For the past four years, we have moved at least once a year. Three of those moves have taken place in December-January. 2013 was a bit different. We started the year moving out of that horrible apartment complex and back into the house in Orange, which was lovely. There was a lot of work to be done because college boys, but it was so nice to be there and it was fantastic to have the space and the backyard.
We watched G grow and change so much in his first year. He's no longer a little baby, but a little boy. I can't believe how grown up he looks and acts! It seems like he changes every day. Seeing all of his firsts has been awe-inducing in the best possible way.
It was a year of such huge changes. It seems so small when you write it down: I became a mother. But in real life, it is something all-consuming, magical, terrifying, and joyful. And everything changes in a profound way. It's something that I have trouble finding words for. It's everything at once: all the emotions you could possibly feel rolled up and stuffed inside a human body. Your baby takes up your time, and you have to fit all your adult life into the hours between baby's bedtime and your own. That's not a bad thing, but I have seen most Disney Jr episodes multiple times and would love it if he could watch Doctor Who with me. Or even sit through a movie :) It's wonderful and difficult, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I continued to crochet and knit, continuing to teach myself new techniques and even writing (and selling!) my first patterns. I feel like I've finally found a crafting niche. Even though I'm still interested in other things and will continue to try other projects, I love working with yarn! I'm not a fast worker, and sometimes it's frustrating that I can't finish projects quickly, but there's something so satisfying about finally finishing a project, and especially seeing it in use! I'd love to find a group to knit or crochet with.
Our year seemed like it wouldn't be too different from our new normal as parents; I continued at my job, and James at his. We were settling into a good routine; I had G home the days I wasn't working, and he spent two days a week at the Infant Center, where he had a little girlfriend. Then James heard about this job at his old camp. They were looking for a summer camp director and diocesan youth minister. It sounded like it had been written for him; it utilized his degree in recreation management and his experience as a youth minister, it was Episcopalian and it was his home turf, since he grew up only three hours away. We both went out to interview, and James was offered the position.
Instead of waiting until December or January to move, we took off a week after G's first birthday and spent four days moving across the country. His new job paid for professional movers to pack us and move us which was a huge blessing, and in late October, we moved in. It's been difficult; I don't think anyone would tell you that moving cross-country is easy. It's hard and takes time to adjust, especially since I don't know anyone here and feel like I'm starting from scratch. But James is so happy, and seeing how much progress and success he's already had in three months is fantastic. His area gatherings are going well and Winterwoods was a huge success: there was even a waitlist for the middle school group!
I've been adjusting pretty well. Even though I haven't been able to find an Irish dance class, and the house repairs are driving me a bit crazy, there are new adventures to be had here. I've looked into teaching crochet, though that's stalled a bit, and I'm talking to a veterinarian about shadowing one of her techs for a while to see if I might be interested in that. She intimated that there might be a job opportunity in the future if end up choosing to do that. I might look into becoming a doula or lactation consultant. There are so many opportunities available to me, so many paths open and I really want to take full advantage of it. I feel like with the new year, I can really have a new slate: I want to be healthier, eat better, exercise more, and all the cliche resolutions, but I also want to finish more projects, experiment with cooking more, take G to see all the things that are here, and learn to accept and be happy with myself. I'm the worst at goals. I thought posting them here would help keep me accountable, but really, I forget and slack off and get caught up in the busyness of life. So I'm not going to set time limits or definitive checklists of goals, but there is going to be change. Good, big change.
There are pros and cons to anywhere you move, and sometimes it's hard to see the pros for the cons, but overall I feel so hopeful for this new year. There are so many opportunities for us here, and I feel like this year is going to be fantastic for our entire family! I can't wait to see what's in store for us, and to continue watching G grow up into who he's going to be.
We watched G grow and change so much in his first year. He's no longer a little baby, but a little boy. I can't believe how grown up he looks and acts! It seems like he changes every day. Seeing all of his firsts has been awe-inducing in the best possible way.
It was a year of such huge changes. It seems so small when you write it down: I became a mother. But in real life, it is something all-consuming, magical, terrifying, and joyful. And everything changes in a profound way. It's something that I have trouble finding words for. It's everything at once: all the emotions you could possibly feel rolled up and stuffed inside a human body. Your baby takes up your time, and you have to fit all your adult life into the hours between baby's bedtime and your own. That's not a bad thing, but I have seen most Disney Jr episodes multiple times and would love it if he could watch Doctor Who with me. Or even sit through a movie :) It's wonderful and difficult, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I continued to crochet and knit, continuing to teach myself new techniques and even writing (and selling!) my first patterns. I feel like I've finally found a crafting niche. Even though I'm still interested in other things and will continue to try other projects, I love working with yarn! I'm not a fast worker, and sometimes it's frustrating that I can't finish projects quickly, but there's something so satisfying about finally finishing a project, and especially seeing it in use! I'd love to find a group to knit or crochet with.
Our year seemed like it wouldn't be too different from our new normal as parents; I continued at my job, and James at his. We were settling into a good routine; I had G home the days I wasn't working, and he spent two days a week at the Infant Center, where he had a little girlfriend. Then James heard about this job at his old camp. They were looking for a summer camp director and diocesan youth minister. It sounded like it had been written for him; it utilized his degree in recreation management and his experience as a youth minister, it was Episcopalian and it was his home turf, since he grew up only three hours away. We both went out to interview, and James was offered the position.
Instead of waiting until December or January to move, we took off a week after G's first birthday and spent four days moving across the country. His new job paid for professional movers to pack us and move us which was a huge blessing, and in late October, we moved in. It's been difficult; I don't think anyone would tell you that moving cross-country is easy. It's hard and takes time to adjust, especially since I don't know anyone here and feel like I'm starting from scratch. But James is so happy, and seeing how much progress and success he's already had in three months is fantastic. His area gatherings are going well and Winterwoods was a huge success: there was even a waitlist for the middle school group!
I've been adjusting pretty well. Even though I haven't been able to find an Irish dance class, and the house repairs are driving me a bit crazy, there are new adventures to be had here. I've looked into teaching crochet, though that's stalled a bit, and I'm talking to a veterinarian about shadowing one of her techs for a while to see if I might be interested in that. She intimated that there might be a job opportunity in the future if end up choosing to do that. I might look into becoming a doula or lactation consultant. There are so many opportunities available to me, so many paths open and I really want to take full advantage of it. I feel like with the new year, I can really have a new slate: I want to be healthier, eat better, exercise more, and all the cliche resolutions, but I also want to finish more projects, experiment with cooking more, take G to see all the things that are here, and learn to accept and be happy with myself. I'm the worst at goals. I thought posting them here would help keep me accountable, but really, I forget and slack off and get caught up in the busyness of life. So I'm not going to set time limits or definitive checklists of goals, but there is going to be change. Good, big change.
There are pros and cons to anywhere you move, and sometimes it's hard to see the pros for the cons, but overall I feel so hopeful for this new year. There are so many opportunities for us here, and I feel like this year is going to be fantastic for our entire family! I can't wait to see what's in store for us, and to continue watching G grow up into who he's going to be.
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| New Year's meal of fried okra. Photo credit: Anne Bailey |
I am the luckiest guy in the world to be married to you and share our new adventures together!
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