Odds and Ends

AugDog
So we have officially cut ties with our dogwalker. She ended up breaking up with us, of all things, but we had invited her to start looking for a new client to take Aug's slot. I was freaking out a bit at first, because I was not sure we could find someone to start right away, but I'm meeting with a new walker tomorrow night who I think is going to be a great fit. Augs really only needs a walker for 5 more weeks until Hubs is finished with the school year anyway.

Just in case you needed a reminder of how cute Auggie is.

WorkI applied for a job at Loyola a few weeks ago but never heard anything back from them, so I have to assume that that is a no-go. Things are going well enough at my current gig, but I know for a fact that I don't want to work there long term. Honestly, watching chemo and radiation start to take a toll on my Work Mom has kindled up a new kind of emotional heaviness. I want to be there to support her and laugh with her and hug her and talk with her, but I find myself fending off icy stabs of dread and fear. I imagine the day I will have to come to work and find out that she is not coming back. I think about her daughter and her husband. Work Mom reminds me so much of my mom. She sings happily and constantly, hums at her desk, always has a smile on her face. When I asked her last week how she was doing, she said "I'm OK. It just stinks, ya know? There are so many things I want to do." Not the words of a bitter or despairing woman. I love her a lot, and I'm already praying for strength to stand by her without crumbling.

But it adds one more reason to the growing list of reasons to begin the job search for real.

Life
I'm planning to write about Friday as its own post, but as a teaser I will say that it was like a big sparkly gift. A skinny vanilla latte for my heart and spirit. To know and be known, through years and years of life, is an incredible blessing. More to come.

In other half-baked news, I feel a sense that big things are getting started over here with me and with Hubs and with Me&Hubs. We've had a couple of conversations lately that have been so so good - things that had been on my mind and heart that Hubs actually brought up to talk about without a prompt from me. Makes me feel like we are in-sync and that the Lord is nudging us both about some things. Exciting. Encouraging. New. Just in time for spring.

I expect there will be a lot more marriage-y stuff to write about very soon. You know, when my husband and I get to live in the same house for more than 3 days per week. He remarked today that he thinks it is awesome that we have been married for almost a whole year, and have really never fought so far in that whole time. And I was like "Yeah, that's true. But it is fairly easy to get along with someone who lives 3.5 hours away." Not that I anticipate lots of fighting in our future. I don't. But every time someone asks me "How's married life?" or "How's the first year of marriage so far?" I feel very tempted to say something like "Pretty much just like dating long distance, except for sex and laundry."

Ah, life. What a funny, beautiful, wandering trip.