Going... island life, and coming back (the story continued)

After Tim accepted (with a huge sigh of relief and prayer of gratitude) the job in the Azores, we had only a very short time to finish getting ready and leave. There continued to be more miracles along the way... the prompting to send our car with Mom and Dad as they drove to New Jersey, so that our car could be shipped and arrive on the island in a decent amount of time... the official (diplomatic) passports that came Saturday afternoon when we had to have them to travel late Sunday night... all the many people in Manila who helped us pack, move and clean, and who threw a party for us at the park after we spoke in sacrament meeting (we called it our "farewell"). At this point, I knew why we had been having promptings for so long- there is no way we could ever have arranged this move in the very short time that we had if we hadn't been preparing for months.

Mom, Dad, and Tim's brother Kevin dropped us off at the airport late Sunday night- our flight was to leave at midnight. They couldn't come past security, and it was a little hard to say goodbye. We were so, so excited, though. Each of the kids had their own rolling suitcase, and they were so good- wheeling all that luggage through the airport. And we did have a lot of luggage- as much as they allowed (thankfully this was BEFORE the surcharges started). We had to pack everything we would need for a while- (our stuff didn't come until October).

Our flights to the island were relatively painless. We travelled through Atlanta and Baltimore, arriving on the island of Terceira at midnight Monday. At the airport to meet us were the vice principal of the high school, another teacher, and the school psychologist, who we quickly discovered was in the branch presidency of the Lajes American Branch. Jed and his wife Sarah were extremely helpful in our transition- they had even been to the TLF (the base hotel) where we were staying, reconfigured our rooms into something that made sense, and stocked the pantry for us. That morning was teacher orientation for the new year. They let Tim sleep in, but he did get to go over later in the day. Talk about shell-shocked. Extreme jet lag, six kids, a strange environment and a new workplace are not the best combination. He got through it, though, as did we.

The kids started school while living in the TLF, which was nice since they could walk to school and our car was in the middle of the Atlantic somewhere. All of the kids made such an effortless transition (at least from my perspective). I was amazed by how smoothly they integrated into their classes in this strange place. Price and Josh were even adjusting to not being in the same class for the first time! Our move also meant that Rebekah started middle school, instead of being the oldest in the elementary for 6th grade. All of these transitions were aided by the fact that Lajes American School is excellent at receiving new students. They have to be- the school has a huge turnover every year, since families only stay for 2 years. Air Force kids are really good at making new friends, and they were quick to include the Walkers as well.

Our first week at church helped us get into the swing of things. Two branches meet in the same building in Praia: the American branch and the Portuguese branch, which also includes a couple of American families who help a lot with the leadership. One of these families was a great help to us as we looked for a house to rent: with their help we were able to find a nice, 4 bedroom house. It was in the same neighborhood that they lived in, and was close to another family in the branch, who also became good friends.

Houses there are a little different than we were used to: all the floors are red ceramic tile, the walls are made of cinderblock covered with plaster, and the windows have storm shutters that roll down for those scary Atlantic storms. The bathrooms were pretty much American standard, and had bidets, as well (we turned those off the first day... too much temptation for Annie to play in the water). When we first moved in, the echoes were overwhelming. There is nothing to absorb sound. Moving our furniture and carpets in helped. For the first time in our married life, we also had to deal with mold and mildew problems. Sometimes dry air is a blessing!

The best part of our house, as far as I was concerned, was its proximity to the ocean. Tim and I would take afternoon walks most days... a few blocks to the boardwalk along the ocean, and back home, making a circuit. I love the mountains here in Utah, but I do still miss the waves. I liked to stand at our upstairs window, where I could catch glimpses of waves breaking on the shore. Just a couple of blocks from our house we also had a great swimming hole where we spent many days playing in the sand and swimming in the (cold) water. Remember that we came the end of August and left in June. Summer heat never entered into the equation. It was absolutely gorgeous, though. I sometimes felt like I should pinch myself to see if I would wake up.

In other ways, though, I had a hard time. We were far away and fairly disconnected from our families. I had been so sure that there was some big, important thing for us to do in the Azores, and I wasn't seeing it. Tim was called as the Elder's Quorum President, and I served in the nursery and leading the singing, but I still struggled with wondering if I was somehow not living up to Heavenly Father's expectations of me. I thought that maybe I wasn't worthy to continue receiving revelation like I had been for the last year. Looking back on this time, I think I was a little depressed. With enough time, I think, I would have recovered and been totally happy there. That wasn't in the plan, though.

After a wonderful Christmas and New Year's spent with good friends, we started to look forward to our summer visit back in the States. Then, one day (I think it was February), Tim told me he wasn't sure we should come back for another year. I TOTALLY shot him down. I had come with every intention of staying at least two years... and then maybe going somewhere else in Europe. A while later, he brought it up again, mentioning that he thought maybe he should go back to school. I started to listen to his ideas... just a little. I also started praying about them.

I really wanted a life-altering revelation again. Tim felt so good about not staying, and I wanted to know without a doubt, too. What I received was less than satisfying: I was very clearly told that I should listen to my husband. I was never told whether or not his feelings were correct, just that I should listen to him. Anyone who knows me very well also knows how well that sat with me. It was a really big answer to swallow. And maybe it was a life-altering revelation like I'd been asking for. What I ultimately discovered was that I can trust Tim... and I can trust that Heavenly Father speaks to him, too.

So I was resigned to leaving the Azores. For what, I didn't know. We started filling out job applications, searching online, and looking at PhD programs. We originally thought that Tim should take a teaching job, and apply for a program through USU that caters to teachers. That wasn't really working out. In fact, we never even heard responses from ANY of the school districts that he applied to. That should have told me something, since the last time we sent out resumes in Utah he had been asked to interview for every single one. Then, at the end of April, we saw a news report on one of the Utah websites about a new PhD program that BYU was starting: Educational Measurement, Design and Evaluation. We knew almost nothing about it, but Tim's ears literally perked up when I read him the description. That was the one.

We didn't know how this could work, but gradually things started to fall into place. Tim applied, and we waited. In the meantime, Dad was thinking of taking a job in California. If he got it, they said, and we got into the program, we could live in their house. It sounded like a possibility. We moved out of our house the beginning of June, back into the TLF. While we were there, Tim had a phone interview with the committee, and took a written test online (another miracle: the morning AFTER the online test, our computer started smoking. Literally. Smoke was curling out the top.) It was a grueling couple of weeks, but just before we got on the plane again, we got an email saying that the committee was recommending Tim for acceptance into the program. Over the next weeks, we also discovered that he would receive a fellowship, health insurance for the whole family, and all tuition paid.

The other thing that worked out differently than we thought was our housing. Dad did get offered the job in California, but didn't take it. Somehow that turned into us moving into their house WITH them. That wouldn't have been my first choice- I was worried about imposing on Mom and Dad with my 6 children. We have seen so many wonderful blessings from this arrangement, though. I hope they feel, as I do, that we are blessed to have 3 generations in the same home for a few years.

I still don't know exactly why we went to the Azores. It was a wonderful experience for all of us. We will remember our time there forever. But there was never an "aha!" moment... I never had the feeling that THIS was why we came. Instead, I have come to realize that there were many reasons. I only know a few now- our move away from Manila facilitated Tim's going back to school. I don't know if he would have done it without first being uprooted. Our kids have experienced a foreign country. Our time in the branch and with the missionaries was so valuable for their testimonies. I think there are many more factors that I don't see yet. Maybe they will become clear later, and maybe not. What is important is that I know that it was the right thing to do.

Since we have been back, I still struggle sometimes. What helps the most is to remember that our amazing journey isn't over yet. There is a plan for our family, just as there is for everyone. I don't know where we will be in a few years, but I'm excited. I can't wait to see what the next step will be!