This is a post I should have done a while ago while it was fresh in my mind, but oh well...you get my slopping second thoughts. ;)
There are moments in life that are "seemingly" unforgettable. They are the best days of our lives. Days like our wedding day, babies being born, graduations, and so on. I would venture on the pessimistic side to say that even these days could be forgotten. We just get lucky because we reflect on them often enough for hope and encouragement on the rainy days. We tuck them away in our Memory Jar and pull them out when we need to be infused with light once again.
Well, two weeks ago from yesterday, I added another one to the jar.
Background:
August 30th 2008, Jace and I tied the knot. It was memory jar worthy. We moved into our quiant condo in Rexburg and began living life. Jace felt the enterprenuial bug and asked that I support him in starting a branch of my brothers' airsoft business. I did with fullness of heart. This boy has been told from birth that he is going to be something great. I have always known this to be true. In fact, I worried that he would become so successful right off the bat that we would be rolling in money up to our eyeballs and not get the satisfactoin of learning to love and play without money in our pockets. Don't worry, my wish totally came true.
Did you know that you usually don't make money the first two years when starting a business? And that's if you get lucky! We were no exception. I worked my tail off at the nursing home so we could make ends meet. Jace and I would ride our bikes everywhere to save money; WE EVEN MADE OUR OWN LAUNDRY DETERGENT. After school and work, we would come home exhausted. I would be lying if I said we were content...but the crazy thing is that we were so incomprehensibly happy. We would stay up all night watching T.V series all the way through (Friends, Lost), we took in stray cats, went camping in non-camping approved areas, fed our dear starving-student friend, promoted concerts, wrote oodles of music, and laughed constantly.
Two semesters before I was to graduate college Jace felt a strong impression for us to move back home WITH MY PARENTS to Colorado so he could finish his degree at the Art Institute of Colorado. Chunk of change comparison of BYU-I to Art Institute? It's like comparing apples and mountains. But I did it.
Because this boy has been told from birth that he is going to be something great. And I still know it to be true.
Somehow, I finished school just in the knick of time before Jadyn Lynn Harmer made an apperance. I left my job at a very delightful design firm and happily took on the new me. Things have changed. But after a while, it wasn't enough change for me. Jace and I only grew stronger as a couple through parenthood. But I have felt an ache to see what was next for us. I wanted to have a place to call my own again. I kept looking at pictures of us in that little condo we fit in so well. It was our place and I was good at making it feel warm for visitors.
Jace has been working day in and day out to support us. Did I mention he has been doing this while going to school full time? He hasn't slept much. When he came to me for support in finding a full time job I was torn. Yes, I want the picket fence and the obnoxious dog waking up the neighbors. But I also didn't want Jace to suffer anymore sleepless nights. Because let's face it, we're still kids! And students at that! But for some reason, we have always felt the need to move fast. It's a pace we're very comfortable with. So I said I would support him.
Because this boy has been told from birth that he is going to be something great. And I had seen that confidence in this truth slowly dim. He was starting to believe that maybe he wasn't. I still knew.
He had an interview with a company he fell in love with--didn't get the job.
He had more interviews.
He had job offers--with terrible pay and boring tasks.
He interviewed with the same company he fell in love with again for a difference position. They said the position had been put on hold. Later that day, they emailed him again and told Jace that because HE was applying, they had made a decision to open the position again.
Memory Jar Moment:
And two thursdays ago, we got the call. Jace got his dream job.
I almost jumped right over him. Tears of joy immediately streamed down our faces as we hugged and kissed and screamed in excitement. This was the moment that we all knew would happen. When someone would see Jace for the man that he is. The truth is, he is already something great. He certainly didn't need a job to tell him that.
But he comes home from work every day with a huge grin on his face. He knows what I have always known. And we now have a means to an end. It will be over two years when we finally move out of my parents' home. I believe we broke some record, aside from single guys living in the basement playing videogames...they don't count.
It's a bittersweet feeling. Truthfully, it will be hard to say good bye. Most kids don't get to know their grandparents as well as Jadyn. It's special. And I have loved it. But I do feel some movement happening soon. It will probably be another moment for the Memory Jar.
