I'd tell you; but then I'd have to kill you

We know where we are probably going. But it's not a done deal yet. I can tell you where we aren't going though...

We are not going to Korea. (Although for about three weeks we were pretty sure of it). We are not returning to France. (And even if we did, so many of my friends have left, it wouldn't be the same anyway). We are not going to Saudi Arabia (Although that's where the project is being built - without ConocoPhillips).

We are not leaving the United States. My life as an expat is apparently over. At least for now.

We should know for certain by mid-June.

The good news is that we will probably be able to be there before school starts, so the boys (at least) will have a tad less chaos than last year.

End of School Count Down

The birthday craziness is more or less over with now. All that is left is
1) Crazy Hair Day,
2) Dress in your favorite costume day,
3) Art Show & Performance,
4) Dress up day,
5) Kindergarten Graduation,
6) Third Grade Graduation, and
7) Splash Day.
And that's just for the younger three. (Pajama Day was last week).

Fortunately for the Middle School, J doesn't tell me anything, so I am not required to do anything to help him prepare.

I don't think it's just my imagination to think "this is WAY overdone!" (Mom, comment if I'm wrong). But I don't remember anything other than running out of school with glee on the last day. But not running too fast because we were loaded down with the crap we had to take home.

It's not that I don't want the kids to have fun... It's just that I don't want to be required to procure it.

Also, since when did we celebrate Kindergarten graduation? And Third Grade? (Granted, it is a montessori school, where 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders are in one room, and lots of 3rd graders do leave at the end... but still!)

The real problem is that I will have kids at home for a week or two before summer programs start. Gonna have to find babysitters so I can go to the gym!

(Bah Humbug!)

Birthdays & Parties & Birthday Parties

It's that time of year again. When the parade of birthdays start. A's is May 23. All of the kids who have birthdays in the summertime are now required(!?) to celebrate at school before the end of the school year. Which apparently leads them to having parties at home/elsewhere also.

This weekend R went to a Pizza & Play party at a place called Incredible Pizza (I like to call it Inedible Pizza), but there are a zillion games to be played for "just a swipe of your (pre-paid) playing card!" But before they started playing, the kids got to break a pinata with lots of candy. Kids love it; moms, not so much.

Then today we had a double-birthday with two of the kids in A & E's class. At least this one was at a home. Just a lot of running around and a lot of cake. Oh, and more candy.

My "planning" for A's party means asking him which kids he plays with at school, hurriedly making a word doc. invitation, and handing it out to other parents at today's party.

J's birthday is in June, and he will be at his grandparent's house in Colorado. On one hand, that relieves me of planning duty. On the other hand, he has friends here, and maybe could have them over one afternoon before school gets out. But that's only two and a half weeks away. So, when?

And it just now occured to me... The week after J's birthday is my birthday. Can't think of anything I want right now other than to know where we'll be at the beginning of the next school year. Or something pretty...

Same Story, Different Day

What I haven't written about is how every day T comes home with a new piece of information. Nothing is solid. No offers have been made. He's been interviewed/courted for other jobs, but nothing so clear as an actual job. So, in addition to the waiting, there is continuous speculation.

It's not as much fun as it sounds like.

I am exploring the possibility of going "back" to work. I put "back" in quotations, because I do NOT wish to work as a professional organizer any more. I may want to stay in the industry in some way, but it will not be as a practitioner.

There is a possibility I may get a "job," but I have no idea what it would look like. It is strange to even conceive of it after such a long time away from working. The last thing I did before I started my own business (in 1994!), was to work as the personal assistant to this woman. I've never really had a "job." Don't even know for sure how they work.

All of this is in the contemplation stage only. Until we know more. Until we know where the ground is. Any ideas?