Last night we were talking about the blog and I said, "why don't you write a post about how you came up with the name?"
She replied "I did, you should read the blog"
This morning I read the blog, all the posts thus far, and want to expand upon the explanation.
Apparently it's from a children's book. A book we actually own and I've actually read to my daughter.
"Your Personal Penguin" by Sandra Boynton
A section of the book goes:
"I want to be Your Personal Penguin
I want to walk right by your side
I want to be Your Personal Penguin
I want to travel with you far and wide
Wherever you go, I'll go there too
Here and there and ev'rywhere
And always with you
I want to be Your Personal Penguin
From now on."
This concept of "wherever you go" has been a main part of the last 11 years of our relationship and 9 years of marriage. Early on we talked about our desire to travel and see the world. We both lived in lots of houses growing up so we had no real tie to one location or one house. SO we were nurtured for this vagabond lifestyle.
We began warning our friends and family that we wanted to travel and see the world. We wanted to go wherever we were guided and wherever we were sent. ANYWHERE. After I finished my undergraduate degree, I started applying for jobs with the US State Department. I applied for some crazy jobs like Diplomatic Services Special Agent and Diplomatic Currier. These jobs would guarantee the first three locations would be "hardship" posts. I was given a chance to interview but didn't make it very far in the interview process. Even though I didn't get the jobs we learned that we were willing to go anywhere. I started grad school and soon completed my MBA. I graduated in December 2006 and March 2007 we loaded up our Jeep with our dog and as much stuff we could fit and moved to South Carolina. I had a job with a large construction company, they did work just about everywhere in the world and this was our first step.
After 18 months in this foreign land of South Carolina, I had a job opportunity to go to another project with the same company in Washington, the state. Not the Pacific Northwest everyone thinks of, grunge, lush green forests, Seattle. No, eastern Washington, dry, hot, tumbleweeds, dust. We loved it. We loved being in a new section of the world, new people, new job, new friends, and new adventures. We started a family, moved 3 times, (apartment, rented a house, and bought a house).
Some may suspect we were settling down and putting in roots, nope. January 2012, we started thinking about another move. I started putting in applications for projects all over the world, South Korea, Australia, Libya, and Saudi Arabia.
And the winner is.... Saudi Arabia. They were the first project that showed interest in me and offered me a position, then we had to wait... and wait... and wait... Finally approval from the Saudi government that I could get a job. Then we had to wait... and wait.. and are still waiting for my visa to be approved.
We are waiting and I have been thinking. My wife will follow my lead and go anywhere I will go; she is willing to raise a family anywhere we go. But what about me, who am I following. I am also following and will go anywhere my wife is leading. We are a team. We are yoked together on this journey and will carry this load together. As she submits to me, I must submit to my leader and follow as well as submit to my wife and serve her.
So.. Wherever you go, I go, and wherever I go, you go. Together as a family and a team we will follow the will and direction of those who have gone before and will never be alone.
