About this time last year

About this time last year, we found out Michael had the chance to be transferred to Wilkes-Barre. What a difference a year makes! As I look back on the past year, the hardest thing was just deciding to move so far away from family and friends. The second hardest was getting our house ready to sell. It's still daunting looking back on the amount of cleaning out, painting, and fixing up we had to do to get it ready. At least I spent a lot of my last winter in Texas outside enjoying the sunshine. The third hardest thing was getting this house organized and livable (an ongoing project.)

I've swung violently from pessimism to optimism all year. I tend to be optimistic about the big things working out (health, my children's happiness, my long term goals, my marriage) and tend to be pessimistic about the small items (the seriousness of the leak in the laundry room, the possibility of losing my luggage when I fly, the chances of finding what I want at the grocery store.) I must drive my family crazy.

Here's what I expected that came true: Our new ward (church congregation) is full of great people. I have to spend a lot of time in airplanes going to visit family members. My parents have needed me to be there for them. I miss the sunshine. I hate being so far away from my children and grandchildren. Living in new part of the United States is exciting.

Here's what I expected that didn't come true: I would hate the cold. (So far so good. It really hasn't been that bad. Down coats help a lot.) We would find people to be less friendly than in Texas. (They're actually very friendly and very nice.) We would have trouble living in such a small house. (I have learned to love my well-organized small kitchen and downsizing has not been bad at all.) I would lose contact with my friends and former students. (I actually have more contact with my students through Facebook and by emailing, calling and writing blog posts, I've kept close to friends.)

Here's what I didn't expect at all: Michael works so many hours and so many days of the week now that we don't get to do as many fun things as we want. We haven't been to Manhattan yet! The summer offered us the most beautiful weather imaginable. I'm the only organist in the ward and the best pianist by far so I play all the time. My writing career has come to a complete standstill. It's really hard to get a teaching job here if I decide I want to go back into the classroom. People are begging me to teach piano lessons. We haven't been to one musical concert since we moved. I've gotten excited about cooking again. My children and parents seem to be closer to me than ever before. Even though Pennsylvania is beginning to feel like home, it's so beautiful here, I still feel like I'm on vacation all the time.

Wow, that was probably way more info than you needed.