The Search

We didn't really have our heart set on Vermont when we started the job search.  We were actually only looking in Chicago and Denver (the two cities we narrowed our search down to after a TON of research).  Jeremy's Supervisor at school recommended him to her friend that has a practice in Rutland, Vermont.  It seemed like a pretty good opportunity so we figured it wouldn't hurt to check it out and Jeremy planned to meet with her.

A few weeks later, Jeremy was having lunch at school and one of the LDS 1st year dental students got wind of Jeremy possibly going to Vermont and said that his brother in law has a practice in Shaftsbury, Vermont (an even smaller town just north of Bennington) and is looking for an LDS, Tufts University Dental School graduate.  So Jeremy gave the student his information to pass on to the Dentist.  They got in contact with each other and Jeremy ended up meeting with both of the dentists at the end of January while they were in Boston for a Dental Conference.  Both of the meetings went really well (one at the conference on Friday, one at the bowling alley with the Dentist's family on Saturday) and we were feeling quite lucky.  We kept checking in with our Denver contact to see if any opportunities were brewing and we found that there wasn't anything.  So we kept pursuing the Vermont stuff and went to visit each place. 

While in Bennington the last weekend of February, we stayed with the LDS dentist and they wined and dined us (sans the wine).  Jeremy hung out at the office getting a feel for how things were run, where he also got the job offer just a few hours into the weekend, while I went snowshoeing with his wife (who is also a dentist and works part time at her own office).  They drove us around the little mountain towns (they have covered bridges, maple syrup farms everywhere, and outlet shopping!!), took us to great restaurants, and convinced us to stay until Sunday so we could check out the small Branch.  The must have prepped the Branch for our visit, because the Branch President and his wife were begging us to accept the job and move up there to the area.  The whole time I kept saying to Jeremy, "We are moving here.  Did you know that?"  His response, "You said that when we visited Boston for the first time and you were right, so you are probably right this time."  I could really picture myself enjoying life there, it just felt right. They gave us a month to get back to them about the job offer.  So we returned home with a lot to think about.

The next weekend we went to Rutland to meet with the other dentist and see her practice.  We got more information and got to ask some questions.  It was a short meeting that didn't really go anywhere.  She told us to drive around to see the city and keep in touch if we were interested.  Needless to say I wasn't as impressed and didn't really like the city compared to the quaint mountain towns only an hour south.  We were pretty bummed that we drove three hours just to chat and look around, so while we were eating breakfast for lunch at a local dive we decided to go back to Bennington on the way home and look at some houses. 

At that point, it was decided for me.  A golden opportunity handed right to us.  The LDS Dentist is truly an incredible dentist (business minded and FAST!) and will be an awesome mentor for Jeremy.  We did some praying and fasting to really be sure.  When Jeremy called to accept the job, the Dentist almost immediately transitioned to, "Ok, now we need to find your wife a job.  Have her email me her resume and I will start sending it around."  What a guy! So now the job search begins for me.

This is what I know, we didn't choose Vermont, God chose it for us.  We have been praying for job opportunities along the way and to be guided by God in our search.  We did our part researching different areas of the country and narrowing it down and then God surprised us with great opportunities in Vermont.  I am sad to continue to live far away from my awesome family... and at the same time I know it's where we need to be.  So we will trust God, trust His plan, and enjoy every moment of this Vermont adventure.  It might be for 5 years, or less, or forever, or somewhere in between.  I will let God decide, for His plans are far better than mine... every time.