Is Christmas time crazy...or are we?

As I work out the logistics for acquiring a few more gifts, I start to think that I need to buy more things for more people. The more people I have covered, the more people whom I think should receive something. It's a vicious cycle...for my bank account. Aside from the material aspect of the holidays, I think the holiday family time can take its toll as well. While I'm happy to see a house full of celebratees (I just made that up.), the responsibilty of feeding and entertaining so many people tends to suck one dry. Maybe that's why Mom asked 'me' to make Christmas Eve dinner this year.

Despite the trials and tribulations of the holidays, this special time undoubtedly presents some really precious moments that somehow make it all worthwhile. Joey wants to leave Santa shaped cookies out for Santa on Christmas Eve. I had better start baking.

Stuff

Stuff. What is it and why do we have it? Our lives are literally stuffed with stuff. The pain from acquiring and holding on to so much stuff has become quite poignant over the past several weeks. Do you want to know what's worse than having so much stuff in the first place? The inability to throw the stuff away.

Hair bows from the 80's??? I need to get my head examined.

As Clear As Mud

Last Thursday, October 5, I underwent PRK on my left eye. Right after the procedure, I was amazed at how well I could see through that eye. As expected, that sight has become worse as my cornea heals and will get better again with time. This Thursday, October 12, I'll have PRK done on my right eye. So, if over the next week or two I walk right past you without any sort of acknowledgement, it's because I simply can't see you!

Another thing that I cannot see is the house that Butch is checking out for us in Casal Palocco, Italy. On the phone he tried to describe aspects of the house to me. From his descriptions, I couldn't tell if he liked the house...or not. Butch also used our digital camera to make mini-movies of the walk-through, so I could see it too. Genious! Although, I have to wait until he comes back from Italy to do so. He cannot send me this file for some reason. We have one more day to make a decision on this house. By the time I actually see anything, the house will either already be ours...or not. In the meantime, Butch will be visiting another house in Infernetto. I truly hope that one of these will work out for us.

By next week, 'something' should become clear, or at least clearer.

Make Good Choices

To do or not to do?

Butch and I have faced this question about a gazillion times. I'm sure everybody has, but I'm not talking about the mundane decisions of daily life. I'm referring to the unexpected or uncommon ones.

The scenario: 2 year work rotation available in Rome, Italy. A choice needed to be made. To go for it or not? We decided, yes. It seemed simple enough.

Who knew that the decision to temporarily move abroad could turn our world so upside down. Sure, we knew that we would be giving up some things, but we figured that we would be making up for them with "other" things. For instance, I'm postponing a massage therapy career in exchange for the opportunity to immerse myself in Italian daily life. We're taking the boys away from the only home they have ever known in exchange for the chance to live in and learn a new culture. Butch is leaving a project that is "just about to get really exciting" for an opportunity to grow professionally...in Italy of all places.

At first, the choice really did seem simple enough. We expected change. We expected challenges. We expected stress too.

Now I have to admit, that I didn't expect the huge amount of stress on our children, or more specifically, our eldest, who happens to be only 5 years old. I didn't expect him to sigh so much or frown whenever he overheard us talking about Italy or the move. I didn't expect him to have accidents (of the tinkling sort) at school. I certainly didn't expect the phone call from his kindergarten teacher telling me that he had an emotional breakdown out of the blue. On the other hand, I did expect the call from the school's guidance counselor telling me that she would start meeting with him once a week, but only because his teacher forewarned me.

We made a choice that has impacted our and our children's lives more adversely than I could have anticipated. Was it a good one?

Either way, it is what it is. Despite the difficulties involved, I'm still holding on to the hope that the benefits will outweigh the costs.