As I baste in my dishonor I'm not going to give you any excuses; I'm just going to dive right into our Christmas 2014 update.
Dan and I started the year off sensing that God was doing something in us, but we weren't quite sure what that was. We spent a lot of time praying into that and listening. But as it does, life continued moving. We were both feeling a lot of pressure at work and needed to get away for a bit. Praise the Lord, we had planned a trip to Ireland over Dan's birthday! (kind of--more on that in a post to come). I can't put into words how wonderful our trip was! We spent a week driving all over the country, being immersed in the culture, resting and marveling together. My favorite parts of the trip were seeing the Cliffs of Mohr, Kylemore Abbey, and Kilmainhem Gaol. The highlight for Dan though, was staying at our townhouse, watching the rugby game, and grabbing dinner at a local pub. Needless to say it has increased our desire to be stationed overseas!
After we got back from Ireland life started to move pretty quickly. Dan switched offices and responsibilities at his job. Now he manages the financial services office. He really enjoys having more of a leadership role and has worked hard to change the organization of the office for the better.
Remember that feeling I told you we started the year with? The one where we knew God was doing something but we didn't know what? Well, we began to realize God was calling us away from our church and my job. Shocked. Unsettled. Anxious. Could this be real? Maybe we misunderstood Him...When we moved here our plan was to stay at Trinity until we got restationed. It was painful to even think about leaving the students we loved. But we knew God is faithful. And when He calls, even if we don't feel ready, we obey.
Dan encouraged me to take the summer off. He wanted me to rest and reflect. What had I learned from working at the church? Would I do it again? In my free time I trained for a half marathon, which I finished in June! I never would have thought I could do it, but I did! I got to go home for a few weeks for my sister's graduation and wedding! I also taught myself to quilt. As our friends get pregnant and have babies it's a joy to give them a true labor of love. We had visitors--both of our families, and my friend, Heather. And we spent a lot of time exploring Alaska, little hiking trips with our dog, Kacey. All the while, Dan was thinking about what he would like to do next with his career. He began studying to take his GMAT and applying to grad school at AFIT (air Force Institute of Technology). When Dan's family visited we got to do a couple of fishing charters. Altogether they caught 69 lbs of fish! It has ruined me. After having more than my fair share of fresh Alaskan salmon and halibut nothing will ever compare. I may never eat fish again.
This fall I got a job at a local cafe. I had always kind of romanticized the idea of working at a coffee shop--seeing the regulars, observing life happen to so many people, etc. I even became that cashier that knows a customer's order before he gets to the counter. It was fun and Dan REALLY enjoyed the hot chocolate and pastries I would bring home. It didn't fulfill me though, so I was starting to get bored. And knowing that we are moving this summer, we were anxious to see if Dan got into his grad school program. Most of the fall was characterized by impatiently waiting. We were told we'd find out in October. We didn't. November-no word.
The last two weeks before Christmas were full of excitement and news though! I applied for and accepted a job as a 5th grade teacher at a private school for the second semester. (Yet another thing I never thought I would do...I think God enjoys this.) I'm thrilled to be working with kids again, and while I don't feel prepared for this job, it gives me the chance every day to rely on God rather than my abilities.
And after 6 months of waiting.....drum roll please.....DAN GOT INTO GRAD SCHOOL!!! He will be studying cost analysis at AFIT!! He can't wait to start learning again in a school setting. He has enjoyed being in the work force, but it will be a nice change of pace to be in the classroom again.
It's crazy that we'll only be in AK for a few more months. We definitely want to do some more cross country skiing and hiking before we move. But it's exciting to think about what Ohio has to offer! (Special thanks to Dave and Valentina for the beautiful wall hanging! It's a great way to document our life in the Air Force).
Although 2014 was a year of change, we are looking forward to 2015. We've enjoyed our time in AK and the relationships we've made, but we're looking forward to our next season in OH and what God has planned for us there.
Love,
The Ronnings
P.S. Now that I've updated you all, I no longer feel any shame or dishonor. Mushu will just have to find someone else to shame.
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