A Year in the Life of....February 2012 to July 2012

OK, so it's been a long time since I've posted...The last time I blogged was back in February...but a lot of unforeseen events have taken place...but amazingly, I think this has been all deliberately and lovingly arranged by God, as all of these things have been surprising blessings...but my, oh my, what changes!

In March, we put our first house of 21 years up for sale.

In early April, we moved into the rental house we owned 30 miles east. But first it had to be repaired, repainted, and renovated. My hubby just started work in LA, and kids were away in college. Tough month, near burnout...mostly by myself. All the while, my husband faithfully commuted back and forth from LA on the weekends. He wanted so much to help, but, alas, he just got the job and couldn't take time off...so frustrating for him! The test for me was to do the "impossible"...MOSTLY BY MYSELF !! Sort, throw out, pack, unpack...arrange for movers...etc. I had to pray to God every day, because the task was so overwhelming and emotional!

In May,  I quit my job as a medical transcriptionist at the County Hospital. The entire hospital was going to go electronically paperless in July. I saw the writing on the wall...my job looked to be going first...so I wanted to avoid the drama, take a step in faith and left the job on indefinite leave, since I was a Temp.

In late May, our son graduated, and "walked" in the graduation ceremony at UC Berkeley, with cap and gown and all the  pomp, set in  Berkeley's Greek Theatre. What a milestone for Mom and Dad!  Just as much "blood, sweat, and tears" for parents as well as for son! He then moved back in our new home.

July marked another milestone...my husband Mr. J completed a year at his job in SoCal (near Pasadena). The weekend commuting was wearing thin on both of us and was not cutting it...after all, we've been together 27 years! I thought, if I am going to start a new life in a new neighborhood, it might as well be in LA w/my hubby. One "minor" challenge...it's only a one-room studio cottage.

Talk about downsizing! "Are you crazy ?!?!," some friends said. "Won't you go nuts living in such close quarters?"  Learned a lesson though...that less can be more, and the best thing  is that now I am content and happy, especially since I am together w/Mr. J (and doggie Blair came along too!)  Understand that it was a process though...it was quite an adjustment. We still go back up North every other weekend.

More on our new digs and new life next time!