I’m still here…barely. Let’s recap since I got some shocking news about my job. You might think that I may actually have a firmer date of when my last  pay could be no? In academia, things move at a glacial pace so this is good and bad! My last  pay could be July 31st, Sept 1, end of December or not until April 2011.

Life has become somewhat of a cliff hanger each day I leave the lab. I’m full of uncertainty!  So many questions: when should I apply for jobs? How soon should we move? Are we taking too many chances right now? How quickly will our house sell? I have to admit that these “life lessons” are somewhat hard to take and last night I was so exhausted from our manual labor (we landscaped a walkway with heavy slate stones) that I was chattering nonsensically to the hubs.

From what I recall, I started musing about needing a mason jar for firefly catching, craving Flintsone push pops that I used to get from the ice-cream man and longing for a couple lazy days on the beach without a care in the world. I haven’t completely lost it…just realizing how important necessary it is for me to only visualize one day at a time.

Here’s what I do know. We have decided to move to Pittsburgh and live in the city. We both feel that cost wise/interest of pursuing our careers in a bigger way that we need to be in an urban area. The move may happen as early as the fall or as late as next spring.  I’m hoping for the latter as that would assure us of another steady 8 months of regular income. Are we nervous about our financial future? Of course but nothing good ever comes for free or without some seriously difficult and trying effort!

The plan: We are taking a trip this week to meet up with some friends and explore a select group of neighborhoods in which we are looking to purchase housing. Also on tap, is a tour of a place where I *may* find work so it’s important that I see it and get a feel if I could imagine myself spending my days refining and learning new skills. I promise a picture post will be up next! I have been happily snapping away so as not to forget all the joyous things that occur day to day. It’s easy to let the looming grey cloud foreshadow the present. I am making every attempt to keep mindful & savor every beautiful day. ‘Life is a Journey, not a Destination’ -RWE  love to you readers! xo