The Times They Are a Changin

To say it has been quite a while is an understatement!  Here we are the fall of 2015 and so much has changed in our lives.  

I have since moved from working fulltime down to very part-time, remotely from home.  In the last 9 months our dog Ava and I have been working towards becoming a registered therapy team, as well as a registered R.E.A.D. team.  We have put in countless hours volunteering our time in assisted living facilities, classrooms, library, and activities through our local humane society.  

In the midst of that career change, Jason finished his bachelors degree and was given the opportunity to follow a mentoring plan on the western side of the state for his career.  As much as it pained us to make the decision to relocate, the quality of Jason's life depends on his career which in turn impacts all of us:  emotionally, financially, physically, etc.  We were faced with the decision to relocate the entire family, or live separate lives during the work week.  After spending this past summer in the second scenario, we decided this was a journey we were going to take together rather than separate.  Jason began working on the western side of the state in April, the kids and I stayed back to finish school and enjoy our last summer living near family before making the transition.  

And here I am with a 10, 8, and 6 year old.  I remember thinking in my head that this day would come, but I could never fathom that it would come so quickly.  The kids are all transitioning well into their new school, it helped that school started within a week of us officially moving over here so it certainly kept their minds busy.  As far as school goes, they have literally put one foot in front of the other and haven't really looked back.  Any comparisons of their new school to their old school are always met with the comment, "I like it better here, than there".  So there is solace in knowing their school days are 'better'.  

This blog used to serve as an outlet for my thoughts, but I see it moving in the direction of a weekly 'log' for family and friends that are interested, to stay in touch with us.  See what we are up to, or what the buzz is in our lives. 

Alex:  Of all the kids, the transition has been the hardest on Alex, largely in part to the relationship he shares with my dad.  They have spent countless hours fishing, gardening, or just putzing together since he was born; so to up and relocate him two and half hours away from the ability to just hop on the 4-wheeler to see each other was a big adjustment.  He's playing tackle football for the first time this year, and really enjoys it.  It's so much fun to see him grow and understand the game, I noticed the same in baseball this year.  He's doing well in school, he has a teacher who is genuinely nice this year which is something he really needed coming into a new school, with all new friends, etc.  This young man has made me so proud this past year in embracing the changes that have come our way, he was a very integral part of my support system this past summer and at 10 years old that certainly wasn't expected of him.  Here he is with his biggest fans :).  

Laura:  The most resilient of my children, I knew this transition wouldn't impact her as much as the 'average' child.  The first day of school she gave us a kiss, turned and walked to her classroom, and hasn't looked back since.  The move has proved to be positive for her academically and socially, which has really been more icing on the cake than anything.  Her big excitement is that she will be getting an expander and braces for her teeth in the near future. . . Poor kid got the crowding of Jason's teeth, and just bad teeth in general genes from myself.  While a little hesitant, she is jazzed to be one of the first in her class with teeth equipment.  This girl and her positive upbeat energy is what helped get me through some of my toughest days this past summer.  Her resilience reassured me that if my kids could get through this, I certainly could!  

Ainslee:  Ah, my little firecracker. . . If ever there was a child that embodied my quietness with the ability to combust or outburst anger at any given moment, she is it.  At only 6 years old, this move has probably impacted her the least.  While she knows we spent lots of time with Grandma and Grandpa before, the logistics of moving away, a new school, new friends, etc. just aren't such a jolt to the system in Kindergarten.  Having been in all day preschool last year, Kindergarten has been a piece of cake for her socially and academically.  

And then there's me, and the million dollar question that I am asked on a daily basis from friends, family, acquaintances: how are you adjusting?  For me this transition has been very difficult on many levels.  My parents have always been a constant support in my life in many ways, they have also been just as supportive to my children.  I could always count on them to take a kid if I needed to run an errand, or didn't want to drag the other kid along. Even if I wasn't spending time with them, they were always 'there' for me to come home to.  My dad embraced Alex's 5 a.m. waking like nobody else could, and in turn taught him so much more than fishing, gardening, and putzing.  Living next door to my own grandmother, I know how much it impacts a person's life which is what made this move very hard for for me.  I will not go into great detail my inner feelings and how this has impacted me; as those thoughts are for me alone.  The kids going back to school has helped me get into my own routine, and make our house start to feel a little bit more like home.  I have gotten back onto the band wagon of exercising daily again, which also helps keep my stress levels in check.  Since leaving the fulltime working world I have managed to lose about 25 pounds, and while some think they'll chalk it up to stress weight loss, my treadmill and I can assure you that it's not.  And while the weighloss is great, I was really just aiming to take back control of my health.  I have always mentally been a healthy person-knew what I needed to do, I just never had the time while working outside of the home to make exercise a priority for me.  Since December my cholesterol has went down 50 points, that in itself keeps me motivated to keep on this path.  Ava and I are heading back into the classroom to read with 3rd graders within our school district, and we're both excited to get back into some form of 'work'.

The kids and I still visit home frequently, so there is also solace in knowing that a trip home is only a few hours or a phone call away.  As difficult as this move seems to many, it truly is what you make of it.  A very good friend of mine described it best, you aren't mourning moving, you are mourning the end of a particular chapter in your life.  How my kid's perceive this change depends heavily on myself, I have to show them that to every end there is also a new beginning.  We just have to wait and see where god will take us on this new chapter.