Today we got the call we had been waiting for! Matthew has been selected for the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School! Hooah!
We had been waiting for this call for the past two years. We began the process with the U.S. Marine Corps, but God made it very obvious that the U.S. Army was the route for us. After a lot of training, paperwork, mix-ups, frustrations, interviews, and prayers... Matthew has been selected!
When the officer called Jack was having a little meltdown. Matt was holding him and he was screaming. Matt wasn't about to let this phone call go to voicemail. The officer asked if it would be better if he called back in a little bit and Matt agreed. The officer stated he was calling to let him know he had been selected and Matt asked him to repeat! He congratulated him and they ended the call. A few minutes later he called back and Jack was settled down. The officer welcomed Matt to the "winning team" and Matt replied, "Glad to finally be joining the fight, sir!"
Mommy and Jackson are so proud of our soldier! We do not have any dates yet for Basic Training or OCS, but we aren't worried about that. The biggest question mark has been obliterated with a gigantic check mark! The unknown has been removed... and replaced with a hundred new unknowns. But these unknowns are all a part of our future life as an Army family.
I told Matt we could go anywhere he wanted for dinner to celebrate. We're planning to not eat out at all in the month of July, but we knew there would be one exception. Matt wanted to go to Olive Garden because normally I don't like going there (everything has the same after taste and therefore tastes the same). We both got drinks (lemonade or pop is $3!), delicious meals, and dessert. It was a celebration after all! Our entire family even dressed the part: Matt in his army green, me in my desert tee, and Jack in his "hero" onesie.
This is such a big blessing in our lives. No only is this what Matt wants to do with his life, but also it will provide for our family financially in an unstable economy. We are also looking forward to being lights for Christ in the Army. So many soldiers put in harms way. How many of them have the saving knowledge of Christ? As Matt hopes to lead by example on the battle field, we as a family hope to lead by example in our daily walks. We hope to set ourselves apart by what we choose to do and not do. We will love our neighbors and be available for them in the big and small; the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual as needed.
While we were confident in Matt's abilities and in his qualifications to be an officer, we wondered if this was truly God's will for our lives. We felt like God led us to this path. We have been so blessed throughout our entire marriage. There is no such thing as too many blessings, however. This year God has blessed up so abundantly! And the year is barely halfway over! We had the birth of our son, the absolute amazing-ness of our little boy, my new position at work, Matt's ability to stay at home with Jack, and now the Army. Count your blessings, count them one by one. We surely have seen what God has done in our lives.
Let the journey begin!
