New Job!

About three weeks ago I was doing my bills and becoming increasingly frustrated by the fact that we haven't really splurged on anything in a while and still weren't coming out very well. So I went to careerbuilder.com and started applying for jobs. I applied for all sorts of IT jobs that weren't helpdesk and seemed like that may pay well. I even applied for stuff that I was clearly unqualified for.
Of at least fifteen jobs, I heard back from two that they didn't feel I was qualified, and I only got one interview. It was for a company called Tybrin that does contract programming for the Florida Department of Management Services.
The interview went well enough going an hour over as we just talked tech stuff. I thought that was a good sign if they like me enough and thought enough of my opinions on technology to just sit and chat.
Two weeks went by and I didn't hear anything so I left a voice-mail message. They returned my call and asked me to come in that day before 4:30 so I did. At this interview they asked me to throw up some SQL code and diagrams, which I did. They where impressed that I formatted my code properly making certain stuff uppercase and indenting properly. I wasn't sure how well this one went as I hadn't worked in SQL for about four weeks and I had to think about a few things to get it right.
They also asked if I knew the software development process. I read the Ubuntu, Mozilla, and Gnome blogs daily. I have followed the devlopment process of each of these three peices of software for quite some time. Using that knowledge I was able to lay out something that made sense. Even thow it wasn't put the way a formal text book would have put it. I didn't have many official names for the processes except for Alpha and Beta releases. It sure did make countless hours of reading seem all of the sudden worth while beyond mere entertainment.
They said they where going to make a decision on Friday. I contacted them on Tuesday and they said they had a meeting on Wednesday to come to a decision. Yesterday I contacted them again and they said I got the position.
So in about two weeks I will FINALLY be programming. I've wanted to be a programmer since high school, and have been going to school to do it for quite some time, but I still don't have my degree.
I should have me degree in about a year, maybe less, so tacking on the job experience I will be gaining first hand, I should really be making my way into the industry properly.
Tybrin has had a contract with DMS for ~15 years, but it is renewed on a year-by-year basis. So every January there is the possibility of of finding yourself without a job. Barring any extenuating circumstances I plan on staying with Tybrin for as long as possible. I like the people there so far, and the work seems right up my ally. The good news is that in the event that the contract does not get renewed one year I will have experience under my belt to get another job programming.
So overall this is extremly great news for us. Kim and I are bouncing off the walls about all the new things this will enbable us to do. Not get a plasma TV or anything like that, but we can start paying bills without fretting. Woooo!