I have some news to share ...
Disclaimer: (NO I'm NOT pregnant)
A couple weeks ago Drew put in his notice at Sonic. His last day will be July 31st.
Yes, you just read that correctly!
SHOCKED??? Me too!
It was one of the absolute hardest decisions we have ever made as a couple! Seriously!!! The hardest! Many conversations, countless hours, multiple prayers a day, and countless tears later we made the decision that God was telling us it was time to move on.
Drew has worked as an Partner with Sonic for almost 6 years! It has been one of the greatest achievements yet greatest challenges of his career. With Sonic comes much joy and success but also comes many headaches when you're constantly on call 24/7 literally. Get a day off? nope. Holidays off? Nope. We've always been okay with that. It took some getting use to in the beginning but soon it was second nature because it was part of the job. And when you are invested financially in something, you are totally invested!
But overtime ... it started to wear on Drew... One day (a couple months ago) Drew said I think I need some change I'm losing my joy in my job. I thought he was joking?! This man lives, breathes, and eats Sonic literally! This is his whole life, heck this is our whole life! For a about a month I blew off his conversations. I was actually angry that he wanted to uproot our life... That he was even considering changing his career. That he wanted to take away our stability. That he dared ask me to give my comfort of sonic away...
I went into prayer immediately after I realized he wasn't kidding ... I mean budging in my cries to pick himself up and deal with it. God started working in my heart. After many tears I realized God was changing my attitude on the whole "he needs change" conversation. God was telling me to trust Him. That God was not only working in me, but in my husband, and most importantly in our marriage. For the first time we truly prayed together more than just surface prayers. Drew asked God to direct us, give us clarity, give Drew opportunities. We prayed together and we cried together. I knew God was at work in my husband and no matter how hard I tried to fight it my husband was there saying Trust God but also trust him... He felt God was leading him in this other direction and he told me (still tells me) Everything is going to be okay...so I became the loving supportive wife my husband so rightfully deserved after I put my own selfishness aside!
So, last month right before we went on vacation Drew decided he was going to put in his notice. I told him to wait till we got back. Honestly thinking, if he has a week off he has time to change his mind. Maybe this poor overworked man just needed some time off... But even during vacation he wasn't truly there... He was stressed... And he wore it all over his face and his actions.. And I felt bad for him... I felt like he wasn't enjoying vacation... He spent much of the time sleeping mainly because he was sick and exhausted. But anyway when we got back from vacation he said it was TIME...
Therefore the resignation letter was written. And the resignation letter was turned into Drew's supervisor.
GASP!!!
My heart literally BROKE the day Drew called me and told me he turned it in... I cried...reality hit me, knocked me off my feet and I completely lost my balance! I was a total mess! This isn't a conversation any more ...this is REAL!!! Sonic is not only Drew's baby it's my baby! We had invested in Sonic not just financially, but emotionally and physically! This was a great opportunity for two young people so many years ago! Jon Richey believed in Drew fresh out of college and Leon and Barbara Irons gave us the chance of a lifetime! We couldn't be more thankful and gracious for their leadership, support, and commitment in my husband's career! And Drew is GREAT at his job! We were a great team! He devoted himself to Sonic! I was the Sonic wife and I loved it. Raegan even loved Sonic! We were devoted Sonic partners! It was our EVERYTHING...
And that's where we went wrong...I realize that now as I type this blog entry... We went wrong because we gave it our all that we had nothing left to give to the man upstairs! God was saying "hey you down there. I've been warning you, I'm trying to tell you success isn't everything in this life. It's important ... But your joy... everything you are looking for in life is found in ME... Trust ME... FOLLOW ME... SERVE ME"
Sooooo here we are forgetting the things we thought we wanted in life but following God because that's what we are suppose to be doing all along...
It's gonna be hard... Hard for both us to transition out of Sonic mode. But with time it will be okay. What I'm going to miss most is all the Sonic relationships we have created! Tears flow down my face as write this entry and think of all the memories. What a blessing so many of the Sonic partners are to our family! They have taken the Smallwoods under their wings and taught us how to fly! I'm going to miss the employees who have impacted our life over the years too! Those that God blessed us to help. God taught us so much about life and helping others rather they were having a new baby and needed baby stuff, out of work for several weeks at Christmas time because of a Sonic fire, and blessing those employees with cash from our church and from my coworkers at school! Having my friends make them cookies as a pick me up, to Drew and I both picking up employees and taking them to or from work because they needed a ride. To having employees over our house for Thanksgiving dinner, to so many other God loving services! My husband is amazing... which boss do you know would do so much for you as an employee????! Seriously amazing at all the lives that God used us to impact in His name through Sonic! We both will miss the work God has used us to do with Drew's career at Sonic! It's been a beautiful 6 years. I hope that my Sonic friends will continue to keep in touch! Follow our little family on fb, call, text, hang out with us, and just see how God is working in our life. Because he's not done with us yet.
So as God closes one door another door must open right???...I know y'all are dying to know where God is leading Drew, leading us...well back in April Drew started a L O N G interview process with a great company. He had to take a mechanical aptitude test, team group assessments, and have multiple interviews with a range of different people. When we finally got the call that he got the job we were rejoicing because it was such a long hard process. He starts next month (August 18th). Which is perfect because Drew will be able to watch Raegan during my teacher workdays in August without us having to pay a sitter, also gives us a mini vacation time to go see my family in Virginia before I go back to work (in which Drew hasn't gone to VA with me since before I was even pregnant with Raegan), and it gives Drew a little relax time before he starts his new job. He will be working at International Paper. Ask me what they do???... I got as far as manufacture paper... LOL! But I know it's super hard to get a job there and their application process is intense so it's gotta be great right? The job description fits Drew's engineering mind. Not sure what Drew's title will be yet. He goes through 5.5 weeks of training before they place him in a position...
But Drew's excited to try something new, something different, something a little less stressful, and something with built in days off. I think it will be good for him, for us, for our family...and hopefully serve God in all that we do! I'm praying it!
For me, I'm still nervous, heck I'm freaking scared! I HATE change! I love my plans! A lot was suppose to happen this summer but Drew, I mean God, threw a wrench in that! So while we put our own plans on hold I'll sit back and enjoy this ride... God has already promised me that He has plans to prosper us and not harm us so we will trust in HIM... I keep learning to take a step back and let God do His work.. His plans will prevail no matter how much I want my own plans to workout! You think I would learn but nope I always fall flat on my face with this struggle! :) But I serve an AWESOME God who is working wonderful things in our life and for that I will praise His name even when I feel like this storm is closing in on me... I will rejoice His name because he is my KING! He gave His only Son for me, so I will give my life to Him and follow and serve Him wherever He wants us to go even if that means picking up the pieces to my broken heart along the way! Seriously, I picked it up fast after I gave it to Him and realized God's gonna take care of us!
Thanks for reading my sweet friends! I know it was long! But as we close one chapter we are ready to start another in this book called life! God bless you all! Please be praying for us as Drew transitions into his new job (and for Momma and Raegan too)! All we want to do is serve our awesome God! I love you all!
