Well, I've not had much time and energy to write something here for some months.. Let's see, I got over the last few weeks of dental school and passed finals, although it all seems like a whirlwind in the past now. The most stressful moments were in March and April applying for jobs and facing rejection after rejection in Merseyside. This was demoralising in many ways because some of the jobs were mediocre at best. However, I took my chances in the southwest and had 3 offers, 2 of which came on my birthday. What a birthday present! After some long and hard discussions with Raj, we decided I should accept a job near Exeter. That way, at least if we would be living apart again for a while, then at least I would have the support of family around - Raj's parents, as well as some of my own family in Somerset.
Prior to my applications to the SW deanery, Raj had his fellowship interview in the pipeline. In fact, this was also close to my birthday. We knew we would not know the outcome for at least a month, perhaps longer due to the delays caused by The Ash Cloud. (It is July now and we still do not know, although are assuming the negative.) For the present, he continues research at Sheffield.
So, fortuitous events have changed our immediate directions somewhat. I try to embrace such vicissitudes with optimism, preferring to assume perhaps a divine hand in all this.
We now face questions about what to do about our house in Liverpool. Such gloom in the market will make a potential sale, although very welcome, not come quickly or at a price to our liking. Watch this space.
In the meantime, I am busying myself with cleaning, tidying, painting and bundling things up for charity. I don't yet know quite how much of our belongings to take down to Devon, but this blessed free time has given me complete focus to go through everything, drawer by drawer, cupboard to cupboard. I am not sure why I become so driven by this, but I gain great satisfaction from knowing exactly where everything is, that there are no unwanted items there and that it is all clean, neat and put away. (...perhaps a little the threat of the estate agents coming around to value the house) William has been a star trooper throughout this mission, tolerating my long spells of inattentiveness.
All the while the parenting journey continues, and I continue to devour book after book affirming my instincts and giving me new ideas to try out. No one could have told me it's not so much about raising William, but about changing and growing within oneself in such deep and fundamental ways. Many ideas have been alien to me throughout my 'old life' (prior to motherhood), but now resonate deeply, as though they had lain buried in my core, waiting for this moment to come. And wow, what a wonderful discovery I have made, within myself. So, I now see challenges as opportunities to grow. More on this later...
