Putting Things In Perspective and Some Other Rambling

Okay, now that I finally have my long awaited home daycare license, I feel as though my mood and irritation with the midwest has calmed a bit. Granted, we both really do want to leave the midwest and will likely high tail it out of here the first chance we get. But for so long I feel as though we've been stagnant in reaching goals we've set for ourselves. T going to nursing school has seemed like a "pipe dream" for us...unattainable. Daycare licensing is one of the steps, actually the biggest step, that needed to happen in order for T to go to school. The rest of it is coming along. T is doing awesome in his EMT class. I'm so proud of him! Granted, EMT work will be a HUGE paycut for him. Hence the need for the daycare licensing. But it will be great experience in the medical field. And the more experience the better. Especially since nursing school entrance can be a bit competitive. So hopefully having the EMT license will give him a way to bring in income while he earns the CNA. CNA will be a slight step up in pay from the EMT. But more money is always better, however slight. So he has a rough road ahead of him of juggling schoolwork with work in the medical field. I so wish that I could be his "sugar mama" and support him through school. But I chose the wrong field of work for that and we live in the wrong area for that! So it will be an uphill battle, but doing nothing would be far worse than struggling through this! And he will have free tuition for at least part of his degree - so even though it has to be in Illinois, we can't really complain there (as much as I like to sometimes).

I will add that I think sometimes people get the wrong impression when we say we want to leave the midwest. It's not a matter of leaving people or friends or family, but of experiencing life outside of this little part of the world that is all that we know. I think there is a lot to be said for broadening one's experiences, experiencing other ways of life, other cities, etc...I think it is a huge opportunity for personal and spiritual growth. So what we will do now is what we've been trying to do for awhile. We will try to reconnect with and enjoy family and friends that we live close to while they are close and appreciate the time that we have. And when we leave those relationships that are worth having will still be there. I strongly believe that distance cannot tear down a strong relationship. I've seen proof of this time and again in my relationships with people. Some stand the test of time and some don't. I used to take it personally when relationships went by the wayside, but I realize that's part of life and part of the weeding out process. Some friends are gold and some were there just to have fun for awhile...just the way it is!