Part Six: Enter Eden

When Alex started teaching, we were shocked at how much he was making. He was teaching 2 evening classes, and making almost as much as at his full time job. It was more than we expected. He had never been told an exact figure when he started, and there was no hourly rate on his pay check. So, we were just pleasantly surprised. Well, that surprise was less than pleasant when we found out that the payroll department had made a mistake, and had been paying him for 3 classes not 2.  We found out at the end of the semester, and we had to pay the money back. So, they took it out of his paychecks for the next semester. So, in order to pay it back, Alex took on 3 classes, in addition to taking some classes.

So Alex was working more, being paid less, and I was due to have Eden that semester. It was a very difficult time. Alex was never home, and when he was, he was working. I had pregnancy complications that made it very difficult to care for Micah. And we were financially strapped, so I could not afford to get help or even go anywhere. I ended up being induced over spring break so that Alex could be there.

After I had Eden, I battled postpartum depression. It was a very difficult time. Literally every day I would fall on my knees begging God for there to be a better plan. I prayed that a job would open that fall, and they would lower the requirements so Alex could be qualified. I begged this every day. While I would not voluntarily sign up to go through that again, I would never give up the things I learned in that time of desperation. Even though I look back on it and still shudder a bit, I value it greatly.

Well, fall came, and Alex got a phone call from his welding instructor, Charlie. He excitedly told Alex that Owens had finally approved another full time teaching position for the welding department. At first Alex got excited, but then remembered that he was nowhere near qualified. He pointed this out to Charlie and Charlie said, "I know, I just felt that this was good news for you."

Alex and I were both very excited. In our heads we knew it did not mean anything yet, but in our hearts, we both felt God was telling us that this job was for Alex.

God had done the first half of what I asked, so Alex and I both started fasting, praying that they would drop the qualifications. A couple months later, the union stepped in and said that Owens could not create a teaching position that none of their part time instructors were qualified for, they had to drop the requirements. Alex was going to be qualified! That semester, Alex took every certification class he could get into, to pad his resume with more qualifications. When they started accepting resumes, Alex went to submit his, and it would not go through because he did not have the 4 year degree. Somehow, Owens had been able to reinstate that requirement. We were crushed, but still determined. God had moved enormous mountains. He could do it some more.