Thursday, September 17, 2009

the seven year switch


my life changed drastically 7 years ago.

just days after my boyfriend and i graduated from college in San Antonio {go Road Runners!}, he got a call that would turn both his life and mine upside down and back upright again. it's true what they say that one phone call can change everything. that day, that phone call did.

we had been dating for 4 years, living together for 3. we were living in a small rent house in an iffy neighborhood. we had 4 cats. we both had lousy jobs and went to school full time. we lived paycheck to paycheck. but we were happy. it was a fun time.

we both knew that graduating college would open doors for us. we could get better jobs, or advance in our current jobs. now that we didn't have class schedules to contend with, we were looking forward to being able to work better hours and earn better pay.

and then the phone rang. my boyfriend had breezed through the recent job fair on the college campus a few weeks before graduation. he picked up brochures, keyfob giveaways and free pens. he had some crinkled up copies of his resume in his backpack and gave them to a couple of recruiters from the companies he had most interest in. he thought nothing of it.

the lady on the other end of the line had a plane ticket to Colorado with his name on it. she had an itenerary, a rental car, and a hotel room secured just for him. just days after the graduation ceremony and the awesome celebration we had with friends and family in our backyard, this big corporation wanted to interview him. we hadn't even yet taken down the congratulations banner hanging in our living room.

what happened over the next few weeks was a whirlwind.

he got the job. we didn't sign the next month's lease on the house. he proposed to me, i said yes. we packed up our belongings, bought crates for the cats, rented a Uhaul. we said goodbye to family and friends. we drove 10 hours into unfamiliar {but beautiful} territory. we left everything we knew behind. we cried and laughed. we lived in a hotel. we were the closest either of us had ever been to mountains. he had a salary, and benefits beyond our wildest dreams. he wore fancy shoes and designer slacks. there were business cards made bearing his name. he had a title. he had a career.

i was along for the ride. i adapted. i grew up. i found my place next to his that was already prepared for him. i trusted my fiance and i trusted God.

life changed in major ways. we were grown ups suddenly. the "student" label and backpacks ripped from our posession and replaced with "adult" and matching responsibility.

in 7 years with that corporation, my boyfriend became my husband, a father, a homeowner, a Master in Engineering, a Doctor of Engineering, a stronger man of God, a mentor, a trusted work associate, an expert in the field.



he got a phone call last month that will change everything. today is his last day with that corporation and Monday is his first day with another.

after seeing what my husband can do, i'm so incredibly proud of him. and after seeing what God can do in our lives, i'm simply excited to be along for the ride.
congratulations, honey!