Blessings in Disguise

So after a 30 minute pilates workout (that totally kicked my butt), I spent the entire morning with a friend helping another friend pack up her kitchen. I'm beat. I decided to cancel my treadmill session and take a nap instead. Before I could commit myself to falling asleep, I had to check facebook--and found this amazing 30 day journal prompt on gratitude (of course appropriate because this month is Thanksgiving). Now, I'd like to commit to 30 days of blogging gratitude, but since it's unlikely, and especially since I will have other things to write down (like yesterday was Halloween), I am committing to lots of gratitude entries this month.

The condensed prompt for today is:

What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise. --Oscar Wilde

So I actually have a huge essay written on one event that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. BUT since I still want my nap (and you probably don't have time to read a 3 page essay either), I will try to summarize.

Probably the biggest trial in our lives (so far) has been when Joe lost his job in 2009. We had three kids, a house, no income, and no one was hiring--especially not first year associates. It was scary! We decided to move to Dallas, TX and start an immigration law practice. Terrifying! I still don't know how I was brave enough to do it--except there was no other option and I knew that at one point I had known it was the right choice for our family (I questioned it--a lot).

Somehow we made it, and now Joe's practice is going well, and they are officially hiring two new associates this week because they found out yesterday(!) that they passed the bar.

Blessing in disguise? YES! Looking back, we can see God's hand orchestrating the entire event. We had to move to Cleveland to meet the dentists. Joe had to move to TX without us to meet the dental accountant that got him started on dental law (long story). Now his clients are all dentists (his partner took over 100% of the immigration work). His hours are better, he can take vacation, he can work from home--actually he can work pretty much anywhere in the world. Best of all--I have every hope and expectation that things will keep getting better.

Who knew? Losing a job can be a blessing in disguise!