The week in Montana

On Saturday, May 24, we received a letter from the Lewis and Clark County police department informing us that Hazen had been scheduled for an interview on June 4. In Montana. With 1 1/2 weeks notice. Anyone who has had anything to do with the military, particularly the security forces part of it, knows that it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get leave with 1 1/2 weeks notice. We didn't think we'd be going.

The Thursday before the interview (it took place on a Wednesday) we found out that Hazen got a week of leave. Shortly after that, I got a phone call from one of the state jobs that I had applied to and got an interview scheduled for the following Monday. Suddenly we had an extremely busy week ahead of us!

We left at 11am Saturday morning and arrived in Great Falls at 6:30 am Sunday morning. We were exhausted--thankfully Ian slept until 11 and so we were able to get some sleep. The trip would have been much faster except that we were going through Idaho and Montana at night and those deer creatures scare the holy poo out of me...I went 55-60 until Helena when the sun came out.

Monday morning we left for Helena and my interview. We got checked into our hotel at noon, and my interview was at 2. I was soooo nervous. I have never interviewed for anything that wasn't fast food or retail--scary! I spent the four days between finding out I had an interview until the actual interview practicing the 10 most common interview questions. I wasn't asked a single one. I was asked things that had to do with the job ("What is state land", "How is oil measured", "Reconcile these statements", etc). I was shocked. Apparently I did okay, though, because I got a call the next day telling me I had gotten the job. :) It is with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation with the Trust Land Management division as an accounting technician. The pay isn't great since I have no experience, but I get full benefits and I will be up for raises every year. There is only room to improve and I am THRILLED that I was able to get a job using my accounting degree with no experience. I was very nervous about that.

We spent all day Tuesday driving around Helena looking at apartments and then houses. We found a couple of neighborhoods that we love and we're hoping to buy a house this winter/spring if everything goes well. We then went to dinner at Bert and Ernies to celebrate my new job. :)

Wednesday was Hazen's turn for an interview. His took two hours--he had to interview for the board and then for the Sherrif. I hung out with Ian at my Aunt Alice's house. Hazen's interview went well, but we found out he had to be back in Helena at 8am the next morning for a psych evaluation. We decided to drive back to Great Falls and then Hazen drove back up the next morning. He should be finding out how he did on the psych test any day and then it will be a couple of weeks until we know about the job. They had an opening in Augusta and two in Helena--we're really hoping for Helena, obviously.

I just let my supervisor know today that I will be starting July 7 (they let me decide since I have to move) and I will be moving up the week before to get settled. Ian and I will be staying with my Aunt Alice for a couple of weeks and she and my Aunt Alta will alternate watching him until we get child care figured out. I am happy to have family that can help us during this HUGE transition. Getting out of the military is SCARY. We have steady paychecks and full health and life benefits--losing that is terrifying. Thankfully everything seems to be going pretty smoothly for us, we just need to hope that Hazen got his job as well.