November/December 2016

Get ready for another long one...

November/December:

Derek's phone interview on Monday went really well. So well that they gave him an in person interview that Friday (Nov 18). So we relaxed at home for a week or so, then packed up on our next journey. We've always said we want to travel, so I guess our wish was granted. We head to Atlanta to stay with our friend Alex who works for the company Derek is interviewing with. That interview went really well, too. Then Sunday we left Atlanta to go to Auburn because I had orientation for my job. It was long, but fine. We left that night to head back to Huntsville for a week. That week was Thanksgiving so we loved spending time with our families and eating loads of good food. We didn't hear back from the job that week so on Sunday we drove down to Auburn again for me to start my job Monday in Valley. I've been working all week and we've been waiting to hear from the job. It's so crazy to think that we have all these opportunities but they all basically involve waiting and not knowing for sure where we will end up. We've decided to just trust in God, and know he is in control. He knows what we want, and He knows what we need and if those things don't match up, we will go where He calls us. I am a super control freak so all of this has been especially hard for me. Not having a plan has been beyond stressful, so I've just had to tell myself to step back and go with it. We are alive and healthy and I am making money for now. His classes start January 10th in Auburn and if we don't hear anything in the next two weeks, he will have to take out the loans and do that. We both would rather move to Georgia but life is weird sometimes and we don't always get what we want, no matter how hard we work for it. I can say though, we are pretty sick of traveling by now.Now it is December 3rd. I had work today and then this evening we made dinner together. Derek cooked our ham, and I made the mac and cheese and the steamed broccoli. We are so grateful to Josh for letting us crash at his apartment this past week. He has been so kind and hospitable like always. Tomorrow after work, Derek's parents are bringing us their RV for me to live in while he goes home for a few days. I've been thinking a lot about what I want for myself these past few weeks. I just have this feeling in me that I want more out of life. I've chosen my life partner, now I want a purpose. A career, a home, a normal life with him. I'm truly dumbfounded at how difficult it is to enter into the working world. I feel so terrible for people who have no work experience, because we now know that no matter what your degree is, you won't get a job without experience in the field. My degree just made me realize the path I thought I wanted was completely wrong for me. And now I find myself leaning towards the path my mother chose- business ownership. I've been brainstorming business ideas for days and days but I think it will be impossible to start anything while working a full time job in a different time zone than where I live. We shall see. I'm working on big things, I just don't know what they are yet.Today is Dec 5. It was my first full day in the camper and I am alone because Derek went home with his parents to do some things there. I'm off today but I have work the rest of this week. It's weird Derek not being here now. Come home! I've just been relaxing and contemplating our future. If you had asked me in high school where I would be in 6 years, I definitely would not have even come close to saying "In a camper in Auburn, alone, working in Valley, which is 30 min away plus a time zone change (Eastern time)." Life is just really weird and I thank my lucky stars every day for our parents, for without them we would be lost. They have taught me more than any class or school. I feel like high school should be geared more towards preparing kids for adult life, instead of preparing them solely for college. That would help a LOT of people. What about all those kids who don't have parents like we do? They're learning all this stuff the hard way, if at all.Today is Dec. 9. Derek is coming back tomorrow. I've been working and watching YouTube. It's weird being alone all the time, but luckily I don't mind too much (thank you INFJ personality). I'm off this weekend and I'm so happy about sleeping in and doing whatever I want all day. These are the days I live for. I've been thinking a lot this week. And praying a lot. We still haven't had any word from the job in Atlanta but we are still hopeful. We're going to wait until Jan 1 now, because we found out we don't have to take out the loans to pay for school until Jan 4 and class starts soon after that so we will need time to find a place to live. It's been really cold the past few days. I hate the cold. I miss Derek, my family, friends and my dog really bad. This is the longest I've been away for a long time I believe. ---Well, I've had a pretty crazy Friday night. I went to Walmart after work. Picked up some groceries. Got a rotisserie chicken. Went home and ate a chicken breast while watching YouTube. And now I'm going to bed. Man, am I wild or what?Dec. 10 It's Saturday now and Derek is here. He also brought a cold with him, so there's that. Gunna have a great 7-10 days I am expecting, until it clears up. Plus the amount of time it will take me to get over it after he gives it to me. I was really excited about sleeping in this morning but my body had other plans. 6am rolled around and I was wide awake. Ugh. Still praying for the Atlanta job. This whole "hurry up and wait" mentality that Americans have has just about pushed me over the edge. Why interview someone for a position you "need filled very quickly" and then wait a month or longer to hire them? Why is there so much red tape you must  go through in order to hire help? Maybe if the hiring process was easier, there wouldn't be as many capable, hard working, intelligent, educated people who can't get jobs? That may be totally unrelated but I don't know anything at this point. Why do people even go to college anymore when businesses would rather have someone with 3-5 years experience? And if you do go to college, you are almost 87% sure to need a masters degree to find a job when you get out, putting you close to $100k in debt and having huge loan payments for the next 20+ years. Anyways, I digress. Derek and I are going to pop to Target and see if we can get a baby Christmas tree to liven up our little camper. Toodles!I may add to this in the next few days if anything new happens, but if I don't, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! :)Love, Jess Extras::: I still have not changed my name. I want to and I am going to, but I feel it would be best to wait until we are settled and I have an address to add to my new drivers license.... We haven't really got any newly-wed tips, because everything has been so hectic that we don't even really feel married, BUT if I had to pick one thing, it would be to have patience. Loads. and LOADS of patience. Derek has found that sometimes its hard to get his point across. And that I am not his mother, so he can't act like I am (VICTORY!!!). He also thinks its weird to think about being with someone forever, but he's glad he chose me. (daww) Okay, once we have a solid place to live and have been married more than 6 weeks (today!) I'll post some tips, if we come up with any ;)