Wow What a Week...and Hardly Any Pictures To Show For It!

My anxiety has been tested to its core and I've lived to tell the tale!

Last Wednesday I had the joy of my first root canal. And wouldn't you know it...the laughing gas didn't make me laugh...it made me really, really sad! What? Dr. Nelson said I was a trooper and asked me if he should call Joe and let him know how tough I am. Heck ya!

So I endured the hour long procedure with novicaine minus the epinephrine (transalation: I could still feel it). I can't have epi because it makes my heart beat race and sends me right into a full blown panic attack. I'll take the bit of pain, thank you very much. Anyway once the dentist told me that my pain was normal due to the lack of epi, I actually did quite well! He also said that he has never had a patient use so little nitrous oxide. A normal adult uses 2 liters and I used only .25 liters. When the assistant cranked it up, I felt like weights were on my chest and all I could do was moan. She told me she could lower the amount until I felt okay and apparently I barely needed it at all.

I listened to my workout music on my mp3 during the procedure...maybe for my next appointment, I'll find some more relaxing music. At one point, he was working right on a root that made me want to scream but I just concentrated on touching my toes together and inhaling the laughing gas. Anyway, right then a song came on that was so not working for me..."Holding Out For a Hero"! I definitely need to get some more relaxing music. The hardest part was holding my mouth open for an hour. At one point the assistant had to put her finger on my chin to keep it open. What they didn't realize is that they were cracking my then healing cold sore on my bottom lip. It since has spread but thanks to Abreva...very minimal.

As if that wasn't enough stress to do me in for the next 24 hours....we had to head to Idaho for a job interview, literally as I got home from the dentist. I still can't believe I pulled it off! Joe interviewed in beautiful Garden Valley, Idaho. The position is for Head Boys Basketball Coach, Head Golf Coach, and Social Studies teacher. We were "wined and dined" so to speak by the Superintendent, Principal, and Athletic Director. Our trip was all paid for which is very rare for a teaching interview. I was blown away by the beauty and the hospitality of everyone there!

The school is still being built and will be dedicated August 1st so we had to wear hard hats during the tour. I snapped a picture of Joe...I should have gotten one of me. Oh well.
The job opportunity feels like we had given the Lord a checklist of what we want: coaching-check
teaching US history-check
teaching leadership-check
awesome facilities-check
Pre-k - 12 under one roof-check
Great employers-check
Sub job for Allie-check
Free Preschool for Kristen-check
Smart boards in all classrooms-check
Amazing views from all classroom windows-check


I was sold immediately. However, the town isn't really a town and you have to do your grocery shopping in Boise which wouldn't be bad if it weren't an hour away! I fell in love with a couple of houses shown to us and figured that Joe was on the same page as me. Sure it would be a completely different change of lifestyle but I feel up for an adventure. It wasn't till we drove out of Garden Valley that Joe voiced his concerns.

This is proving to be the most difficult decision we have ever had. The job is ideal but the location is kind of out in the middle of nowhere. We have flip flopped back and forth on whether or not to accept the job and Joe and I just can't seem to get on the same page. We even fasted on Sunday which I will not be doing again anytime soon. (The 14 hours proved to be too much for my low blood sugared, underweight, stressed, cold sored body. I ended up getting really sick...fever, stomach issues, etc. Yuck. I will learn how to fast in my own way and I'm sure the Lord will understand.)

After writing my list of pros and cons (pros came out way on top!), Joe and I had a good heart to heart. We decided that the con holding us back is our house. He tried to send an e-mail declining the job offer on Monday, but he could not get his finger to press send. Hmmm, kind of like when he couldn't bless Will as Justin. Interesting how the Lord works. So we have come down $11,000 on the price of our home making it $299, 000 and are giving our house one week to get an offer and if that happens we will accept the job and head out to Idaho. Did I mention that school starts in August? If the house does not get an offer, than we face another coachless year here in Hamilton. I know it's a long shot, but if we are supposed to go, the Lord will provide a way...he always does.

I wish I had more time to fill you in on the dramamine side effects, the immense amount of pain that night from the root canal, the immediate relief from pain meds that night (I took the pill, Joe went into the bathroom, and the next thing I knew I was waking up the next morning...sweet). I also wish I could tell you about the town triangle in Crouch which really is Garden Valley because it doesn't have it's own zip code, and the amazing food we ate there. I especially wish I could tell you how my prayers were answered by being able to meet someone in the branch there who gave us a tour of their new chapel...it happens to be the athletic director/counselor in Elders Quorum! Hopefully just mentioning these things will jog my memory in the future. If we end up moving there, they will have their own blog entries.

Wish us luck on our quest to get Joe back into teaching and coaching and my quest to not totally lose my mind! Round 2 of the root canal is this Thursday...I still haven't downloaded any relaxing music and my cold sore is finally scabbing. I'm nervous but nothing like I was last week. And before I forget...thank you Sharon for watching our kids while we were away! They all said they were disappointed that we hadn't stayed longer. They really did not want you to leave!:)