Surrounded

I am feeling surrounded... and not in a bad way at all. For the first time in my life I feel like I have a network of friends and acquaintances... I'm surrounded by familiar faces! People that I can rely on and who can rely on me for anything. It has been gradually growing... this feeling, but this week it has really become shockingly noticeable. Jason is away on business for the whole week and typically, I would be feeling isolated (hermitized is the made-up word that I like to use to describe my situation). Not this week! Friends have been coming up asking if they can help me out by watching the kids and I've been reciprocating as well. I was even able to attend book club Monday night, which was a complete surprise! This feeling of being connected seems so important now as we face that ultimate turning point of where our future should be... obviously, my vote is here.

Which lead me to the fact that last month I joined a book club (I know... me?? really??), but I just wanted to give it a try. I was encouraged to join by an acquaintance who assured me that it's more than just books, it's a neighborhood community of women/moms who can provide advice, names of good contractors, and recommendations for babysitters, as well as an evening out once a month to talk of non-kid related things (if there is such a thing anymore?). My first book club (I hadn't read the book) was a bit overwhelming... so many voices and conversations going at once. Anybody who knows me, knows that I don't do well (understatement) with chaos. I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to attend any more, but as we were all getting our coats to leave, the women were just so warm and welcoming... actually glad that I decided to come and even looking forward to my coming again. So I did... and this time I even read the book! Well, I didn't know that I would be able to attend (Jason being out of town), but then a good friend offered to come and watch the kids so that I could go (thank you so much, Kerin)!! I'm glad that I went... this time the group was smaller and there weren't as many simultaneous conversations going on. I am glad that I joined, but I'm still having that ever-constant internal debate... I have sooo many books that I want to read, why join a book club and have to add to my list books that I would have had no interest in reading? Yes... the first book that I read for the book club turned out to be very good and one that I would never have read on my own. Wait! That is the whole purpose of book club...to widen my reading focus... introduce me to books and authors I would have never read on my own. Wait! I have only a limited amount of time to read and there are so many on my 'to read' list already. There is my circular debate... on and on.

And it looks like our future may be here after all. Saving the best for last... Jason has an offer letter!! There has been much interest in him in the past month (many emails, some interviews), but this offer came from a company that pursued him specifically. Jason actually declined an interview when they first called, but they were persistant and it looks like it will be a good fit to Jason's experience and interest. There are still some issues/questions that he is looking into, but this is such exciting news that I kind of wanted to shout it out (from the rooftops, if I could)!