We just got back from a short last minute trip to Ohio. There were many people that we wanted to see, but did not have a chance to. Very few people even knew we were in town. I found really cheap tickets and had to book them before our life began out here in earnest and would prolong our journey east even more than the 8 months since we had been back last time.
We are all tired out today and are spending the day lounging around the house. It's been a nice summer. I didn't schedule activities for the kids. I didn't rush them into this thing or that. We just chilled and it was the best decision I could have made for our family. It was our time. Unknown to anybody in this community we were able to explore and just be together. It was a perfect transition to this new part of the country.
But....life must go on and the realities of having children mean that we must jump back into the chaos of activities. Now that Bob is working first shift and we have two vehicles again I am hoping that he will be able to help me cart these kiddos around in the evenings so that responsibility isn't solely on my shoulders as it has been for the last four years while Bob has worked second shift or been on a temporary work assignment in another state. I am worn out from being the sole chauffeur and I relish in the idea of having a partner to help out with this sometimes exhausting task.
So, here's the lowdown on what is happening in the Gregg family:
Bob
Bob is working hard and doing a good job in his new position. He doesn't like when I talk about him on my blog nor does he like how much I share with you because he is such a private person, but he tolerates this space because he knows how much it means to me and how much you enjoy seeing/hearing about our life. So, that is all that I am going to share about him.
Me
Because of the increase in cost to live in the Pacific Northwest I am looking for a part time job. I wish that I did not have to get one because I already have so much on my plate, but the reality is that I have four kids with increasing appetites and increasing expenses for their activities. I will not lie and say that I do not question our move here because I do. I am worried that the sacrifices that we have made to move here are not going to be worth it. We knew going into this move that we were moving laterally in order to make Bob more marketable for the future, but I wonder if we weren't just foolish moving to a place where the cost of living is this high. Plus, I miss New Mexico. Still. A lot. Our bed is beside a window in our room and every night I look out and say goodnight to New Mexico. I look at the moon and the stars and imagine myself walking the dogs in my old neighborhood in the dark of night that only New Mexico can offer. I miss my community of friends. My posse. I miss my kids' friends as well. New Mexico is my home and I feel a bit lost without it.
The Kiddos
Josh is having the hardest time adjusting to life in Portland. He wants to move back to Ohio and play soccer with old buddies, but at the same time misses his Rio teammates too. He has no interest in making friends here and I worry that Bob and I have broken his heart one too many times by asking him to say good-bye to the people he loves again and again.
Andy is doing better here than in New Mexico, but also wants to move back to Ohio. I have tried to tell both of my boys that Ohio is different now. People who were once friends are no longer friends any more. All of the boys that they hung out with have grown and changed in the (almost) two years that we have been gone. If we moved back to Ohio it would not be the same and I know that they would be disappointed with the changes. At the same time, I understand what it is like to move to a new state when you are a teenager. For years after we moved to Ohio from New York I wanted to move back. I envisioned this glorious life in New York when the reality was that I only remembered the good things without also recalling the bad that always comes with building a life.
The girls are doing well. They are adjusting nicely. Sarah seems to be doing the best here and has made tremendous strides to do things on her own. She will be attending a day camp for two weeks beginning next week that is designed specifically for visually impaired children. The focus on the camp is to help the children learn skills to enable them to become more independent. She is so excited. Bob and I are excited for her. (If you want more information on this check out: Bell Academy.) Sarah is also going to be tested by the local school district to see if she qualifies for an IEP. (Which she will.) The school system here provides services to homeschooled students who need them, so depending on what Sarah will need the school district will provide them to us free of charge. This is a nice option to have should we choose to pursue these services. We will know more about what they are going to offer Sarah once she is tested for her IEP in the fall. Miss Elizabeth may be playing soccer in the fall. We were not in town for the signups and I am trying to see if there is team that has a roster spot that will take her. She enjoys playing soccer very much. We shall see...
Both boys will be beginning soccer next week. They are going to be trying out for the high school team right down the road. I feel confident that both boys will find a roster spot.
As for schooling - the children are all going to take classes at a program through Village Home. This will enable me to still "homeschool" per the state of Oregon, but in essence we will be having the kids take classes of their choice through this program. I will still most likely tackle History at home as it appears to be a subject we all like doing together, but for the rest of their schooling I don't really want to be the sole provider of their education anymore. Sending them back to public school isn't an option, so I am thankful that I live in an area where there are alternative choices.
I feel that the overtone of this post is doom and gloom. Really - it isn't like that, but I do think that it is realistic to say that while moving around the country certainly has its perks there are consequences to the life we have chosen to live. And what we are going through as a family right now with this transition is hard. I think that it makes it harder still because we know that we won't be here long. And so, the kids don't want to get attached to people and places here because they know that this is just another temporary living arrangement until the next step is to be taken. I just have to have faith and trust that we will be taken care of and provided for by a higher power than myself.
I think that once the kids resume their normal activities life will get some sort of normalcy for them and transitioning here will be a bit easier. Life is really is good even when it is hard.
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