1446.17 miles later...

Did I mention those 1446.17 miles were covered in 2.5 days????

College Station--> Abilene--> Seminole--> Amarillo-->Hereford--> Dalhart--> Alvardo--> College Station.

...5 interviews and approximately 25 hours of driving later...I HAVE A JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But before all that important stuff, here are some interesting lessons I learned:
-Texas is big...HUGE actually.
- the world is not awake at 5:15 am, therefore Jessica cannot get Dr. Pepper to be awake either.
-who needs trees when you have wind turbines?
-"west Texas" is synonymous with "nothing"
-you should have stopped at that last gas station because apparently people in west Texas do not need a lot of gas, so there will not be another one for 100 miles
-you could pass 6 cars at a time on a west Texas highway, if there were 6 cars in the whole region
-the sky is significantly larger up there
-wind turbines are hypnotizing
-these people spend more money on a courthouse than on the whole rest of the town
-Hereford, TX smells like cows...a lot...makes sense
-yes, the sunset/sunrise is gorgeous, but if you stare at it you will have to pull over and let your eyes recover
-if you are not driving a work truck or an 18-wheeler, you are obviously out of place
-driving 1.5 hours between two towns is normal...and feels like 5 hours.
-if I am ever again in Clarendon, TX, I will be staying at the "It'll Do Motel" after dinner at the "Nuttin' Fancy Cafe"
-44 ounces of Dr. Pepper makes your bladder feel like it's going to explode
-you probably cannot stop at Ft. Hood to use their restrooms even if your taxes pay for them
-singing and dancing to loud music in your car (completely making a fool of yourself) is pretty much the only way to survive 25 hours of driving
-watching a thunderstorm in that much sky is a little scarier, yet beautiful all at the same time
-I hate driving.
-cows and more cows.
-If you walk into small town Texas in a business suit where regulars are having coffee in the morning, you're probably going to hear a couple of comments. haha.
-I love kids...ALL kids. Everytime I interviewed and had a glimpse of the kids in the school, I just fell in love..they are so precious.
-There are people in the school business for the right reasons, and people in it for the wrong reasons. It's blatantly obvious who would be great to work for and who would not...
-Being an Aggie and living all over the state of Texas have proved very helpful in this job hunt. While waiting for one interview, I introduced myself to the elementary counselor who is the aunt of one of my best friends from junior high. A few seconds later, the wife of my junior high Youth Director walked through the office and recognized me! After mentioning this to the principal I was interviewing with, I find out that he is the recent father-in-law of one of my good friends from the same town!!! God is good!
-I called my mom overwhelmingly blessed by my Savior. In the course of that afternoon I lined up two more interviews...all just happened to be in the Pandhandle and none of them interfered with the others...and then read the daily Bible verse on my phone...

"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or

‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans
run after all these things, and your heavenly Father

knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom

and his righteousness, and all these things will be

given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own."

-Matt. 6:31-34

...and then I burst into tears of joy...wow! what a wake-up call...

-I have applied, interviewed, and traveled all over the state in theis job hunt. When you're within the will of God, you know it....I walked out of the interview at Dalhart Elementary (with a panel of 10 INTERVIEWERS!!!!) knowing in my heart they would offer me a job....also knowing it would be an ESL position. And the next day? a job offer from Dalhart for an ESL position...hm. :)

So while it's not my ideal position...it's where I want to be. And maybe that position is where God wants me! There are possible 3rd and 2nd grade positions that I was told I could choose from if they become available, so who knows. I am just beyond thrilled to have signed a contract as a teacher...I've been waiting 22 years for this!!! It's going to be a looooong summer, haha.

Since finding out I got the job, the number 1 most annoying question I've been asked..."Why in the world Dalhart?!" Why not Dalhart??? Yes, it's 10 hours from my family and friends, but there are these things called airplanes...and they have them in Amarillo. Yes, the landscape and weather are a little different from anywhere else I've lived in Texas, but change is good. Yes, I know probably three people in the entire Pandhandle, but I've lived in several places and never have trouble building relationships. Yes, Dalhart happens to be about 15 minutes from a very important man in my life, so look at my past and call me crazy, but sometimes it's too risky not to take the chance. It's a one year contract...at the end of a year if it all falls apart...count my losses and gains. I will have loved, gained a year of teaching experience, new friends, and lived in a new and different part of my beloved state. And if you are taking the result of my past serious relationship into account, you should definitely realize this is not a decision I have taken lightly in any way. Those who know me best should know I have spent plenty of time on my knees seeking only the will of God...everything happened to fall into place and I don't believe in coincidences...

So no, I am not moving for him. I am moving for God.

“I want you to stop planning—stop wishing—

and allow Me to give you the most thrilling,

exciting plan you can imagine!!! I want you to have the best!

Please allow Me to give it to you.

You must keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things.

Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am!

Keep listening and learning the things that I tell you.

And then, when you are ready,

I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful

than anyone would ever dream of.

“Know that I love you utterly.

I am God. Believe and be satisfied.”

and love like crazy...

Keep me in your prayers...I still have to find a place to live and enter into the real world...which should be pretty entertaining, so keep reading :) HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!