I feel like this is my first chance to sit down, clear my head and work through my thoughts on "paper". Virtual paper, anyway...
Moving back to Kansas and changing jobs has been a true blessing for us, but still a strain none the less. I realized after reading my last post, I didn't even mention something: we are living in my parent's basement! It wasn't an intentional omission. Choosing to live in a small town, we also limited our available housing pool. We have also been doing a bunch of number crunching to decide if we want to buy or rent (decided on renting for a while) and then also finding a rental that will allow us to have our dogs (non-negotiable members of our family). Lets just say the number of houses that allow dogs but also meet my standards for safety and cleanliness are few and far between. Thankfully, my parents have been more than gracious about allowing us to inhabit their space, take up their free DVR space with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and give them all the grand-daughter time they want. We have saved quite a bit of money already by doing this, but we do hope to have our own place in the next month or two. Honestly, I can see why some cultures have multigenerational housing arrangements! It's four sets of adult eyes to watch the kids, and extra companionship for the adults in the evenings. Besides that, when we have a two year old screaming, crying melt down, there's an extra reserve of experience and patience in the house. I try to cook most evenings when I get home from work and it's been nice to have a real family-style meal with Madigan on most weeknights. I can actually say I'm enjoying living with my parents and I think Brett can say the same. (Would my parents agree? Hmm...) That still doesn't negate the fact that we plan on moving out when the right place opens up. :)
Besides that, I'm loving my new job. I know I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase, but I think it's a great fit for me. I haven't regretted the job-change once yet! I got to meet "my" surgeon- the doctor that I'll be solely dedicated to working for- and I definitely got good vibes from her. I know that the 30 mile commute will get more tedious in the winter months, but for now it's been great time to clear my head and "process"! Brett's also loving his new job as well, and feels like he's in a job he could retire from in 40 years.
We are excited for the next few months to work themselves out and get us more settled. 2010 has been a year full of big changes- and I have a feeling that the wild ride of the "unexpected" is just beginning for us....
