Shift Change

The past week I have thought a lot about when we first bought this house. We started house hunting on a lark, and I have witnesses who will verify that I said I would never move from the house in Augusta. Our younger son was in his first year of college and our house was finally the right size again. When Ken and I started taking weekend jaunts to check out what was on the market we didn't mention it to T because we didn't think anything would come of what was just a reason to get out of the house in January.

I will never forget the phone call from our surprised first-year college student. "You're moving?!" My older son had spilled the beans. I assured him that we were just looking and no decisions had been made.

When we made the offer on this place, T was my first call. I promised him that he would always have a room here. I've always felt good about that and glad that he has felt comfortable coming and going.

So it was bittersweet when I picked him up at the bus station on Tuesday. I know his first choice is to find a job in Seattle. Those plans haven't settled out yet, and it made sense for him to come home to regroup. He will continue to apply to companies in Seattle and Boston. I told him that the right thing will come along.

I believe that because I have seen that happen again and again for each one of my children.

I chuckled at the irony of how many square feet of living space we have in this house as I dismantled my sewing room. We have lots more "room" but the same number of rooms we had for almost three decades in a much smaller house. The space here is living space, not storage or places-to-put-stuff space. Over the last five years we have spread out to fill every corner and closet, which included my taking over T's room for my sewing room when he moved to Seattle a year ago.

It took me a full day to inventory fabric I had stored in several places across two rooms and another day to clear off the daybed that is a holding bay for mending, ironing, and projects in progress. This led to sorting through two closets....

My goal is to be prepared for any eventuality. I want things to work out in the very best way for my son. I also want him to enjoy being home while we enjoy having him around. It was easy to talk about how he will continue to look for work in Seattle, while I secretly hoped that proximity would work in the east coast's favor. I promised myself that I would be supportive of whatever happens....

Which is why I smiled and asked questions this evening when he shared that he has an interview in Seattle two weeks from today. He will fly out and spend a week, which allows time for any other interviews he may be able to put in place.

In the meantime we are comparing job hunting strategies and watching West Wing on DVD.

I feel privileged to have whatever time we have together. That is where I will keep my focus.