When I, personally, moved here almost 9 years ago, it was with the intention to complete my Bachelor's degree. When I finished my Bachelor's Degree, I prayed that if God wanted me to stay in California, he would get me an incredible job and I would stay and complete my Masters Degree as well. Before I even graduated, I was offered a job as a Nanny in Newport Beach and it was a deluxe job. I had free room and board in a gorgeous house and neighborhood and got paid on top of that and it was only about 7 miles from the school I wanted to go to for my Graduate work. Needless to say, I stayed!
I met Anthony in the summer of 2006 and started Graduate School in the fall of 2006. Thank God I stayed! Grad School was three years and I worked as a nanny for 4 years so in 2009 I graduated with my Masters and Anthony and I got married in 2008. At that point, I just assumed I would live in California the rest of my life since I married a California native and we had gotten a place.
Many of you know that Anthony and I have had a very difficult couple of years with losing our first child and Anthony losing his job at AT&T in February of 2010. We had to move out of our apartment in February of 2011 due to the expenses of the unemployment of the previous year if we wanted any hope of getting back on our feet. We moved into a guesthouse of a friend's and have been living there since. Now onto when things changed.
Anthony has been working for Starbucks for almost a year and really likes the job but as you can imagine, it is not really a great paying job when you start and in California you need a pretty great paying job to survive, much less thrive. I have been working anywhere from 2-5 jobs since Anthony lost his and I am worn out. We really do want a child someday and with me working this hard just to survive, it doesn't look likely. Although I have no problem helping out and working (as that is why I got an education) working 3 jobs is really difficult on my health and well being and certainly doesn't support me getting in good health for conception.
Since these things are all true, Anthony and I have been praying so hard about our decision to move. We visited Indiana in May of this year to see our nephew Shawn turn two. Anthony has been to Indiana various times and has always enjoyed himself and just a few years ago we tossed out the idea of possibly living in Indiana someday. The kids really made that a possibility for us since I do want to watch my nieces and nephew grow up. This visit seemed to be of a different caliber. Anthony and I both came back to California with the mindset that it was completely the right thing to move to Indiana.
When we got back, we made the decision that we would just throw lines out for jobs, apartments, etc... and if things began to work out that we would know that our decision was sound. Anthony called the Bedford, Indiana Starbucks first and it turned out that they had a position opening in September for a full time spot. Anthony would definitely need a full time spot. Within just a few weeks of managers speaking on the phone and Anthony following up, he was offered this position sight unseen and will start on September 5th.
We are still waiting to hear back on the apartment we have applied for and we are still trying to figure out how to afford moving all of our belongings, hence Anthony is painting houses to try to gather that money up but it is official. We will be living in Indiana by the end of August. We would really appreciate your prayers as we move and adjust to a new place, climate, and lifestyle and if you could pray for me to be able to get into the mental health field out there fairly easy that would be fantastic. Our main prayer requests are these:
1. That we would be approved for the apartment we have applied for
2. Provision for our deposit and first months rent as we close up bills here and move there.
3. Provision for the moving truck, gas, food, and lodging for the trip across the United States
4. Adjusting to our new home in Indiana
5. Job for me
6. Overall, that Indiana helps us get back on our feet, pay down debts from the unemployment, and eventually have a baby and buy a home!
Thank you so much everyone and feel free to email me with any questions. For those of you who are my California friends, you will be missed. For those of my Indiana friends, can't wait to pick up where we left off.
Love,
The Lewis'
