Monday, November 19, 2012

A YEAR OF THANKSGIVING AND ANSWERED PRAYER



Do you know that feeling when you know that God has answered your prayer? Or when you work toward a goal for so long to finally see the accomplishment?  Well put those together and you will know how I feel today. 

God has been very faithful to us that I had to share.  It all started 3 years ago, before Jackson was a thought (to us).   I believed that God spoke very clearly to me that Will was supposed to be in Law enforcement.  So while he was working at Wal-Mart and very unhappy I went to him one night and said “we NEED to make this happen, that is where God wants you.”  So we began looking into sponsorship because it would have been too expensive otherwise.  Will’s first pick has ALWAYS been St Lucie County.  I mean every since I knew him he has had a blank application for St Lucie and never filled it out!  BUT we were told they were not sponsoring any new officers, actually we were told NO ONE was sponsoring, but we were only looking for Corrections sponsoring at this point which is basically his foot in the door.  So we told ourselves, NO, this is where God wants us and who is anyone to say what we can or can’t do! 

This was September of 2009.  In April of 2010 just shortly after we announced we were pregnant with Jackson, we got a random tip that the State prison here in Indian River County was hiring AND get this, sponsoring new correction officers!!!  Will went that next day to pick up an application and meet the recruiter.  The recruiter took one look at him and said, “You have to apply, we want you here”.  He even then went on to say that he should have the application turned in that week because he was transferring out and would want to see his application and try and push it through.  WHAT?!  Crazy right?  Well it happened.  While we waited over the next couple of months and to be given a hire date, Will struggled with Wal-Mart.  While not wanting to be there and having calls from the state, saying it would be a few more weeks, it was hard to stay positive.

Then, July 2009 while at a very bad day at Wal-Mart and right before his boss was coming in to give him a d-day (close to termination in Wal-Mart terms) He got the call from the state, “your hired”.  He gave his 2 weeks and said his goodbyes.  Sometimes our God is a last minute God. 

So the story doesn’t end there. 

While starting the new job and me being pregnant and on bed rest, then the hospital bed rest, Will started the academy October 2010.  Some people might say, “Didn’t you have Jackson Oct 2010” and yes, you would be correct.  All I remember from that time is being REALLY tired.  As Will was not able to even take one day off and only had the weekends, times were hard.  But you know what? We made it, and Jackson could not be any more perfect.  So Will passed the academy with flying colors.  Of course and he got his certification in March 2011. 

Things were going really well and Will was fulfilling his two year commitment that the State puts on giving you your certification.  Then in January 2012 we got the news that The State Prison of Indian River County was one of 7 in the State of Florida that was closing their doors due to cut backs.  We along with the other families we had gotten to know took this as a huge hit. There was talk about far away transfers and NO transfers at all.  With not know what to expect I told Will that this like other things comes as no surprise to God. 
He would not bring you somewhere and drop you off only to forget or not be aware of what was going to happen.  We could only do our part by applying with other agencies and praying that God could open a door. 

In June 2012, Will was transferred to Okeechobee.  We were in a bit of luck in the sense that other officers that lived close by were able to carpool and share in the cost of gas.  Because at almost $4 a gallon and a 2hr drive everyday it would have killed us!  It was a rough road for awhile and sometimes we were going without things just to pay for gas, but you know what?  We made it. 

Here is the really awesome part.  In July of 2012 we got the call that Will had an appointment with the oral board for St Lucie County.  What is that?  Is like an interview but with 4 people, consisting of human resources, a captain and others.  That may not be exact but you get the idea. They are all there to ask one person a bunch of have to be honest kind of questions.  So the appointment was scheduled for a Friday in July and Will got dressed up including jacket and tie and made the drive.  Only to find out that the lady in the human resources gave him the wrong day and it was actually Thursday, as in the day before.  Ugh….. Will was so hurt, feeling as though he missed his chance to be where he wanted to be, to not be driving 2 hours every day for work.  It was rough.  But guess what? We made it!  I told Will again, this comes as NO surprise to God.  He is faithful and this DEFINITLY happened for a reason.  But it was hard. 

THEN…..September 2012, we got the call for our oral board for St Lucie County and Will nailed it!!  They continued the LONG process of background checks, neighbor interviews and psych tests.  And while that was happening, Indian River County called for an Oral board appointment!!! That’s right, he nailed that one too!!  They were continuing the process as well.  The week of Jackson’s 2nd birthday, the week he took off to spend with Jackson was filled with Psych interviews, polygraph tests and health tests for both agencies.  When Will and I discussed which one he wanted, he was unsure at that point.  But I knew in my heart where he really wanted to be but told him that this time, it was his decision and his alone to make, not mine, or Jacksons.  So he told me that the first person to call and give him a hire date was the one he was going with.  Then on October 31st, he got the call. 

WELCOME TO ST LUCIE COUNTY!!  November 19th!!  Finally 3 years in the making as I ironed my husband’s green polyester sheriff’s uniform I cried to myself tears of joy. And as I watched him get dressed this morning and after he put that star on his uniform, I prayed, a prayer of thankfulness and safety.  I thanked my God for being so thankful to us and to my husband and seeing his heart’s desire.

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