How We Ended Up In Utah

"What brought you to Utah?" This is a question I get asked all the time which is normal when you go to a new place. I always answer with, "My husband got a job up here as a realtor." It's not a lie, however, the most honest answer would be, "The Lord wanted us here."

When my husband was on deployment, he submitted his papers for re-enlistment. We had prayed about it and felt good about our decision. The military was a good life for us. They provided us with a house, health insurance, and the opportunity to see new places. We also knew that twice a month, every month, we would receive a paycheck. As an independent wife raising an independent little girl, life was good. Our plan was to stay in the military for twenty years, then Aaron would retire and we would move onto the next phase of our life. 

We were aware that the competition for re-enlistment was pretty steep because there were about eleven marines going for three or four spots. We weren't worried and neither was anyone else. In November 2014, we found out Aaron was not chosen for re-enlistment. We were devastated. We couldn't figure out what had happened. Our plans for the next fifteen years of our lives were gone. It took a long time to really soak in the news, and be ok with it. After a lot of thought and prayer, we decided that Aaron would join The California Highway Patrol (CHP.)

In June 2015, we said goodbye to the marine corps, moved in with my parents, and began the CHP application process. 

The application for the CHP can take anywhere from eighteen months to two years, and involves a physical and written test, background checks, tons of paperwork, interviews and more. We were told the written test was the hardest part, so when Aaron passed it, we were pretty darn excited. We had moved in with my parents to save money, and because boot camp would be six months. It would be nice to be surrounded by family while Aaron would be gone for that long. In November 2015, a year after we found out we would not be re-enlisting, Aaron was dropped from the CHP hiring process. They gave no reason for as to why. They thanked him for his application and that was it. We thought we were devastated before, this just about broke us. We could not understand what was happening. We were confused, upset, and completely lost. Aaron and I felt stuck in life. His current job, at the bank, would not support our little family. We felt that our only option was to enlist with the Army. Aaron spoke to a recruiter and was ready to sign the paperwork when I randomly mentioned to him that I didn't want to go back to military life (once you are out, it is hard to go back.) Instead, I wanted to move to Utah. 

I have no idea why I wanted to move to Utah. The only part I had been to was Zion's National Park, but it felt right. I had seen pictures and videos about Utah, and it looked beautiful. That night Aaron went on his computer and applied for a sales job. He got a call the next day for an interview, and later that week drove up to Utah, interviewed, and got the job. At the end of February 2016, we sent Aaron off to Utah to work. We had no idea when we would be joining him, but we had faith that if the Lord wanted us there then he would provide a way. We knew it would take a miracle because the job Aaron had would never pay enough to get us up there with him. 

Aaron wasn't in Utah for very long when his best friend's brother in law offered him a job as a realtor. In order for Aaron to be able to get his license quickly, he would have to quit his current job, and we would have to live off our savings for a couple months. I was a little hesitant. . . . okay very hesitant, but with a big push from Aaron we decided to go for it. 

And just like that, all the pieces began to fall into place. It wasn't easy, and money was tight, but Aaron got his realtor license. He started working, and although it took a couple months before his first sale, we could see the Lord's hand in blessing our family. In July 2016, the girls and I moved up to Utah. As soon as I arrived, I knew this was where the Lord wanted our family.
It has now been a year since we moved to Utah, and it has felt like one trial after another, but we know this is where we belong. We love where we live, and the people around us. Even through the hard times, we can see the Lord countless blessings. We are so grateful that the Lord had a different plan for our family, and we are loving it. 

Put your trust in the Lord, and good things will happen. I would never had thought that life would lead me to Utah, but now that is has, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I am excited to see what else the Lord has planned for our little family.