Closure

October 13, 2011

One year. Our first year in a new place, Jacob's third year of life, mine and Fraser's 4th year of marriage. In and out of the days and hours, the months and seasons, we have made it through. A bit stronger in some areas, a bit more unsure in others. What an experience.

Looking back at my first entries in this blog makes me realize how far we've come, as I knew this record would. Jacob looks so much younger then, our house barren and disheveled at first, and Shilo is in the pictures too. We felt so new and sad and alone in those first few days and weeks. 

There have been many challenges: weather, work, making friends, parenting. There have been many joys too: this beautiful area, the friends we have made, the ways we are learning to support each other on this journey. 

I am so thankful to all of you who have read this blog at any point during the year. I'm thankful to all of your comments. Knowing someone is out there is very motivating for writer's block and stopping to write on those busier days. Knowing that there are so many people out there who care about us and want us to be happy gives me such an uplifting feeling. 

I am also so very thankful for all our new friends. My neighours and the moms from my moms' group have been absolute lifesavers. This transition has been much improved by those relationships. Even though I still feel new, I no longer feel like a stranger. And I don't feel alone. I have a network of wonderful people to help me on those tougher days. I need to remember that more often. 

And so the journey continues.... We are here still for the foreseeable future. We do miss Boulder but it is not our time to return now. I have enjoyed keeping a record of our days and activities, as much for my own sake as for others. I also like using this to keep a whole lot of people informed in this one area. As much as I love all my friends individually and there is nothing like a call to catch up, this is so much more practical than making 15 phone calls a day. 

I am going to keep writing but hope to shift my focus a bit. I don't know that it will always be daily. I don't know what all it will include. I want to write about finding my path, finding our path in this constantly changing game of life. Getting to the heart of what matters to me and to my family - that is what I hope to find. So please, keep reading. Keep leaving your comments. They really do mean a lot to me and inspire me to keep writing. My next blog is entitled Closer to Core. Join me there. This part of the journey has come to a close, but it's really only the very beginning. 

closertocore.blogspot.com