Back To School.....for the Old Man!

Oh, does this picture ever make me laugh! 

Since March my hubby has been voluntarily out of a job. I'm not going to lie, I have enjoyed the livin' day lights out of it! There is not another soul on earth that I would rather spend every second with! I never get tired of him and we always find something fun to do! It has been awesome, to say the least. And now, it is time to get on with it, I suppose.

Ryan has done Heating & Air Conditioning his whole life. His Dad started a company when Ry was young, and so he started learning the trade early on. After we got married he became the Residential Manager in the company. However, he still struggled. He didn't have a passion for what he was doing for work, and since that is where you spend such a huge chunk of time, it's kind of important to be happy with it....at least that is how we felt. So, he decided to move on, which resulted in the offer to run the Harris-Dudley branch in Sun Valley, ID.

Back again! Out of one, and right back into another. However, neither of us can deny that this was the right move for us. The Lord wanted us in Idaho and that is right where we went. Every person, every experience, especially having the twins while we were there...it all was just as it should have been. We met friends that had a profound impact on our lives, friends that we will love forever! Ry ended up becoming an equal partner in the ownership of that company. They had a good company! They were successful! One of the best...if not the best in the Valley. Ryan was designing systems for 18,000 sq. ft. homes and doing work for Tom Hanks, Arnold Schwarzenegger and other uppity ups. He was providing well for our family and we were able to do whatever was required to take care of Dawson's needs. Including taking the time off work or working from his home office so he could care for Jake & Mal while Daws and I stayed in the hospital. All seemed just right.....except it wasn't.

I totally believe that each of us was sent to the earth with a "To-Do" list, of sorts. We have missions to perform, things that only we can do. When we are living our lives in a way that fulfills those purposes, then we experience joy and fulfillment. We have peace. When we are not, we may be busy, but we will still feel a lack of joy, peace and fulfillment in our lives. 

Ryan was experiencing just that. The lack! Ry has never been one to define success by money or position. Success comes for him through feeling. Feelings of fulfillment, joy, peace....all of those feelings only come when we are living our lives inline with what our spirit knows we have been sent to do.

After Dawson died the feeling of that part of our lives coming to an end started becoming stronger and stronger. We didn't know what would happen next, but we knew the Lord's will would be done. Ry worked hard. The area we lived in started to feel the weight of the economy in the area suddenly taking a nose dive. Remember when we lived in our RV? We were trying to find a way to heal our hearts by having an adventure together. The Lord knew that this was a step in helping us financially for our next big move, the one we didn't see coming, but we could feel something was going to change. And change it did! With 10 days notice Ry and his partners decided that they weren't willing to go into a hole trying to save the company. We were even more anxious to move to the next step in our lives, and suddenly the opportunity was in front of our faces. The down fall was that we only had 10 days to pack up and move back to Utah. We barely had a chance to say goodbye to the friends we loved so much!

Once we got to Utah, we tried to find the next step for us. Was this the window to getting Ryan out of HVAC and on to his place in this world. Well....not yet!

Ry was asked to start a solar division for a friends company, and so he did that until we could sort out what to do next. We just kept feeling that there was purpose in the timing. And there was. He had a job, we found the house that was the right fit for us, and we were able to buy it. Then Ryan was givin the opportunity to go work in North Dakota for my sis-in-laws Dad. One week gone, 3 weeks home. January-March. It was a sweet arrangement. Then March came. We had enough in savings to take a step back, live on it, and sort out our next steps.

The last several months have been a lesson in faith for us. Each week we went to the temple, prayed constantly and sought the Lords will in our lives. We felt that was the best way to help us find the right path and opportunities. All along, every time a job was offered or a little stress was felt, we were met with a reassuring, "not yet, just be still". Occasionally we would have a strong feeling to do something, like build a music studio in our garage. We don't know why for sure, other than it gives Ryan a place to record, write & play music and for me to sing at the top of my lungs without disturbing a soul....and I like that! :) When we would start to worry, we would go to the temple and again, "not yet, just be still".

And then it came.....SCHOOL! Ryan had a career planned for him, since he was 11! He knows all there is to know about the industry. College wasn't something he chose to do. It is something he regrets so terribly. Not anymore! As of yesterday, Ryan started attending his first classes at UVU, with hopes to quickly transfer to BYU. We feel very good about him getting a degree in Mechanical Engineering, as of right now. He is wicked smart and totally could do anything he ever wanted to do. For now, this feels good, and we feel that as he starts in that direction either other doorways will open, or this will remain confirmed.

And so it starts! Ryan, Jake & Mal in school. Ryan at nights, for now, so he can find something to do, or start a business that will provide for our family in the meantime. Funny thing is that just the other day I felt a strong prompting to start school this January! Can you imagine?! 2 College Students with 2 kids in school! I laugh when I think about it, but it makes me excited to think about what lessons we all, and most importantly our kids, will learn through this experience! Certainly college will play a huge roll in their lives!

But beyond all of that I have to say, I have 100% respect and admiration for Ryan! He has my complete support, come what may! How could I not support him?! He is a 38 year old man, willing to walk away from a comfortable living to pursue his mission and purpose. Not everyone's mission is directly related to what they do for a living. Ryan's is. We know this, because of his Patriarchal Blessing...and from what we feel! I have mad respect for his willingness to sacrifice and become the OLD MAN on campus! THAT is living with Eternal Perspective! THAT is LifeUncommon! And I love him for it! We may be starving college students, and life might get a little crazy, but it will be yet another adventure under the belt of the Lindstrom Family! No doubt about it! 

So buckle up my friends! You are along for this ride! Wouldn't it be interesting to be able to flash forward 10 years to see what your life looks like?! Well, it would, but since it can't happen, we are just going to trust and enjoy it as much as possible!

DON'T BE AFRAID TO GET A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE IN ORDER TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS! THE REWARDS WILL BE PRICELESS!