Big blessing after 5 years of waiting

We received a big blessing last Thursday! After having an interview last Tuesday and with much prayer and fasting, Chris got offered a probationary job for High school Math teacher at Vulcan county central. We have been on pins and needles since he found out about the job posting after not getting the claresholm job. It turns out, it was a blessing not getting that job as this job is so much better! 

Chris has worked so hard these last 5 years since graduating from the U of C with his teaching degree. He never complains and, as he puts it, he just plugs away day after day and year after year. He is good at that. 

He started out his first teaching job in September of 2019 at a hutterite colony near Brant (45 minute drive away), then he finished that year at Huntsville school (55 minute drive away in Iron Springs). Covid shut down schools in March of 2020 and he worked mostly from home during that time which was a blessing as we were expecting Lizzy and it was nice having him around to help out more. 

2020 to 2021 was a difficult part time temporary job at Claresholm junior high (35 minute away). The kids were coming back to school from the pandemic making it a stressful year for him and the school dissolved his temporary position after the year ended. They did not hire him back.

2021 to 2022 was spent at Nobleford (45 minutes away) and then Milo (starting February). He did not get the Nobleford position until a week or two into September. Milo was tough on Chris having to teach many grades math, science and gym in triple graded classrooms. 

Milo's position (which is 50 minutes away) ended the end of February 2023 and he was on EI and subbing until the end of that school year. I was picking up more shifts and felt blessed to have my second job at the Claresholm Hospital during that time. We started the 2023 school year with no job for Chris and we prayerfully decided to branch out and apply for jobs far away from home. He found the wonderful Druheller job 2 weeks into September and loved working for the Catholic school district there. But it was a very tough year being apart. We both learned alot and it has been a blessing in a way as well. 

And finally he has found a wonderful job in Vulcan. We pray it goes well and can turn into a forever job. 

I don't think I realized how hard this year (and the last 5) have been on me since feeling the relief of him getting this ideal probationary job! In fact it has been a demanding 8 years of our lives as he went back to school 8 years ago and spent 3 years studying hard. We were away from each other for 5 days at a time when we first moved to the farm as he was finishing up school. It total, out of almost 15 years of marraige, we have spent a year of nights apart. 

It has been hard starting out almost every September these last 5 years not knowing if Chris will have a job. I have consistently had to make up the difference picking up extra shifts as needed. We pray he will do well and that it will turn into a permanent job next Spring. Then we will be set and on course for retirement in 20 years or so as long as no other hiccups come our way. 

We feel so blessed and know that God plays a hand in our lives if we let him. 

As Fathers day approaches, I want to say how blessed I feel to have Chris in my life. He is stalwart, a hard worker and he plugs forward in any situation. His optimism carries me far when I tend to be pessimistic. He focuses on the good in people and in life. He is a good example to me and the kids. I am so grateful for him in my life. 

I am also grateful for my Father, Father in law and my brother who plug on in life with the circumstances presented to them. They don't give up. I am grateful to have them in my life.

I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and the many blessing he has given our family. I hope to share these blessings with those around me.