45

Aah, my long-neglected blog.      

Seems like my 45th birthday is a fitting time to dust it off.

So far, it has been a year of transitions. The Eldest Teen is halfway through his first semester of college, Little is in his first year of middle school and just started Judo / Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training, and Middle is sophomore, playing rugby for the first time.

Savageman and I celebrated 20 (gasp!) years of marriage last week. We're still not quite sure how that happened, but we're glad whatever it is that we did has lasted 20 whole years.  Marriage isn't easy, but it helps when you genuinely consider your spouse to be your best friend.

We are creatures of habit. He goes to work and the gym; I go to work and Jung Sim Do. Work for me has been neuropsych evaluations, generally three days per week.  JSD continues to be seven days per week, whether I'm there taking class, sparring, kickboxing, teaching, or just practicing on my own.  It continues to be my sanity, my flow activity, my constant challenge.  With Little and my other friends learning Judo / BJJ, I'm picking up a bit of that here and there as well, which has been a fun change of pace.  It usually winds up with me looking something like this:

...but that's okay, I'm learning.

It's been quiet around here with one less child.  We try to spend some time each evening watching a show or doing something with the remaining two before bed.  It's a nice way to wind down and reconnect after homework/gym/karate/judo.  I often knit. This weekend, I'm finishing the blanket I knitted the Eldest so he can take it back to school with him tomorrow.  

Okay, this has been fun.  Dust is off the blog. It's time for me to get off my butt and get to Saturday morning JSD.  

2nd Dan test

The After Picture. So, so proud of this kid.  More later.

Moving Forward

And just like that, a year has passed.

My eldest has graduated from high school and is headed to college in the fall.  Middle is scheduled to test for his second degree black belt this weekend.  Little is preparing for the transition to middle school.

It's a good time to take a deep breath, refocus, take inventory.  In preparation for graduation weekend and out of town guests, I spent the last two weeks obsessively cleaning and decluttering the house, so there are currently no fires to put out here.  The two younger boys are at school and the graduate is sleeping.

Yesterday I treated myself to a new tablet, on which I have the playlist of TED talks and MIT OpenCourseware lectures I have been thoroughly enjoying in the last few months.  I've started ordering the textbooks for the courses as well, finding them to be surprisingly inexpensive when purchased used on Amazon.  Determined to still finish the doctoral dissertation that has hung over my head these last 18 years, I'm soaking up all the math, science, and neuroscience I have time to soak up, when I'm not working, or at karate, or doing Mom Stuff.

Work has been neuropsych evaluations this year rather than substitute teaching.  Going into the office 2-4 days per week (plus teaching childbirth class) has been an adjustment for me, but with college to pay for now, the regular income is good to have. More importantly, I enjoy the work itself, and the people there.

Meanwhile, karate is still 7 days/week for me.  My hours there are spent taking class, conditioning, teaching children's class, or in solitary practice.  The dojang is my sanity, my physical and social outlet, my flow activity.  As a first dan black belt, I feel both competent and incompetent in so many ways.  There are always new challenges and directions for growth. It is my happy place.

It's been a busy year, but in mostly good ways.  I'm stronger, more fit, and likely better educated than I've ever been, now that I've taken charge of my own learning, my own path.

I have no idea where any of it will lead, but I'm enjoying the scenery on the way.

With Middle at picture day last week