Time to Come Clean

Let's get some back story...

• Matt and Jen meet at College of Wooster - start dating September 2002.  
• May 2003 - Jen graduates, gets job teaching in Stow (NE Ohio).
• May 2005 - Matt graduates, follows Jen to Akron area, lives with buddies, goes to Kent for Master's Degree.
• June 2005 - Jen and Matt get engaged.
• June 2006 - Jen and Matt get married.
• May 2007 - Matt gets hired by North Canton Police Department.
• June 2007 - Jen and Matt move to North Canton.
• July 2007 - Winston joins the family (couldn't leave him out!)
• Jen's family = approx. 1 hour away
• Matt's family = approx. 2 hours away

And now, here we are, in North Canton.  I didn't expect to stay in NE Ohio this long with family so far away, but we have made a home and family here (from friends!).  Matt has loved working with his fellow officers in North Canton.

But we always felt a pull.  

• Kate born 2011
• Megan born 2014
• Damon born 2015

The pull gets stronger.  We need family closer.  We want our children to be closer to them.

• January 2015 - Matt starts looking for jobs in Columbus.

And here we are.  We had lots of departments tell us no.  We had lots of departments not even consider Matt.  We had departments we started in the process, and then withdrew - it wasn't the right fit.  (For anyone who thinks cop jobs are easy to get...well, just don't say that in my presence.  Ever.)

• January 2016 - Matt applies to Dublin Police Department.

This is the cream of the crop.  The department we had dreamed about.  We had applied before, but the test they gave didn't work well in Matt's favor (and as we found out, not in the favor of MOST experienced officers.  Departments using this test are having a hard time hiring new officers - they can't get good candidates from it!  I digress...).  Dublin had started using a new test.  

• February 13 - Matt takes and passes written and 2/3 of physical agility test (run was rescheduled due to ice).  Matt is one of 200 in this part of the process.  
• March 26 - Matt does panel interview - i.e. serious interrogation.  Matt is one of 45 in this part of the process.  
• April - Matt, his family and friends, all start going through the background process.  This takes a couple weeks.  Matt is one of 15 in this process.  Number 8. 
• April 16 - Matt passes run (SMOKED it ;) )
• April 28 - Matt is one of 8 given interviews by the Chief's interview panel - with the Chief of Police, 2 lieutenants and the head of HR.

Then, we wait.  In the meantime, another job had come up, and we found out Matt was one of 4 to be interviewed.  It would have been a sweet job.  NO DOUBT.  More on that later...

• May 9, 2016.  Matt is working out, and his phone rings.  He walks up the stairs - and the look on his face.  I knew. (Cue Jen crying here...sorry)  This is the day we know.  We will be closer to family.  Our kiddos will have a grandma less than an hour away.  Aunts, an Uncle, cousins.  A CONDITIONAL offer has been given - assuming Matt passes his physical and psychological exams - both scheduled next week.  Please pray for us as we finish this process.

How amazingly bittersweet.  I love it here.  I love North Canton.  I love our friends that are here and still close in Stow.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Kate's school and the teachers there who have done SO MUCH for her in these 2 years - and were so ready to keep doing more for her.  I will miss this little house.  This house we bought and ate our first anniversary dinner in - on a card table (it was Chipotle.  LOL).  This house that we brought 3 newborn babies home to.  This house that they ALL learned to walk in.  That yard they all played in.  I will miss it.  (oh crap...more tears)  So bittersweet.

And then I look at this face.  This INCREDIBLY excited face.  And I cry for a whole different reason.  For the opportunities for our family - and the AMAZING opportunities he will have in this INCREDIBLE department.  I am so proud of you, Matt.  You deserve all this and more.

Matt - in his Shamrock Thin Blue Line shirt.  Appropriate for Dublin, don't ya think?

(The other job?  It would have been M-F, 8-5.  But the timing was wrong.  Interview too late.  Bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush, and we are NOT letting go of this bird.  That job may come up again down the road...maybe closer to retirement.  It would have been great.  But it wasn't where we were lead.  Thankful for our hearts ready to trust where God needed us to be.)