We have lots of big changes on the horizon.  First, I am starting a new job at the end of August.  I had completely given up on looking for work, and had instead committed myself to spending the next year home with Holden.  A job sort of materialized out of nowhere, and I was informed about it by a senior colleague at the institution I am leaving.  The job is at another local school, which is smaller and focused on preparing students for the job market.  I contacted the Dean, who was charged with filling the position.  We had lunch and she offered me the position on the spot, with the possibility of having this one-year contractual position become something more permanent down the road.  Of the 2 remaining faculty, they are both retiring, and I would be assuming the program director role (equivalent to department chair).  Um, how did this just fall in my lap ??   Was the past 2 years of job searching a karmic downpayment for this enormous leap in responsibility, pay, and status?  I get to oversee adjuncts, create the course schedule for the psychology department, advise students, do committee work, and teach.  I will also be getting paid more during my 9-month appointment than I made the entire 4 years at my last job.  I am still a little shocked that after all the effort of looking for work, that it literally came down to giving up.  When I gave up on continuing the job search, I wasn’t thinking that anything would fall in my lap.  I was just thinking that I would be with Holden for the year and re-assess things next summer.  And although I am incredibly excited about this enormous opportunity, I am also disappointed that I won’t have the next year with H.  I had been looking forward to the time with him, but that’s OK—we have the whole summer instead!

Here’s the other big thing that is going on.  I finished a 4-week course of antibiotics at the beginning of May for my continued eardrum ruptures.  I had a 2nd CAT scan after I finished the course of antibiotics.  The scan showed MORE remaining INFECTION.  I was given a referral for testing by an allergist (which is not scheduled until the end of June), and within 48 hours of going off antibiotics, I was sick again and losing my hearing.  I decided I had to start experimenting to see if I could get better before seeing the allergist.  So I eliminated dairy and gluten from my diet.  Within 2 weeks I was better!  I no longer wake up with a headache.  I have more energy.  I can hear again.  I can taste again.  I can smell again.  We can start doing things socially again.  It’s wonderful.  Although I miss cheese and ice cream, I don’t miss them enough to risk getting sick again.  I’m eating a lot of fruits and veggies, fish, and meat.  It’s good stuff.

The real reason I have hopped on here this beautiful Friday afternoon is to detail the funny things that Holden is saying.  In no particular order:

1.  “Kitty—NO!  Timeout!”

2.  “Poop jokes”

3.  “My bookcase will hurt you.”

4.  “My penis is hot.”

5.  “There’s a traffic jam going to the library.”  (Yeah, right.)

6.  When passing the local park on our way home, Holden usually screams at me:  “Turn around!!!!!!!!”

There are other funny things that I am blanking on right now, but I wanted to get them all down before I forgot about them!  He is changing so rapidly, I need to just take as much of him in at once as I can.  I love him so much.