Updates For Those Who Pay Really Close Attention

Today I am going to give several quick updates to a few loose ends that exist among the archives to this blog. It's for people like me who are always wondering, "What ever happened" with this or that.  I have a shockingly good memory and am always thinking things like that.  If you have only stopped in once in awhile this post may be strange for you or, at best, annoying.  You've been warned!

1)  I saw my friend with her special needs child the other day and absolutely could not believe how well the first of many surgeries that her child will go through has turned out.  If this is an indicator of the future, then God has decided to take his own hand and literally heal her.  The surgeon who did this surgery noticed a small imperfection in the result right as he was about to finish and proceeded to do the entire thing over.  Yeah, God is doing his thing.

2)  My friend with colon cancer is getting worse.  She doesn't have much energy and can't tolerate the chemo very often anymore.  On the positive side, her husband finally got a job after a whole year without one.  Talk about a stressful situation.  I know it may sound weird, but I feel like now that he has a job and she sees that as him being O.K. she is starting to allow herself to go.  I'm sad, but then I see how much she suffers.

3)  My husband has decided to get himself into better shape before having any reconstructive work done.  He seems pretty serious about his efforts and definitely paid special attention to the results that my friends baby got out of her surgery work.  It is such a good example of how different results can be when you go into the work as a completely healthy person, instead of being on the verge of death!  It gives us both a lot of hope.

4)  We have also realized that barring total collapse of our plans, my husband and I should be in a warm weather place in no more than a year.  Based on his work towards associate level and then fellowship in the Society Of Actuaries and the tests that he has already gotten through this year, his progress is ramping up.  We are thinking that maybe one more winter is worth waiting through to be sure we end up in Texas, but are not opposed to some wonderful opportunity that arises elsewhere!

5)  My nephew, Nathan, is healing up quite nicely from his bike wreck.  His Dad says that the scar on his cheek is already barely visible.  It does my heart good to hear this, even though I know I can't save him from all of his boyish antics.  I will see him again for the Independence Day holiday.  I can inspect him myself then.  As a side note:  I sent his teacher a great big bouquet of flowers for today- the last day of school.  She has been just what we needed for Nathan this year and I know it has not been easy having him come into her class in January of this year.  She has gone above and beyond the call of duty for him.

6)  We are still experiencing June-uary type weather here.  We have had a total of 3 days that have edged up into the low 70's.  I know some of you would like some relief from your relentless heat and humidity.  Until I can get an audience with whoever is in charge, we'll just have to suffer through and continue to believe the grass in greener on the other side.

7)  My dog seems to have hit a nice mellow spot in his journey with dementia.  The meds. are really helping and he has not had any problems with negative personality changes at all, which I have been warned can get ugly.  He is continuing to stay true to his nature of always bouncing back just when you suspect that he might be headed downhill.  I will be so grateful if he can just fade away quietly in his sleep one day...

I think I have hit on just about everything I can think of.  So, if there's anything else- feel free to ask.  I like keeping up with others and what they're up to as well.

Everything Could Change At Any Time...Or Not

I ran into a friend that I don't see very often at a Birthday BBQ the other night.  She's the one with a child who was born with special needs so she is especially busy and harried these days.  Still, she took the time to really talk to me (while I held her sweet baby and took my turn at helping to sooth her near constant crying).  I couldn't believe that in the middle of all that is going on with her, she truly gets how I'm feeling these days.  She immediately picked up on the fact that my husband and I are in the position that we are attempting to keep our spirits up for a real change in location in the near future while managing to remain grateful and content for what we have right now.

But of course it made sense.  Her family is going through something so much bigger.  Their daughter will be having the first of many surgeries at the end of this month.  This surgery will change things to one degree or another, but there is no guarantee as to what the results will be.  They could be in for a lot of relief for their daughter's situation or they could be merely laying the foundation for a more profound result in the future.

While I was amazed that this person- of all people- got what we are going through, I am ever grateful to those who have not tired of my story and can demonstrate some level of understanding.  I mean, it is not like we are going through anything all that profound.  And yet, it is a big deal to us- this waiting for an opportunity to move and then also wondering what that will be like when we get to that point.  It is a chosen in-between. 

We live about 6 weeks at a time.  With every new interview or even the hint of an opportunity, we get excited and consider the possibilities.  As the process moves on, we find that we have a hard time committing to much of anything.  We don't know if we'll need to be at an interview somewhere far away or if it will be another year before we actually have any concrete plans.  We are resentful that we can't just sell our house and live off savings while getting to become locals and find a job that way.  But, we are also oh so happy that we have a home and a good job right here.  I have everything 'semi-packed' mostly in Rubbermaid containers and will be having another garage sale with a friend to empty out my guest room of all the things we have decided do not make the cut for being 'move-worthy'.  We have made many trips to give things away to charity. 

I find that I am more free than ever living in this 'in-between' way, something I never anticipated doing or feeling comfortable with.  I appreciate things more.  I pay more attention.  It is easier for me to see what is really important and to be able to let go of the stuff that doesn't matter much after all.  This sort of juxtaposition living makes for an interesting time.  It makes you think about what you want out of life in a bigger way.  You get to live in the moment. 

Have you ever done it? 
What was the situation?
What happened to end your in-between time?
How did you feel when it was over?
Did it permanently change the way you look at life?

Bringing The Sun To Me

We are about to have our first day of at least 70 degrees here in the Northwest, since November 3, 2010.  (And by Thanksgiving it was snowing.)  That's right folks, it has been 198 days since we last felt a 70 degree day, and I would say that 70 is not even all that ambitious but I guess we take what we can get.  Oh, and did I mention that since we welcomed in 2011 there have only been 27 days without rain?!  The forecast is set for rain again by Sunday and today is the only day of 70 degrees and sunshine for the foreseeable future.

So anybody who wonders why I am so hellbent to get some sun, I think you probably get it now.  At any rate, I have decided that since the sun is playing shy with us out here I will do what I can to bring the sun, or at least the impression of it, to me.

Here is my latest attempt to pretend that I live somewhere other than I do.  I will be enjoying a little subtropical corner of life on my very own deck with some hearty banana plants, some lilies and Gerber daisies.

I really am usually pretty good at making the best of any day, no matter the weather.  I am usually not this much of a complainer about the weather.  Still, wouldn't you know that we would end up with a record-breaking year of lousy weather just after I have decided to move to a warm weather place? 

I hope the plants and I can survive the 'cool' and rainy summer that we are supposed to be getting.  Have a good one.  I am off to milk this day for all it's worth!

Bubble Bath & Spice Packets

What's so different now?  Now that our household lives in active limbo, waiting and working towards finding the right job, the right timing to take us where we want to go? 
I've never been one to be comfortable with the 'in-betweens' of life.  I don't like long engagements or long goodbyes.  I pride myself on being decisive.
So why am I suddenly so willing to happily go along with this new (even self imposed) 'in-between'?
It seems I've stumbled upon something that is entirely fresh to me, and maybe not so new to others in the blogosphere out there.  I'm late to the party, so to speak.
I'm newer to the idea of living for today, not waiting for the right moment or special occasion to use and enjoy the nicer things in life.  Somewhere along the line I got into the habit of saving my fun side for others and putting aside my own enjoyment of the moment. 
I think I might have been afraid of losing control.  Oh how that control stuff can get in the way!  You think you're in control so you never allow yourself to live outside of a sure thing.  Then one day, the fact that the sure thing is holding you back comes right up and whacks you in the face!
I really do try to learn from others.  I've been around people who have nothing and also those with a lot more.  I've noticed that no matter what a person has, you can always tell when someone shares a generosity of life and spirit.  It simply emanates from them.  We've also all seen the flip side of that.  People who just swim in material stuff and don't seem to enjoy any of it.
Over the last year, I've gotten better at letting the good stuff be mine, as well as there for others.  I've enjoyed help when I needed it and a much more honest life altogether.  I've realized that while I was holding back on myself, I ended up inadvertently holding back on those that I love so much.
So during this time, between knowing that I will be moving pretty darn far away and the actual doing of said moving, could be a weird time between me and those that I will be leaving behind- in terms of distance.  But since I don't just believe that the 'pie' of life is boundless in size, but also in shape, I am taking this time to grow my relationships and learn something rather than just let them drift away.
As I'm going through stuff- as we often wait to do until we move, my new found feelings of not wanting to waste the good stuff find concrete examples.  With every sadly unburned lovely scented candle or dress with tags still on it at the back of the closet, I see that I want to change this.
Not only have I recently relished in serving friends a fabulous roast made with those little spice packets I always buy at craft fairs and save for a special occasion, but I've luxuriated in bubble baths while waiting for those friends to arrive instead of worrying myself over every last little detail.
My surprising satisfaction at this particular juncture comes from knowing that I'm not just in the process of changing a physical place, but a fundamental part of who I am.  And for the better.