Firsts and Lasts

I write today from a strange vantage point. Nearly a year ago, we made a very rapid and life-changing decision to move to Montana. Sean would begin his new job as a district administrator, the boys would start at a new school, and I would figure it out once I got there. We'd sell our house, buy a new one, and start anew.

Breakfast at No Sweat Cafe - The First Day of School

It has been ten months since we arrived here. We haven't sold our house yet, nor have we bought a new one. I spent my fortieth year mostly unemployed and without a home of our own, and it was wonderful. Who gets to do that? I hiked a lot and made a ton of new friends and was able to check in on the boys at school and even occasionally have lunch with them or chaperone a field trip. I could keep them home if they weren't feeling well without having to have those late night whispered conversations with my husband about the next day's schedule. I read books and learned my way around my new town and became an excellent winter driver. I attempted to get this blog up and running again and at least got in a handful of entries to anchor this time. I did not write the next great American novel, but I did attempt to learn to ski. I went grocery shopping whenever I wanted and ran errands and went out for a lot of lunches. I watched the way that the seasons change the trails that I have learned so well. I've seen the mountains shift from green to white to green again. I exercised a lot and read countless Zillow postings and planned trips and tried to keep up with the boys ever-evolving interests. It has been the best year ever.

Breakfast at No Sweat Cafe - The Last Day of School

And, because I'm a girl who likes a theme, I treated myself to a solo breakfast at No Sweat Cafe on the first and the last days of school. I ate the same meal and sat at the same table and wrote in the same journal. 

We're still living in a bizarre liminal space (Sean always tells me that this is such a Grinnell word. I happen to love it), and it looks like we will continue to hang out in limbo for the foreseeable future. We've learned a lot this year, though, and hopefully are coming out of it stronger than we started. 

I'll keep you posted.

To everyone that has been along on the journey, thanks for the love and support! Onto the best summer ever...