers, and telling me they would do whatever it took to get me. Despite this, by Tuesday afternoon, I had pretty much decided to turn down the offer and continue with the job I'd already planned on taking. Sure, this new offer was vocationally where I needed to be, but it was a 30 minute commute instead of a 5 minute one, and with 2 kids, would that really be manageable? I had to do what was best for my family, right? Still I kept praying for guidance, and eventually came to a place of peace. I decided to tell the senior pastor the following morning what they would have to do to make it work for me and my family and let God take it from there. Well, God is good, and the following Monday I was able to outright accept their offer to come on staff as the minister of children. Tomorrow is my first day! So yes, I'm still sad to be leaving our church home of the past 3 years, and yes, the commute is going to suck at times, but I am so excited about the opportunities at this new church and so grateful for God's all-knowing answer to my prayer for a job!

In addition to it being basically the perfect job for me vocationally, the church approved my receiving 12 weeks paid maternity leave (even though I will have only been there 3 months before the baby is born), only having to come in one morning (in addition to Sundays and Wednesday morning staff meetings) every other week for the next 3 months of baby's life, and then only having to come in one additional morning a week for the following 6 months of baby's life. So for at least the first year, I will have amazing flexibility! I can keep baby with me in my office for as long as it works and then, any time after 8 months, I will have free on-site childcare in the form of their Parents' Morning Out program. Ethan will be going to the PMO program on Wednesday mornings through May and then M/W/F until the baby is born, and he'll also be able to go to the PMO camp each summer when preschool is over, so I won't have to worry about childcare at all, really, between preschool and PMO. You can see why they made it an offer I couldn't refuse!

Anyway, that's been all the vocational turmoil-turned-celebration, so my only other update is just that all is going well with baby #2! My anatomy scan came back totally normal, so everything looks good. Tomorrow, before I head in for my first day of work, I have my 24-week midwife appointment and will be doing the glucose tolerance test, so fingers crossed all looks good there, too!

It's certainly going to be busy around here the next few months, but hopefully I'll find time to check in now and again =)