December, already?????

Wow, I cannot believe that today I have been married for 4 months. In some ways it feels like we have always been together, and in others it feels like I am still vacationing down here, that eventually reality will kick in and I head back north... I am so very happy with my life as it sits, and the only thing that would make it better (potentially anyhow) would be finding a job. I'll be honest, there is a part of me that is ambivalent about working: I have had a paying job since I was 11 years old. Between babysitting for anyone who asked me to, watching my younger siblings when Mom worked evening, and then working at Tom Thumb Superette, "candy striping" at Mount Sinai Hospital (age 13 on), and working as a certified nursing assistant at Fairview Southdale Hospital (16 on), I have never been without at least one paying job, and for many years held 2 at a time, along with going to school and/or raising my family. It's strange and wonderful to be here with the kids, running them places, hearing their stories, helping with homework, cooking meals, keeping up on housework, and baking! How I have missed doing some of these things over the years! I like the freedom I have right now to do things as they come up (instead of structuring them so that they get squeezed in), even though I will admit, I do miss the structure of going to work, and having outside things to think about. I AM still looking for a job, and I have not given up on the one through the VA hospital where Eric works; he too has said the government hires at it's own pace, and I figure God has a plan. As long as I remain open to what is out there and close no doors (including continuing to search and apply), what is meant to be will come in it's own good time, and when it does happen, it will be for the best. I have moved from discouragement to acceptance.

Our Thanksgiving here was very nice. Eric had to work his 12 hour shift, and got home around 7 p.m.; his ex-wife was here picking up the kids around 1 and took them for the afternoon to a movie and out to eat, and I cooked and baked all afternoon. Other than the apple and pumpkin pie fillings (both canned, then "doctored"), everything was made from scratch, and I was thrilled my pie crusts were perfect (I love making pies!). We ate around 7:30 and all the kids were here. We poured everyone a small glass of wine to toast our first year as a family and our second year together for this holiday. We sure don't have to worry too much about the kids drinking--they really didn't care for the wine (it was fairly dry). Leftovers got wrapped up, and we settled in for tv viewing and relaxing. Friday we did hit the stores and shopped, albeit in the midafternoon. We hit both Kohl's and the mall. Kohl's was a mess--the lines were long, but the prices good; the mall was quieter. Aurora got some needed (and desired) items for her birthday (trust her to wait for the good sales!) and Reimond too got some jeans and a hoodie--the kid is taller than me now (and outgrowing some of his smaller sizes)! Friday night the kids hung out with each other and friends, while Eric and I went to our friends' house for poker and conversation. I brought knitting along as I don't play poker (and actually none of the wives were playing cards--we just visited and supervised), and enjoyed the little ones running around.

Saturday was a rough day for me. Eric had asked me what I wanted to do for the day and I answered quite honestly: I wanted to go grab Justin and Alexis and go to see the new Disney movie Bolt, then go to the ice rink and skate by Liisa for the late afternoon/early evening. I knew it was an impossibility, but it was what I wanted to do. I was really homesick on Saturday, despite (or maybe because) I talked to family from "home" so frequently during the day. We did go out as a family to the bowling alley for the late afternoon to meet up with another family and bowled a few games (ok, they bowled, I knitted and watched), and then Eric took me to see the movie Austrailia (Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman) for the evening. It was an amazing movie, and I highly recommend it. While those two were the leads, in my opinion the movie was stolen by the young boy who narrated it, and who was, indirectly, the main story line. It's a long movie, almost 3 hours, but well done and not in the least gratuitous. Having a date with my honey really helped my mood and I was better the rest of the weekend. Sunday was fairly low-key for us: Eric played Everquest much of the day, the kids socialized and watched movies (as well as did homework, such as they had it), and I read a fantastic novel, The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson (a story of heaven, hell, and redemption, all being told from a modern perspective with stories interspersed from history; well-written, fast-paced, and very engaging and though provoking). All in all a satisfying weekend!