August Update

August 13, 2008 (From the old blog)

An update on where things are... Dad died last September, the 20th (which is of course the same day as Sadie's birthday, perfect)... I moved back to Calgary mid-October after spending an extra couple of weeks with my Mom; she and my brother really had a rough transition after Dad died. The memorial service was nice, fire and pizza and beer in the backyard, just what dad wanted. I'm sad he died, but accept that death is a part of life, so I don't dwell. I am happy to have my life to live.
Calgary was okay, but it just didn't fit any more. I was resentful for awhile to have been back home again, as I still wanted so much to be in Korea. Some days I still wish I was there, but most days I'm happy to be home and moving on with life. Living in Korea kind of meant that life was on pause... all things in the "real" world (back here in Canada) stay where there were mostly, and nothing moves until you come back. I had a hard time finding work when I came home, despite the fact that everyone was supposedly screaming for staff... overqualified, was the message I kept getting. Just because I workED management doesn't mean I want to do it anymore, but I had a really hard time getting into anything frontline. I tried a few part-time and short-term jobs, but nothing really stuck. I worked (ugh) retail, worked as someone's admin assistant (not something I should do with my life!), and then drove a CAT740 rock truck - awesome fun, driving around in those big trucks is like playing a video game all day. However, it also meant 28 days with no time off, 12 hour days, no time for anything but work. I enjoyed it while it lasted though!

In May grad school started. I didn't think it would be too much work, but I wasn't really sure what to anticipate. I have had all sorts of feelings about the program so far, but for the most part I've been really happy with it. It is a lot of work... Sadie complains about how little time we have to spend time together (my butt is normally in a chair with a laptop in my lap), but thanksfully she's patient. The courses have been really interesting so far, and though sometimes it feels overwhelming, I really am learning a lot. The self-discovery methods that they use drive me crazy sometimes (i.e. figure it out for yourself teaching), but I'm blown away by the amount a person learns that way! So overall, I'm happy with it. While I was driving truck I was working a 60-80 hour week and doing 2 spring intensive courses (where they squish a full course into 6 weeks). THAT was NUTS. I'm not planning on doing that again, what a time that was!!

Now, Sadie and I have moved to a small town, where the pace of life is slower, people smile a lot more, and I can hear the birds out my window all day while I'm studying. She is working at the hospital, and seems to have finally found a job that she loves and is great at, because she comes home sparkly and happy at the end of the day. It really makes me happy to see her find something she's great at that makes her happy; she was loving teaching in Korea and decided to come home instead of waiting her contract out, so I'm glad there's something extra for her here too! We have a great little 3-bedroom house (that we're renting); we moved out of a basement suite in Calgary, and I have just one word: WINDOWS!!! What a difference in quality of life, just to have the sun shining into our home!

Out pets are up in number again, and we are soon going to have to apply for an animal farm license! We have Sadie's cat Lotus, who has now been to Korea and back again; Nimma and Maggie, a maltese and mini yorkie who joined our family while we were in Korea and came home with us; Mila and Molly, the kittens I got from my brother's place when I first got back; Leroy - the kitten we rescued from beneath mom's neighbour's deck (he fit in the palm of my hand, and had no interest in being rescued, but after 2 days of warm milk and the fireplace mat we had him convinced!), and Neera - latest addition to the family, rescued from the Millet Animal Rescue Centre, she's an Australian Shephard/Heeler cross, and she's lovely! Like I said, soon we'll need a farm permit!

I just had a job interview at the hospital last week to work as a Psychology Assistant, and I think it's something I'm really going to love doing. I'm still waiting to hear back from them, hoepfully it will be today. My courses finish up this term on the 18th, and I'll have until the 8th of September before they start again (2 weeks off, WOOHOO!!!!), thank god! I'll go up and visit mom during that time, see how things are going up there.

Today is an exciting day - our first Godson, whose name is Nattan, is being born today!! His mamma is booked for a C-Section, he decided he was going to jump out feet-first, and the doctors didn't agree it would be a good idea, so here we are! It was scheduled for 11 this morning at the PLC in Calgary, but I know they weren't even in by 10:15, so it likely wasn't until later. I am *so* exicted to go down and see him, we are going to leave as soon as Sadie gets home from work. And, to top it off, we're going to bring Aidan back with us until the weekend when his mamma and the new baby are out of the hospital, which is also going to be wonderful, woohooo!

So all in all, things have been going well. I have 4 papers to write in the next 5 days, must go.