Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Difference a Week Can Make


A week ago I wrote about moving forward as we trust in God and seizing the divine moments of our lives. In the intervening days since I wrote those words their truth has been so indelibly pressed upon my consciousness that had I not believed them when I wrote them (which I absolutely did) I would most certainly believe them now. This last week has been filled with such moments, some seemingly simple and innocuous and some clearly and overtly life changing. There are four such moments in particular that illustrate the kind of week it has been.

By far the most significant news is that on Tuesday February 15 I took Alison to Shenandoah National Park and as we traveled along the Rose River we came to an idyllic location where we stopped in recognition that it was the same spot where we had first kissed. It was in that place, standing in snow covering ice out in the river with water flowing beneath us that I asked Alison to marry me. To my great delight and joy she quickly agreed, entering us both into the wonderful world of being engaged. Pictures can be found in an album here on facebook.

This news alone would certainly warrant an update in the status of things in my life, but three other events this week bear mentioning as well. On Wednesday I went through the process to officially change my residency to the commonwealth of Virginia, something I have long delayed doing as I did not know what the future would hold. But in proposing I have committed to Alison and thus committed to this area for at least the next chapter of our lives. So I am officially a resident of Virginia with a drivers license, license plates, and car insurance to match. 

Yesterday morning I completed the final elements necessary to send in an application for an MA in American History at George Mason University here in Virginia. I don't know what the future holds, but I am never going to have a better opportunity to pursue returning to graduate school than I do now, so I have begun the process of doing exactly that. I will be taking the GRE in a couple of weeks and following that will be on track to attend George Mason (if accepted) for night classes (thus allowing me to work simultaneously) beginning as early as this fall. 

In addition to all of these changes and movements in my life I have one more to add. Though things on the mall are still stagnant (as a result of the failure of congress to pass a budget this far--God willing that may change in the immanent future!) in the last few days I have received reason to hope that something might work out at another park. The day before going to Shenandoah to propose I received notification asking if I was still interested in a position at that very park. Yesterday I received similar notification for Wrangell-St Elias in Alaska. This morning I found a follow up email from Shenandoah requesting an interview for a position that could start as early as March 21 which is tentatively scheduled for this coming Tuesday. It isn't a job, but it is hope that my name is actually making it high enough that I am being considered for positions.

It is amazing the difference a week can make when it is lived in such a manner!

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