It Will Change

Oh how things have changed since Dom’s first step in America.

“Just wait and see! Your life can change so much in just a month (a week, a day, etc.).”

When Dom and I were searching for full-time, permanent work for two and a half years we heard a variation of the above off and on.

I would smile kindly, say “Yeah, true!” but really think, “Maybe your life, but our life has been stuck in the same gear of searching and not finding answers for months and nothing ever changes day after day.”

Ha! But finally, those kind, well-intentioned people’s words have come true.

On January 9th, I dropped Dom off at his first day of work, feeling like a mom taking her kid to school for the first time. Then I nervously drove to my job hoping I wouldn’t get lost on the confusing Austin roads to start my first day of content writing.

Then two weeks later, we learned that by October 1-ish we will become Mee and Paa. Jobs, and a baby?! In one month? After waiting so long for change, it came gushing out at us like a geyser that finally makes it’s spectacular appearance.

Now the next step. Our own apartment. We had one, a long time ago in our early days of married bliss in Bangkok. It was just a studio, one, medium-sized room—no kitchen, and we ate our street food on the floor Thai-style—but it did have a tiny balcony where I could peer into the gym in the other building and watch Dom work out. It was perfect for us, and only $250 a month.

The view of the gym from our wee balcony

I thought that was sooo cheap for an apartment in a good location in a country’s capital. But Dom thought it was normal. So now when he looks at what I think are typical apartment prices in Austin, his jaw drops to the floor, and everything is “Pang mak!!!” (Sooooo expensive!!!).

Even though we make more than we did in Thailand, and even though he has been in America for 2.5 years, his mind is still converts dollars to baht when it comes to apartment rent. Especially since we have never had our own place in America, it’s something I forgot he will have to get used to–many exciting blog posts on apartment searching in America to come.

It just hit me though, that things did change. And everything that happened while we waited came together and was good. Even after whining, complaining, being impatient, ungrateful for so many things I had while waiting for change, things still worked out.

“Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” Romans 8:26-28 The Message.