One Year Today

I moved to Arlington, Virginia on April 29, 2005. Today is April 29, 2006, so I have been here exactly one year. I didn’t have to move to Arlington. I could have stayed in Austin, Texas by myself for another year without Roger. I don’t know if I would have made it another year without him. I was going crazy by the third month so I’m pretty sure another year would not have been good.

I was ready for a change and boy did I get it. I was ready for a change of scenery. Don’t get me wrong. I love Austin. It’s my home and if I had my choice, I’d live there the rest of my life. But six years at the same job and a year without my husband, yeah, I was ready for something to say the least. I was eager to move and excited about moving to the capitol of the United States. I had been to DC many times before, but to live there was definitely going to be cool. And an adventure.

This year has definitely been an adventure. But I have loved every moment of it, the good times and the not so good times. For me this year has been another testimony to God’s love and faithfulness. I used to think about my faithfulness to him all the time or my lack of faithfulness. And all I’ve been able to think about lately is how faithful he is to us. Every promise in the Bible, he has kept. Every command he has given, has been true. He loves us so much and wants the best for us so bad.

I had to trust him through what were nearly hundreds of applications and three months of waiting for a job. It was hard at times. I thought I was inadequate or something was wrong with me. I had to fight those thoughts and choose to trust him. He had the best job waiting for me, but I had to wait for his timing. I love working for my company and my boss. I love the work I do and what I am learning. My boss especially has been a true blessing through my health issues last fall and Roger’s recent health issues. I couldn’t have been more blessed. I’m glad I waited.

I had to trust him through four months of not-so-fun gastrointestinal problems before relief was found. I cried and cried out to God a couple times because I didn’t think I could keep going through all the life and sleep altering medications. Months of trying one topical treatment to having a second exploratory procedure and trying a different medication. It was tough, but he got me through it. And so far, the treatment I’m on now seems to be working great and I was able to get my “normal” life back. It’s almost as if nothing was ever wrong with my health. That’s amazing.

I had to trust him knowing something serious was going on in Roger’s brain until we found out the next week he had a tumor. By then, trusting God was almost second nature. I guess when you go through enough stuff, you eventually get it. Many people have said that we have been so strong through this and they don’t know how we did it. We can not take any credit for how we reacted during this time. We trusted God because he has always come through for us and because of that he gave us enormous peace and strength.

Believe me, this brain tumor, craniotomy, temporary paralysis and now radiation is a big deal. But for Roger and me it’s almost been easy. Just another speed bump on the road we call life. I wouldn’t choose this route again, but whatever route God has us on, we’re ready for the road trip. I’m sure there’ll be a few missed exits, some wrong turns at Albuquerque and even some speeding tickets. But hey, they don’t call an unusual or exciting experience adventure for nothing.