Faith Conquers Fear

As most of you know, I've been a bit MIA up in herrrr because I'm in the midst of some change (if you missed it, catch it here). So a few months ago, I opened up about saying goodbye to a chapter in life. At the time, I wasn't ready to open up about the deets, and I really haven't been ready since. BUT things are changing in a great way, and what better time to share than now?

In August I officially finished graduate school, and was rewarded my Ph.D. In September, I finished up working with the football office at OSU. I was sad to leave the people I was working with for over three years. This was such a great place to work for... very laid back, friendly, energetic, and a family environment. Looking back on it now, it was an emotional farewell for me... emotions stemming from the fact that I was also done with school. Leaving OSU meant that it was officially time to start searching for a start in my career. This was H U G E!!

School has consumed the majority of my life. Finishing up graduate school left me a bit clueless. Leaving that environment meant opening a new chapter of this thing called LIFE. Since leaving school and OSU, I was pounding the pavement, so to speak. I was still working from my home office with a consulting company, but only on a part-time basis. This pace was soooooo different! I was searching, networking, searching, networking for 8-10 hours during the weekdays. I was also able to work on submitting my dissertation for publication, which succeeded! I tried to keep busy as I would always be during school, but career searching sucked out another kind of energy from me. I would submit 3-5 applications/resumes each day, and maybe only hear from 2 or 3 people each month. In a nutshell, it felt like I was spending every waking moment to submit my resume into a black hole.

Fast forward to seven months later, after a ton of lows... feeling as if I were stuck in this place where nobody wanted to take a chance on a newly grad, my faith being tested in every single way you can ever imagine, having my husband and family there to constantly pick me up, encouraged by the scripture and growing closer to our Heavenly Father, here I am! Starting a new career back home!! Moving to the South Bay area in So Cal, close to the beach and even closer to the sun (well, through all that smog, the sun is somewhere)!! I am SO thankful... SO blessed.... SO grateful. Those scary moments that I wasn't able to open up because I let fear get the best of me are GONE. I'm learning to knock down that fear with faith! I'M COMIN' HOME!!

*Funny Story* I made a sign when we went home for Spring Break saying, "Dear O'Hana, We're hooome!!" and posted it in my aunt's house. As soon as word hit the street that I was offered THE job, my little cousin sent me this picture, and she added "... we're MOVING BACK hooome FOREVER!!"  How adorbs is she?!?!