People have been telling me not to worry about how the
future would pan out ever since that day in July when I found out that my
husband took a job in Dallas, Texas. We had been long distance for 6 years,
through undergrad and law school days, and we were both ready to start our life
together after marriage. I thought certainly the long distance would end once
we said our "I DOs" and we could start the process of finding an
apartment or a house.
I
didn't listen to people. Things would not work out and I was doubtful that I
would ever have the courage to leave my students, who I have been teaching for
5 years in a row! I didn't want to leave my job in this uncertain economy, but
I didn't want to be far away from my husband either. Months went by, and I informed
my two building principals of the situation back in November. We knew there was
always a chance Corey could be transferred to Philadelphia or Baltimore, so we
were holding out hope.
Meanwhile,
I would pay airfare and travel for over 7 hours (a car ride to the airport, a
flight, sometimes a connection, 2 shuttle busses, a train, and 2 subway stops)
into the city to visit my husband in his studio apartment, where our full size
mattress rested on the cool concrete floor and we had a lively view of the
glowing city of Dallas. We enjoyed our adventures, albeit they were always
short. Two or three days and then back to the plane and another 5-week goodbye until
the next two or three day visit. It was exhausting. I wondered what it would be
like to live together and be able to not take my clothes out of a suitcase all
the time and how it would feel to clean together. I wanted to make him a
meatloaf and potatoes after his long day at work. It sounds ridiculous, but I
was getting desperate to be together.
Corey
told me to do all the necessary things to become certified to teach in the
state of Texas. This apparently translates into being certified to do brain
surgery. I was shocked at how my lifetime PA certificate, my 5 years
experience, and my Masters degree didn't mean a thing. I had to sign up to take
2 five hour exams and fly down separate weekends in different months for each
test. I had to pay over $500.00 and after all of this, I am still not certified
to teach ESL, which is of course, my passion. I am, however, finally allowed to
teach Grades 4-8 English. Oh great, I thought, I will be teaching Dear Mr. Henshaw and Island of the Blue
Dolphins my entire career. So off I went on two of my visiting weekends,
one in January and one in February, to arrive into Dallas late Friday night and
be up by 6:00 Saturday to walk a mile to be patted down and searched to take
this test. I spent 5 hours in a sterile room that made me long even more to be
home in bed...sleeping quietly on a Saturday morning with my husband.
Eventually I passed all of these requirements and went down in March and was
fingerprinted by the state of Texas. That alone was a 3 hour, costly process.
In
February, during my weekend visit of the month, we sat through the best church
sermon I had ever heard. I left there with tears in my eyes and the most
overwhelming sense of freedom and peace. Peace that God was still in control
and for the first time, I was OK with God telling me to go to Dallas. On our
city walk that afternoon, I apologized to Corey for any bitterness and anger I
was harboring about having to leave my comfortable life in Lititz, PA, to move
to Texas, where the nearest family members are hours and hours away. I believe
it was that day that set the plans in motion. I applied to countless districts
in the Dallas metroplex. I was holding out hope for something good.
Corey
told me that his boss's boss is married to the head of HR for a big school
district just south of Dallas. I was to talk to him on the phone and find out
some information to help me choose where to focus my job search. He told me
that I must take May 13th as a personal day to fly down for the Teaching Job
Fair at the Arlington Convention Center. So I did. And I waited the few months
still praying that I would not even need to go because something would be
offered to me before that. I even had a phone interview with another school
district. Nothing.
May
13th...job fair time. My sweet husband had printed 50 resume packets for me
down in Texas and clipped them all together, waiting for me to hand out at the
job fair. I arrived 15 minutes early and was shocked and discouraged to see thousands
of people already there, waiting in lines. Everything truly is bigger in Texas.
The doors open and the VERY first person I see is Corey's boss's boss's
husband...the head of HR. In the sea of people, his name badge stood out, and I
went up to him and shook his hand firmly and smiled. I told him who I was and
he knew to be expecting me there. He sat me down and made a list of all the
districts to visit at the fair. I thanked him and walked away.
First
stop...a nice looking blonde woman with bright red lipstick speaks with me. She
tells me I am not experienced enough with ESL (which is what I teach now and
have a Masters degree in) and hands me back my resume. I am shocked and
annoyed. I text Corey "this isn't going well." He writes back
"keep going and keep looking- keep your head up." I visit 6 or 7
booths and at best get a business card to "call or email later" and I
decide it is time to go back and see Corey's connection again. I go to the man
from HR I saw and he asked how it was going. I give him a pathetic frown. He
gets up and says in his deep booming southern voice "Follow me" and
leads me to a table that I had already visited. A table that I had just left in
despair because the old man told me to "go back to school to be a math
teacher because that is what they needed." Trust me, sir, the world would
not be a better place if I were left in charge to teach the youth of America
math skills. But Corey's friend leads me to another woman at the booth
representing that district... a polished, black lady with a kind smile, and a
stylish haircut. He tells her "Listen, my wife just hired her husband to
be an attorney in downtown Dallas. She needs to join him. Help this lady find a
job." I gulped and next thing I know, I am sitting across from this nice
lady telling her my interests and qualifications. Typically, if any on-spot
interviews are to occur, they would do so at the job fair booth. Not in this
case. The woman gets the idea to call a principal that works for her district
and speak with him. She boldly asks the secretary of the school to put the
principal on the line. Her words are this, "Excuse me, I am out here working
hard for you sir, and I have found your next English teacher. Can you meet with
her today before she flies back to Pennsylvania tomorrow?" All the while
she has one finger in her ear because of the noise in the convention center. I
can't believe what is happening. She puts down her phone and tells me I am all
set. ALL SET?! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
Next
thing I know, my phone is vibrating in my purse and a Dallas number shows up
across the screen. I answer and it is the principal. He tells me to be at his
school in two hours. I immediately had to make a decision. Was this worth
leaving the job fair for? Should I have faith that this interview would be all
I need? It would take about 45 minutes to get to the school, so I decided it
was worth the risk. God is in control. I did have a few more contacts and a
mini on the spot interview with a couple more districts before leaving.
It
was noon. I found myself walking up the sidewalk of the school in the 90 degree
May heat shaking like crazy and my palms were sweating. The principal was a
well-dressed, extremely distinguished looking man, about 6'2" at least. The
interview was the most challenging interview I had ever had and it last one
hour and 7 minutes. Yes, I was counting. He was a very nice guy, but I didn't think
he wanted to really be interviewing today; he was pressured into it. In fact,
as I left he told me he was not in a rush to hire anyone and would contact me
in 2-3 weeks. Fair enough. I left somewhat depressed that I would be once again
in limbo, waiting...waiting...
Being
that it was Mother's Day weekend and tickets were 150.00 round trip, mom was
along to see Texas for the first time. After my interview, we drove around the
neighborhoods, curious to see the area and any houses that had a "for
sale" in their yard...just in case I were to land a job here. We pulled up
outside a house and my phone rings. It is a Dallas number. I answer. "Hi,
Bethany, I just talked to your current principals and read over everything and
how would you feel if I offered you the job now?" NOW!?! What happened to
2-3 weeks? It was literally 10 minutes or so. I was shaking and jumped out of
the car in front of this random house pacing outside the car like a madwoman. I
told him I would have to think about it and talk to my husband, so he tells me
to call him back on Wednesday with my answer. Just 2 days away.
My
mom tried to call the realtor's number on the sign in the yard. No answer. If
you know my mother, she went and knocked on the door. I stayed in the car,
dying of embarrassment. She waves me in. We learn quickly that the man who owns
the house works in the SAME office as COREY, in downtown Dallas, which is about
25 minutes away. I am in disbelief. The owner of the house is moving back to
Baltimore, Maryland to work in the SSA office up there. Mom and I tour the
house quickly and I love it. First house I had ever seen as a potential buyer,
so I was excited.
We
got shooed out because people were coming to look at it soon with the realtor
and the house already had 2 offers in. It had only been on the market for 5
days... too late for us. We hadn't even talked about buying a home, I did not
have a job yet technically, we had not "house-hunted" and we never
talked to a realtor or a bank to be approved or pre-approved for a loan. The
man gives us the lady assistant's business card and we call her. She can meet
Corey and I at the house at 6:00. Since Corey was working, I called and told
him there was an "OPEN HOUSE" - well there was not really, but I made
him think that. :) We met this 89 lb. 4'2" spitfire, classy, sassy, white
haired lady at the house at 6:00. We tell her we like the house, but are simply
nowhere NEAR ready to buy one because we have not researched or prepared.
It
was at this point that Corey dragged my butt into the nice kitchen and told me,
"Beth- we can't get this house. We don't have a realtor, we don't have a
loan, and there are other offers already in. We are too far behind." I pout and realize he is being honest.
The realtor tells us the name of a loan officer and tells us she could try to
see if we have time to work up an offer. The next morning, Corey and Barbara
work up an offer to put in for the house. We discovered we were the 4th offer,
I think. Did we really just put an offer in on a house? What?!?!
Mom
and I flew home Tuesday. It was a long day of traveling after a whirlwind trip
and I was emotionally spent. I knew I had a big decision to make regarding this
job by tomorrow! Ugh. I prayed all night. I did not tell anyone, but I prayed that
I would not take this job unless God showed me a sign. Wednesday rolled around
and I was putting off that phone call like the plague. I said "OK God, it
is almost noon. I need a sign here."
My
phone rings. The principal is on the other line. His first words are "Ms.
Fazekas, we want you on our team. Have you discussed the decision with your
husband and made a choice?" I was thinking "WOW! This is kind of a
sign! He called me!" I took a deep breath and said YES. Just after I said
yes, my phone is beeping with another call. I can't cut off my new boss, so I
just ignore it. I see it's a Dallas number, and I panic. What if it is a better
offer? Did I just make a mistake? The phone beeps through AGAIN. Same number. I
am dying and yet, trying to answer all of my new boss's questions with respect
and composure. I hang up, and call the number back. It is Corey, calling from a
different office phone. He asks why I wasn't answering. I told him I was on
with the principal and he asks if I accepted the offer. I told him I did and he
was thrilled. He then told me he had some news. He says calmly "Beth, we
got the house. They accepted our offer." My jaw drops and my whole body
got goosebumps. I burst into these tear drops of joy, disbelief, awe, shock. I
said "no we didn't. We did not even have a chance and it was the first
house we stepped into!" He repeated himself. We got the house. And he
adds, "and ours was not even the highest offer they had."
I
wanted a sign from God. The very SAME phone call I was offered the job and
accepted the job I was getting a call that the house was ours. I hung up the
phone and told my mom and we screamed, cried, hugged, laughed, and praised God
over and over again. How did I just get a job and a house in less than 48
hours? Why did I ever doubt that God would provide just what we needed, when we
needed it?
My
emotions were a mess this week, as I am very heartbroken to have say goodbye to
my friends, my relatives, my students, my co-workers, the community, my pets,
and my immediate family. Today, with a sense of peace and strength, I handed in
my resignation letter to a job I saw myself staying at for years to come. My
students do not know yet, and I ask for prayer for that day.
The
realtor thought closing may not be until mid summer, again leaving me wondering
about timelines, rents, leases, and storage for our things. Fear not. Closing
is in one month! The very day I thought I would head to Texas to be with Corey
for the summer anyway!!!!! God's timing is truly perfect. How easy to say for
me, as it has been shown to me fully and I am on the other side of it. But, if
you are going through some changes or have any doubts, I want to remind you to
trust in God with all your heart...and He shall direct your paths. Some people
would see this as fate, or coincidence, but I have no doubts that God had His
hand on our story the whole time!
Thanks
for all of your support as we end this 7-year span of long distance. We truly
appreciate all the prayers, too! Corey is so happy at his job in Dallas, and he
is doing well. I am a bit hesitant to start a new job in a completely different
school with demographics different from what I am used to, but I know that I
can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Thanks for reading this,
if you made it to the end: congratulations! You won a prize! Haha. And, if you are
ever in the Dallas area, please feel free to stop by and say hello. I cannot
WAIT to entertain in my very first kitchen!!!!!!!!! (I already told Corey I may
or may not be sleeping in the kitchen during the first week!)
