I figured it was time for an update on Justin and I's (mine and Justin's?) lives.
We're currently (and for the past several months) playing the waiting game concerning our future. It's been maddening to not be able to make any plans. That will all blessedly come to an end in the next 6 days, one way or another. We'll find out if Justin has been accepted to the Erikson Institute of Child Development in Chicago or not. If so, we'll most likely be moving to Chicago in the next 6 weeks. If not, we'll likely be moving to Napa, California. The reason for the 'most likely' is because we have yet to decide if we'll go this year, or defer it for a year in order for Justin to finish up the Napa Fellowship. In the next 9 months he has 2 major projects that he has to complete for the Fellowship. He has 200 practicum hours and 200 hours of an applied project. If he goes to Erikson this fall, he'd have an incredibly rigorous (in the words of one of the professor) work load on top of the Fellowship. Although Justin has been known to take on seemingly insurmountable tasks, even he admitted that...that's kind of a lot. If he does that I'm gonna have to dust off the ole friend-making skills, because I don't think he'll surface from his books much.
Regardless of where we end up, I'm so excited to move. My parents have been so generous and selfless to let us stay with them for the past year, and we are infinitely grateful, but we are so ready to have our own space. I'm so excited to be able to use our own dishes and appliances again, decorate, have a messy house without feeling guilty, have Louise in her own room, get all of our stuff out of their house so we're not feeling guilty about taking up an entire room with boxes, not be afraid of waking anyone up if the baby cries at night, not feel guilty every time Louise spits up somewhere, put Louise down for naps without worrying about something waking her up, not feel guilty about taking over their house with our stuff, the list goes on (anyone that knows me knows I have an overactive guilt hormone releaser ;) ). As nice as it will be, I will miss living here immensely. I love having someone to talk to all the time or seek advice from, or someone to watch Louise while I run to the store. I love being so close to our families, and I regret that Louise and any future children we will have will grow up without being close to their cousins. At least for a while; we've both agreed that we want to come back here as soon as we can. We could be there as long as 8 or 9 years.
The thing I'm the most sad about is that my grandparents, who have lived next door or down the street my whole live, will very likely pass away while we're gone. My grandpa is 92 and finally slowing down and grandma is 87. I think they take partial credit for raising us since we live so close and my brother and I spent half of our childhood at their house anyway. I've been taking Louise over there almost every day for the past several months and it has been such a joy watching them get to know her and vice versa. She gets the silliest grin on her face the minute she sees either of them, I love it. I'm sure she won't remember the visits, but I've been taking lots of pictures of them so she'll at least have those.
The other day I reconnected with a college roommate whom I haven't spoken to in over 2 years (doesn't seem like a very long time, but it is). We both got married and moved out and didn't really communicate, but we were very close previous to that, so when we got together on Monday and again on Wednesday it was like we had never been apart. Justin and her husband had no trouble becoming fast friends, either. Justin and I haven't really spent time with friends for the last year or so since most of our friends either weren't married or weren't parents (that is quickly changing. :) ), and we've both been thinking lately that we need to. It was so refreshing to talk to a couple with so many of the same ideas. We'll be the first to admit that our parenting is a bit...unorthodox, and we were overjoyed to find that their parenting style is the same! Their little boy just turned a year, and Heather has another baby due in August. Louise and Paul had a wonderful time together, as well. They were so cute to watch; Paul would take her binky, look at it, and put it back in, and she would just watch him. She's at the creeping stage before actual crawling and he's just about to walk, so she was a little frustrated that she couldn't keep up with him, but I think it'll just give her motivation to 'get a move on.' :) We had dinner and talked until far too late, but both Justin and I felt so...refreshed is the only word I can think of...when we left. It was an excellent reminder for us of the need for friendship. No being hermits. Especially when we move. Well, that's all I can think of that's been going on. Oh, the motorcycle doesn't work. We've given up on it. Anyone want to buy a fixer-uper? We'll only sell it to you if there's no chance that we'll ever see you again. I'll do Louise's 8 month post soon, with pictures. Good night, all.
