Going back a bit Part 3

That next morning, April 16th we left early!!!  We were full of excitement, questions, and the thought that everything could change quickly.  We were picked up that afternoon and drove to Mount Hermon in Santa Cruz,CA.  Mount Hermon is impressive, it just is.  They do everything to exceed your expectations.  Andy had interviews all afternoon.  I decided I would nap a half hour to rest from the jet lag and then explore.  3 hours later I was still in bed.  That night we went out with a couple that had worked for Kidder and gave us the lowdown on the past 5-10 years.  It was overwhelming and exciting to hear about the possibilities that laid in what they described as, ' the most beautiful place.'  We came back to our room and Andy immediately crashed from an exhausting process of all day interviews and info.  We got up really early the next morning (still on Wisconsin time) and took a hike.  We talked and prayed and prepared for our drive to Kidder.  It was a 6 hour drive with the person who was interviewing us and would potentially be Andy's boss, not intimidating at all...  They talked while I tried to disappear from the process.  When we drove into Kidder to say our hearts where taken back is an understatement.  It truly is a breathtaking spot.  Apple orchards with horses in them, with mountains and streams as the back drop.  I think now a little of us fell in love right then.  Who wouldn't want to raise their kids in that kind of place?

 That night we had dinner with all the  full-time staff of Kidder.  It was wonderful, even though we were being interviewed.   The office manager made a dinner on par with Thanksgiving and we saw in each of the staff a complete commitment to serving God thru camp ministry.  It was very special and that night we fell in love with the people that were working year-round to serve this camp.  The next couple of days were filled with interviews as well as meeting people who we would do life with.  God knew I needed to see how real, day to day life would look, and by the end of the weekend I had captured a vision.  On our last day there we had decided this was a 'yes' for our family.   If the job was extended, we would take it!  We came back to Kidder after lunch and Lisa said, 'Let's go look at your house.'  Wait, does this mean we got the job.  It did!  Earlier in the weekend Lisa had shown us a house that Mount Hermon owned, but would be willing to sell.  It was right next to camp, which I loved for the sake of being involved, but was a farmette on 5 acres.  This is where God went way beyond what needed to happen and just blessed us above our expectations.  It was a great house that needed  tlc... lots of tlc!  But before the Camp, and the move, and the house there would be almost 2 months of packing and telling many people that we had done life with closely, goodbye.