the plan.
hooray!!! i finally have good news to report about phil’s job search and our next steps. i can’t begin to tell you what a relief it is to finally have a direction to move in and actually be able to start planning, making lists, just plain doing something. it’s the waiting and not knowing that was killing me.
it’s good to have a plan, man.
but first, let me back way up and start this story from the beginning, as with any proper epic drama.
nine years ago, i was engaged to be married to…
ha ha, i kid. i kid.
that’s too far back.
this particular epic drama begins in early february of this year. phil was already beginning to feel nervous about finding a job since graduating residents in years past usually had jobs lined up by january at the latest. none of us knew then how bad the job market this year was going to be. interviews were hard to come by and most of them were for per diem (non-permanent, part-time) work.
phil felt the extra pressure of needing to find stable work to provide for his family. though he never once complained about it or wished he’d had it easier- only needing to fend for himself, and therefore, could take any job and work up from there. i felt bad for him and tried to lessen the burden, assuring him we’d be fine wherever he found a job he liked. but he just really desired to find work that would be more permanent and secure for our family’s sake.
anyway, he got an interview at a nearby hospital in early february. he went in to it not expecting much since it seemed like they weren’t really hiring anyone, and definitely not for a permanent position since everyone already working there was staying put.
the interview ended up going really well and though there wasn’t an official job offered to him, he was told that there would be work for him if he got his paperwork in. that came with a $400 fee. he went ahead and put in his paperwork, thinking we could see that as insurance of sorts, in case nothing else panned out.
two weeks later (in that two weeks we had to deal with that major house flood that was kinda not fun), he managed to get another interview at another hospital, this one down in orange county. this one looked a lot more promising as it was for a full-time, permanent position in a great area. this interview lasted for two days, as he had to meet everyone in the group. this group is somewhat different in that all decisions are made by a voting process and everyone from top to bottom has an equal vote.
happily, phil said the interview went really well and he thought most everyone in the group was really nice. unhappily, he found out that several people were interviewing for the same, single position. we were still hopeful for good news even with the grim outlook. the group would be voting the next week.
well, the week came and went and we didn’t hear anything. phil inquired and as expected, the job went to someone else. we felt discouraged and a little defeated.
we trudged through the month of march. there were no more interviews on the horizon. phil took to scanning job postings online for any leads. he’d throw out possibilities– sacramento? la verne (still have no idea where that is)? fontana? hawaii? most of these were still for part-time work, but things weren’t looking too good at this point for us.
phil’s stress level was at an all-time high and it was beginning to affect his health. and when phil is stressed, he tends to not communicate as much, in an effort to take it all upon himself. but of course, this tends to stress me out when i know he’s not doing too well but i don’t know what’s going on or how to help (if i even can).
then out of the blue, phil gets a call from the group in oc. they had a tentative offer for him to consider– would he be willing to join them and work there next year, then go off and do a fellowship in pediatric anesthesia, and then return to join the group permanently?
we took a day or two to consider it. it would mean a lot of moving around for us. it would be hard on the kids, especially if they started school in one place, then have to move somewhere for one year, then move back. we discussed all the ins and outs of what that would entail. we prayed about it. we discussed some more. then we decided to do it. because the outcome would more than make up for the short-term difficulties we’d face.
so phil called them back and said he’d take it.
but wait. now they had to vote on it.
so then we had to wait some more.
and some more.
and then he finally heard back and the offer had changed. could he possibly get the fellowship done THIS year and then join them the following year?
although from the outset, this looked like the better offer since it would mean less moving and less disruption for us, it would be the harder thing to manage since people were already interviewing for fellowship positions for NEXT year, forget about trying to get something arranged for THREE MONTHS from now.
but phil got on the ball right away and started calling all over the country to find any available spots.
he found one. in new mexico.
they offered him an interview, so he hopped onto a plane in early april and headed out there. the interview went really well (this part is really a God thing because phil says he’s not the most well-spoken and doesn’t schmooze as easily, so all these great interviews is because God loves phil), and they offered him the fellowship. with a negotiable start date to boot.
so for all intents and purposes, we were going to pack up and head on out to albuquerque. we actually were looking forward to doing this, as it would be a new adventure for us, it would be for only one year, phil really liked the people he’d be working with, the schedule would be really nice (as in four-day work weeks!), the living cost would be much lower, and we’d have more time to spend together.
except, new mexico’s education system is ranked pretty low. mikey would be starting kindergarten. and though it’s both of our preference for our kids to go to a Christian school, we knew that we wouldn’t be able to afford it next year while phil does the fellowship training. and we weren’t comfortable with putting mikey in a public school in a different state that we (at this point) know nothing about. so… i threw homeschooling out there as an option. phil agreed that that would be a good idea as we do this transitional year.
so, there entered a whole new level of stress for me. but i put a pin in it and decided to put off thinking about it (beyond deciding what all-inclusive program i was going to use), until we had everything else settled.
phil called the oc group to let them know he managed to secure a fellowship for next year.
but wait. now they had to vote on it.
so then we had to wait some more.
and some more.
sound familiar?
in a few more phone conversations, it was becoming rather apparent that the group wasn’t too pleased with the new mexico fellowship. have i mentioned that it’s a tad late in the year to be applying for a fellowship, period? or that they never specified what they’d find acceptable? or that it’s late in the year?!
ok, so the job with the oc group was beginning to look more and more like a pipe dream.
in the midst of waiting to officially hear back from the oc group, the chair of phil’s residency program put a call in for him to chla (children’s hospital of los angeles). they offered him an interview. unfortunately, the earliest date they could do it was on phil’s birthday. the day that he’d also be post-call. post-call meaning he’d have NO sleep the night before and would be pretty jacked up by the morning.
i was worried he was going to get into a car accident while trying to get there.
but he sucked it up and drove over there. miraculously, the interview went really well (definitely a God-thing again!) and he came back safely, too.
we waited with bated breath for a couple days.
in the meantime, the hospital near us calls out of the blue (earlier they had stopped returning phil’s calls, which phil took to mean that there wouldn’t be any work at all for him there), and says they suddenly have a spot for him. 3/4 time, still not permanent, but would have plenty of work for him if he was interested. phil said he would definitely consider it, but also had another offer on the table too. so he’d get back to them.
yesterday, chla called and offered phil a spot in their fellowship program!!!
here’s part of the email he received:
>I congratulate you and want you to know that the Committee members were >very impressed with you as a person (your warmth, enthusiasm, maturity >and keen interest), as well as your academic and clinical accomplishments.
>We strongly believe that you have the abilities to be an excellent pediatric
>anesthesiologist. We sincerely hope that you will join the CHLA Team for
>your training.
that’s my man, y’all!! yeah, he’s kinda my hero.
so then phil calls the oc group to let them know of this new development.
but wait. now they had to… well, you know the drill.
but this morning, phil texts me that they offered him the position. conditional upon his completing the fellowship program, of course.
and so (if you’re still reading, you are truly my friend and i love you), now we finally have a plan. a direction. a light at the end of the tunnel!!!
and we have only 68 days remaining of residency.
and now. i have roughly TWO months to pack us up and move us closer to chla. maybe glendale (hear that, jenny? we’re gonna be ALMOST neighbors!).
and after that, it looks like we’ll be moving on down to the o.c.
and. i might still be homeschooling mikey next year. but the pin’s still stuck in that whole situation until we get more settled. then we’ll see. one thing at a time, right?
but for now, we are very, very happy.
and i’m loving the truth of this verse in a very real way today:
now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Jesus Christ to all generations forever and ever. amen.
-ephesians 3:20-21
24 Comments
ohmobile
i read the whole thing! amazing! God is, and has been, taking care of your blessed family Michelle! awesome news!
Wendy Lee
what awesome news Michelle!!! life is hard when living in uncertainty but it's always during these time that God reveals Himself to us and we know He is always there for us. Congrats to Phil!!!
Anonymous
yeah!!…whoa~ staying in California!!….what a great area as well…My husband's from the Glendale area…and after visiting there recently…GIRL, YOU GONNA LOVE IT!!…….its so poshy and so family oriented that i totally evny some of the ladies who live there…Did i mention your close to great malls…….hint: Americana….lol….congrats, YES GOD IS GOOD…..the suspense must've killed you…imagine, we have to live like that every three years to find out where our next duty station will be……always praying somewhere worth whiled to live and fun!…CONGRATS, YOU CAN DO IT!!…just think of the new house, new surroundings and ohhhh, the great malls and churches……..that'll speed up things….HUGS…BTW, ITS BABYMOMOF2…I don't have a account here, but will soon…
James
congrats phil and michelle! i think you're gonna like glendale. it's much more of a family-oriented community. Jami used to rent a place near glendale community college, and that area was really nice (they had movie night at the park across the street from GCC during the summertime).
Isn't God's grace just amazing? Whether things work out or not, you can totally see His hand opening and closing doors in your life. just incredible! Congrats again!
JAMI
michelle!!! thanks for this awesome post! this is such great news!!!! i'm SOOOO glad that things all worked out… and i'm even more glad that you'll be moving (hopefully!) to glendale! i grew up in glendale and lived there until moving here to alhambra in january… went to school there from 6th to 10th grade… so if you have any questions about anything glendale-related, please feel free to ask me… 🙂 yay!! we'll be pseudo-neighbors!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
PTL! God is AWESOME!!!
Jan
Wow, what a roller coaster! Praise God for how things have worked out. Isn't he trustworthy?!
Anonymous
congratulations!!! God's plan for your family was way beyond what you were hoping/expecting. He is so good and I'm so happy for your family. Thanks for sharing. Good luck with packing/moving! – janet.
stella
what a rollercoaster ride! praise God for His mighty hand in everything. Yay that you'll be closer, boo that you'll end up in OC, but yay that the OC job will be a permanent position. How did you like my mini rollercoaster reaction ride? :)….homeschooling? Woah! that is it's own rollercoaster ride of decisions…I'm getting nausous now. 😛
evangeline
that is one of the most uplifting posts i have read in a long time. God is sooo good! yay!!! you'll be closer to us! have you considered living in burbank? the schools in that area are great.
joyceandnorm
wow wow wow! that is great news! i would have been going crazy…well, looking back, norm was unemployed when i was 4.5 months pregnant, and i didn't go crazy. God is definitely our Jehovah Jireh….seeing how he was also unemployed when we were about to get married. God's humor in keeping with the theme i guess… it is going to be an adventure, and you guys will have a wonderful testimony of how God works.
stefjayc
Wow! What a crazy ride! And God totally provided every step of the way. Yay Phil! Yay Michelle! And all the glory to God above! Thanks so much for sharing Michelle!
Minna
CRAZY!!
I didn't think I'd be able to read those words, "But wait, now they had to…" one more time without screaming. Those guys!
But we're so so happy for you guys! God has been so sovereign, so good, not only in working it all out so beautifully, but in helping you to stay sane in the process. Whew!
And oh my goodness, homeschooling?! Girl, you better call/ email me! 🙂
Judy
i think it took almost as much patience to write all of that out as phil had to be patient with that oc hospital… congrats. God is good isn't He?
Jenny
i was so tempted to just scroll down and find out the news but i read the entire thing. yes, i am truly your friend and you love me. 🙂 ha ha.
michelle! this post was so worth the wait. i can't believe all you went through and how wonderfully God worked everything out for your good. so awesome! and I can't believe after all these years, you're going to be so close by.
by the way, i have a very special place in my heart for chla. they are the ones who finally diagnosed me and totally took care of me until i no longer qualified as a "child". i loved it there! hooray for phil!
Kate Avedissian
that is great news, but i was a little saddened to read no Albuquerque, that is REALLY close to Colorado :D, like a 6 hr drive or something, but i love you too much, it is too hot down there.
too bad you didn't try for Denver, here in Highlands Ranch, our schools outrank CA schools.
God is so good…i cannot truly believe how much voting is needed. I would frame that letter, it was so personalized. Congrats to you and your WHOLE family
natalie brath
Praise God for how he has worked this out. I was hoping you were going to say Phil got something in MN!!! We miss you.
david fermin
Congratulations and praise God! We had no idea how crazy things would get after we visited in late January. I have a feeling my job search might go the same way in a couple years!
MillerMilleu
what an amazing journey….it is a challenge to wait for our husbands to find the God designed position! you are a trooper to move again. glendale is where huntington was born! may God bless your move. where is OC?
Lorie
What a crazy tale, Michelle! And yes, a true example of God's humor and faithfulness. I'm so glad you're finally nearing the end of the craziness of Phil's schedule and can finally get settled down…and in your home state to boot. Praise the Lord!! And as far as the offer e-mail Phil got is concerned…awesome! Did you ever have any doubts? Phil ROCKS (but I know you already knew that)!!!! 😉
Jhan
Congrates!!! I'm so happy that everything ended well. LOL…We live in Glendale except that we are moving to Irvine in 2 weeks! Maybe we can be neighbors when you move to OC in a year. I believe some of the elementary schools in Glendale are pretty good. Can't help you on preschool since most of the preschools I was looking at in this area is in Pasadena and has long wait lists.
KellyY
What a roller coaster ride. I am so happy for you at the outcome. Congrats Phil!!! This is fantastic. Praise God for all His provisions. Jeremiah 29:10.
Esther
hey michelle!! just read your post today. i'm really annoyed at that OC group…geesh, way to draaaag the whole thing out. 😉 soooooo, does this mean I get to see Mikey, Allie, and Lauren on Sundays????? 🙂 🙂 crossing my fingers!!
Anonymous
Lindsay Osborne- Phenomenal! I read this to Zach and we rejoiced at the outcome. Blessings on you as you figure out the details. I'll pray for you as I pack up in the next month too.
April 23, 2010 at 5:13pm
Agatha Shim- yeah!!…whoa~ staying in California!!….what a great area as well…My husband's from the Glendale area…and after visiting there recently…GIRL, YOU GONNA LOVE IT!!…….its so poshy and so family oriented that i totally envy some of the ladies who live there…Did i mention your close to great malls…….hint: Americana….lol….congrats, YES GOD IS GOOD…..the suspense must've killed you…imagine, we have to live like that every three years to find out where our next duty station will be……always praying somewhere worth whiled to live and fun!…CONGRATS, YOU CAN DO IT!!…just think of the new house, new surroundings and ohhhh, the great malls and churches……..that'll speed up things….HUGS.
April 23, 2010 at 5:26pm
Michelle Tsai- lindsay- thank you for praying! and CONGRATS on the new house!
i'm with jammie in wanting more details, please! 🙂
agatha- thank you! btw, i don't know how you deal with the
suspense every three years. this nearly killed me!!
April 23, 2010 at 6:12pm
Christine Nah Song- CONGRATULATIONS!!! Yeah! I'm so glad you're staying in CA!
April 23, 2010 at 7:33pm
Jessica Nystrom Johnson- Congratulations Michelle! what an amazing story of Gods goodness to you. Still wish you could be back in MN, but so very happy for you both. Blessings!
April 23, 2010 at 9:58pm
Joanne Cho- Love the way you write, Michelle. Our God is so faithful, isn't He?
April 23, 2010 at 10:50pm
Michelle Tsai- thanks, ladies!
christine- now we'll be a little closer to you guys too!
jess- i do wish ca and mn weren't quite so far apart!
aw thanks, joanne, i really appreciate that! 🙂
April 24, 2010 at 12:59am
Soraya Yoshikawa- AMEN! 🙂 What an answered prayer! 🙂
April 24, 2010 at 3:03pm
Brooke Fermin- phew! Love the post and love the scramble… what fun… go Phil and yay for fellowship… and as Dave says, when you get done remember Dave will still have 2 years to go so you are still getting out ahead! hee hee! So happy for you!
April 26, 2010 at 7:15pm
Brooke Fermin- I also have to say that I know someone else who gets quiet when stressed… hmmmm… we really need to sit them down and discuss how this is not good for all involved! 🙂
April 26, 2010 at 7:19pm
Anonymous
Laura An- yay! No New Mexico! I've been to NM .. God clearly LOVES you.
April 23, 2010 at 12:43pm
Michelle Tsai- laura, too funny! but CLEARLY, yes He does. 🙂
April 23, 2010 at 12:53pm