September 2008

Hmmm? Some have noticed that I have taken a sabbatical of sorts when it comes to blogging. This is the much dreaded post I have not wanted to take the time to write which explains why. Are you familiar with the song by Green Day, "Wake me up when September ends?" Well, I think that pretty much says it best-seriously. I hated the month of September for a lot of reasons. Usually the welcoming of fall (my favorite season) is a much anticipated time of year for me, but not this time, not 2008.

Looking back at certain promptings/feelings/inclinations/"coincidences" or whatever you believe them to be, it all started in May. I personally refer to them as tender mercies, divine intervention and the Lord being completely aware of every detail of my life. It is once again undeniable that He knows me perfectly in how He pretty much spells things out loud and clear for me, in a way only I can understand. Hence the fact I will spare you most of the personal details and just focus on the main story. Are you ready? I'll see what I can do to make it quick.

So July rolled around and I was happily bouncing around as an EFY counselor. I was at KU and received a phone call from my long lost friend, Brian. He and I worked at Camp Wild together back in 2005. Little did I know how much backpacking along the Salmon River, hiking for miles, and finding those apples to quickly make homemade applesauce together in order to "save the starving children" would impact my life 3 years later. (This was the apple escapade-Brian is in the white)
So Brian called and left a message saying there was an awesome Recreation therapy job available in Salt Lake City that he wanted to tell me about and I should call him back. I checked the message and thought, "He must not remember I live in Kansas now. Oh well, that was nice of him to think of me." And then I ran off to continue my week of EFY bliss, not thinking anything of the message again.

Brian called me again about 2 weeks later and didn't leave a message. Seeing his missed call, I was reminded of his previous message and thought, "Darn. I never called him back to tell him I'm living in Kansas now." (Brian and I weren't really ones to stay in touch. I guess you could say we stayed connected "professionally." while I was working as a Recreation Therapist in Provo, he was in Grad school for Recreation Therapy at BYU. We often turned to the other as a resource for things).

Next thing I knew, it was mid-August and I was in my last week of EFY up in Nauvoo and this time Brian had emailed me. He sent me a link with the information about the job and wrote "I'm quitting my Recreation therapy job in SLC because I'm moving with my family to pursue my PHD. I know you're in Kansas, but this is a great place to work, and I think you'd be a great fit to take my place. Check it out." So I did. I clicked on that stinkin link and my life has not been the same since!

Before calling Brian back, I just felt inclined to talk with my dear friend, Elisabeth. How do I even begin to tell you all the reasons why I love this girl?! She and I were EFY counselors together in 2004, we were roommates, we were in classes together at BYU, we were in the same major and therefore claimed dibs on one another as project partners, she's adorable and wonderful, etc etc. Ok so I knew she was working up in SLC and I was curious if she knew anything about this job opening. I simply asked "Hey what's the name of the place you're working at again?" and she told me the name and then said "Oh but Tiff there's a Recreation therapy position open with the Division of Youth Services that I wanted to tell you about." (you could say it's the "sister facility" to where she works)...I froze! Elisabeth DEFINITELY knows I'm in Kansas and definitely knows how much I love being here. The fact that 2 friends had both thought to mention this job to me- I had to look into it and the more I looked, the more I was hooked and the next thing I knew-I had completed the application process for it.

This was all at the end of August. September came, and I had many emotionally unexpected and stressful things happening in my life at the time. Then I received a phone call from Salt Lake County requesting an interview. Part of me was kicking myself, knowing I had "doomed" myself by applying for the job. I knew I was beyond qualified for this position and having both Brian and Elisabeth on board as my cheerleaders, I knew there was a good chance I would get the job. This would inevitably lead to one thing; I would have to make a decision about accepting it, which, obviously, would mean I would be leaving Kansas.

September 14th & 15th I flew out to SLC and had my interview. I took the quick trip extremely seriously and really wanted to be fair and unbiased in evaluating how I felt about being out there. While I was in Salt Lake, I stayed with the family of one of my best friends, which helped a lot! They know me well enough and were extremely supportive and understanding in my time of stress and deep thoughts. It helped a lot to be able to talk sensibly with them about the reality of making the decision of possibly leaving Kansas and moving out to Salt Lake (right nearby them, in fact). I realized after the interview that I didn't feel good nor bad about the job, but I felt like I would be ok if I were to move there to Salt Lake City. That was huge for me!

About 2 weeks after my interview, on Sept 25th, I was offered the job. I accepted it the day after. So, I will be working as a Recreation Therapist with the Salt Lake County Division of Youth Services. This is basically a short term emergency facility for youth 12-18 who are in crisis, or who have been pulled from their homes and are waiting to be placed in either residential treatment or in foster care, etc. I'm excited to use my degree again, to work with youth and to be getting paid really well on top of that!
Things have fallen into place in ways I never could have imagined. Everything from me getting out to Salt Lake, as well as getting my things moved, having a place to live, when to start work, etc. I am constantly amazed by it. I know without a doubt that I am NOT in control on this one-AT ALL. Someone else is steering the wheel. I honestly am "just along for the ride" even though I have NO CLUE where that ride is taking me. I guess the most important part is that I'm willing to just stay in "the car" and trust "the driver."
I'll be the first to admit I still have no desire to be leaving Kansas. I feel like I just got here. In fact, I get that choked up lump in my throat anytime I start to think about leaving my family, my friends, my ward, my hometown and really the Kansas City area in general, but no matter how much denial I try to live in, the car is packed for my brothers to drive out in a couple of days and just like the song goes...my bags are packed and although I can't say I'm "ready to go"...I am leaving tomorrow... and yes, I'll be on a jet plane. This may be goodbye for now, Kansas, but honestly-you'll always be my home! And as we all know..."There's no place like home!"