Monday, October 25, 2010

A long, long month comes to an end

It can't end soon enough. October has been a rough month round these parts. I left for a conference early in the month, having just had one cold, only to come down with another that morphed into a freaking upper respiratory/laryngitis-y thing that is STILL lingering. I wake up with no voice and when it finally comes in later in the morning I sound hoarse with all the crap in my throat. Mix into this a cold for Ella that ended up with a fast moving ear infection that caused her sweet little ear drum to burst, a second cold and then, dreaded of all dreaded, a stomach bug this past weekend. And the same awful cold for Ben that he is still fighting.

Okay, those who know me know I HATE THROWING UP. I will do anything to avoid it. I prayed to every God imaginable when pregnant that I would not have morning sickness. In the same vein, I don't enjoy listening to others throw up (maybe from all the years of listening to my brother hurl every morning of high school but that's another story). So, while minding my own business at Head of the Charles this weekend, while out with my friend Lisa, I was amazed to look down at the little one and see that she had thrown up ALL OVER HERSELF in her stroller. Seriously, it was everywhere. She seemed remarkably un-phased as I contemplated what to do and tried to avoid looking closely at the tofu and pear marinated in stomach juices that adorned her like a weird beard.

It was my lucky day that after dropping us off Ben had decided to stay close to the square so he was able to come and get us. She made it home without booting again, but then did like 9 times all over each of us at varying times. We covered ourselves in towels to try and contain it, but the result was like 7 loads of vomit covered laundry.

As usual the whole thing seemed way worse for the parents than the kid who was incredibly chipper in between barfing episodes. However, it meant we had to cancel her first birthday party which was sad. We'll try again next weekend.

She's now back to her normal self, the ear infection has hopefully cleared up, the cold is abating and GOD willing we will all be healthy through the next little bit. Seriously. I don't think I can take one more illness for any of us. Please, let this last week of October pass quietly and have November be a more calm, healthy month for all of us!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

I haven't blogged for a while because I've been a bit busy with all the school start up, illness, travel and life fun that's been transpiring. But, I'm blogging now because...well....because I'm procrastinating. Tuesdays I work from home on a data project that I can do at my leisure. Two and half hours in this morning my eyes are going loopy and I'm not sure I can take anymore.

Time is marching on, but I feel like I'm in a gigantic holding pattern, circling around the life that I want. Okay, okay that's a bit extreme, but I am waiting for the *part* of life that I want *next*. That is to move to a town where we will settle, buy a home, contemplate when the next little Davis will join us and become involved in our community.

In all likelihood, the holding pattern will switch on its landing gear (how far can I take this metaphor?) before the end of the year. The 3 options Ben is looking at will come to resolution (and hopefully to a new job), we'll get the money we are inheriting from my grandmother and start to map out a move. A few weeks ago in a fit of frustration with the smallness of our place, I suggested we go to a few open houses. If one particular job happens for him, we would likely stay in Arlington so, we looked at some bigger condos that would be near to the train. Neither of them were really our next place, but it felt nice to look and start talking about what we want.

I am anxious to sort out my own next professional move. Since I'm the one who will work part-time and earn less, I can't dictate where we go so I'm waiting, oh so very impatiently, to make any move.

Over this past weekend I was out in Ohio presenting a yoga for singers workshop and it was fun to be back. The three years I spent there were three of the happiest years of my life. I was so engaged with what I was doing and loved learning new things. It made plain how disengaged I feel about what I'm currently doing and how little I'm learning and growing in my current job. There are so many moments that I question staying in voice teaching, but I know it could be very different if I taught at a different place. Do I hang on and try somewhere else, or get out while the getting is good and find a job that will be less influenced by the economy and provide a more stable situation and make me feel like I am learning and growing?

Plus O Magazine had a section on figuring out what you want to be when you grow up. Do any of us ever figure it out? I don't want to spend my adult days wondering rather than doing, but it seems hard to sort it all out. I just have this nagging feeling what I am doing isn't 'it'.

Now I'm just blathering because my brain is running and there are things I need to attend to: Laundry, vacuuming, making quiche and banana bread for dinner, steaming my head to try and get my voice back. Fun way to spend one's lunch hour, no?