Since I last posted, some transitions have occurred in our family. Daughter graduated from High School and then moved to Utah to start college. She's successfully completed her first year, studying Finance and Art. She made Dean's List both semesters! Also, she discovered that she enjoys Western Swing dance and now is the proud owner of a pair of cowboy boots. (didn't see that coming) She's staying in Utah for the summer, to gain residency. She lives in an apartment with 3 roommates and 1 cat. The cat, Ross, belongs to one of the others in the apartment. Daughter likes spending time with Ross and Ross likes spending time sitting in daughter's empty Amazon boxes. =^..^=
Son #1 still lives under our roof and has made the transition from college life to work-full-time-and-be-an-adult life about six months ago. He is a Data Center Tech for Microsoft out near Dulles airport. He is saving money to buy his own car and get an apartment closer to where he works. He's not so fond of the long 25-mile commute, but luckily works the swing shift so doesn't have to battle as much traffic as the regular rush hour. He recently did the nicest thing for his younger brother and bought him a new desktop computer! So we went to IKEA and got a desk for it and sons put the desk together and set up the new workstation. In our living room. Because there was no where else appropriate to put it in our teeny tiny house.
Son #2 is about to finish 8th grade. Done with middle school! He has selected his courses for the first year in High School and is looking forward to it (I think). He got his braces off a couple months ago and has transitioned well to wearing the retainers. Thankfully he only has to wear them at night so there's less risk of them ending up in the trash can at school by mistake. Son #2 continues to work toward Eagle Scout and has only a few required merit badges left to finish and then a project to do. He will attend Scout Camp the first week in July, his third time at camp, and try some new things; for example, Archery. He is most looking forward to doing the Digital Technology merit badge and he's going to finish off the Chess merit badge, too. I should also mention that he is taller than me now. By about 1.5 inches. So now I "look up to him" -- literally. hahahaha!
Husband still works at the same place, but has to bid for his next assignment in a couple months. The next post will start summer 2018. He might retire from his present job in Fall 2019. That would mean another (huge) transition for our family and likely a move to somewhere West of here. Maybe Wisconsin? We both like it there so we'll see. We explored Colorado Springs as another possibility last summer after we dropped daughter off at college in Utah. We like it there, too.
So what about me ... what have I been doing lately? Mostly adjusting to daughter being in another state. To keep in touch we text, Skype, FaceTime and I went to visit her in March for her Spring Break. (and she was here for Christmas break) We had a grand time! We toured some places neither of us had been before. That was interesting and fun. I've also taken on an additional volunteer role as a BSA Troop Committee member for son #2's troop. I've learned a lot of stuff I didn't know before about how things run and I help keep the Troop's records up to date when the scouts earn awards (rank advancements, merit badges, etc) and such. I've spent a lot of time teaching son #2 some cooking skills this past year. He's more than capable of making his favorites ... pasta and vegetable dishes ... and is now branching out and working on some baking and breakfast foods. He and I made chocolate crinkle cookies together last month for a charity fundraiser auction. We got lots of compliments! I've spent some of my time recently preparing retirement budgets and running through financial scenarios to see how things are going to work out for us in 2019, if we end up making a big move. That is equal parts exciting and depressing! Everything costs so much money. Ugh. On a happy note, we've got quite a bit of equity in our current home and are planning to go to an area that has a lower cost of living so that's going to be nice not to have such a big mortgage and to have more space. I'll be very happy just to have some space between me and the neighbors and a garage to park my car. HA! Thinking about space ... I just went through my closets last week and donated some stuff I don't need/use anymore. That always feels good. This stuff plus all that is required to keep a family running is how I spend my days.
So now I've caught you up on stuff. Maybe I'll do it again soon. When I feel some inspiration on what to say ... until then, TTFN.
I'll leave you with a selfie I took on Memorial Day when we went for a hike/walk along the Potomac River at Great Falls in McLean.
