Runway Lights {Our Road to Florida}

I wrote this post back at the very beginning of April and am just now posting it.  It's so cool to see how we got to where we are right now.  

When a plane is trying to land there isn’t just one big light at the end of the runway, there are small lights the entire way. [...]often times when God works, and when he talks to us, he does so with lots of confirmations.  

{An excerpt from this blog that resonated with me today, which is a paraphrase of Priscilla Shirer's book, Discerning the voice of God.}

Can I tell you about our runway lights?

In June 2013, after much thoughtful deliberation, Adam decided to pursue PA School.  It was going to be a long time (it seemed) to finish the six or seven courses required for him to apply.  These were also going to serve as "check points" along the way for us, to see if Adam really enjoyed going back to school and if he did well.   

In August 2013, Adam returned to school, taking a couple classes that semester.  They went well.

Adam continued to take more classes in the spring semester of 2014 and worked on his applications to 12 PA schools.  He aced his classes, yet again.

Application submission opened June 2013, and Adam had his in that first week.

July we went to Guatemala with our church again, and poof!  The month was gone.

In August 2013, we got the call for our first interview.  This one was here in Dallas.  Adam also continued his course work for the Fall.  These were really intense science classes.  He aced them.

September was his Dallas interview.  We were told it would be January or later that we would know something.

In October Adam got an interview in Denver.  He didn't much care for the program but was glad to be asked.  It's nice to have something to compare other programs to.  He didn't receive an offer there, but that was actually a relief.

November and December were quiet months.  

January 2014 came roaring in, with interview offers in Jacksonville and Knoxville.   Adam went to JAX alone, straight from our ski trip.  He didn't think he would like the city, but it grew on him.

Late January arrives and Adam is in the top 15% of the wait list at a school here in Dallas.  He moves up to 10% and higher as the weeks go on.  

February 6, we received an offer for admittance to Jacksonville!  It was a huge relief to have a YES!  But we wait and decide that April 1 will be our personal deadline to decide, if we have choices to make.

February 2014 we both go to Knoxville for an interview.  He is wait listed there, but encouraged by the professors that he is high on the list.  Unfortunately, the timing is off, and they won't review the list until June.  Since the two other schools start in May, that's out.  

March is quiet mostly for Adam, and very long.  Through connections in my current job, I met a girl who leads a non-profit here in Dallas.  I asked her if she might need help with anything, and if she was hiring.  She said she was looking to hire someone for social media/ PR and fundraising.  I can do both. 

We start to strongly consider Jacksonville, since our deadline is approaching and it's our only option right now.  I go ahead and tell the new opportunity about our situation, and we begin to talk through it.  By the end of March, I have a new job starting in April where I can work remotely. 

April 1 snuck up on us, and the entire week has been extremely busy.  We are so busy that no face-to-face conversation was had before we texted and said, "So, Jacksonville?  Ok.  Jacksonville."

All week long we searched for places to rent.  Austin and Rebecca agreed to help us look, and saved us an extra trip out there.  They did a great job, and spent their Saturday morning looking at four houses for us.  Two were great options, and one was especially clear to us.  So we've rented a house.

Adam's paid his full second deposit.

And so we're going to Jacksonville, Florida!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We move May 2. 

We are excited and nervous, and grateful for a direction.  It's been a long, long long, haul.  It is such a relief to know where we will be next month.  :-)  (Yes, just 27 days from now.)    

That is a lot of runway lights, if you ask me!  Granted, it's been a really, really, really long runway.  And we are either landing or taking off, depending on which way you look at it.  Maybe both?