And Then It Rained

We finally have some seasonal weather. That pouring rain that goes all night long and leaves everything thoroughly soaked has been and gone a couple of times. Our first significant rainfall since early spring. The succulents suddenly bloomed and now I'm hauling them close to the house for shelter from the cold dips in temperature we often get this high on the hillside in November and December. The lemons are ripening and the winter garden is emerging.

Caelen selecting a pumpkin for Halloween

Austen is in his third month of attending both a Waldorf forest preschool two days a week and a more traditional preschool the rest of the week. Caelen has a couple of different nannies who cover me every day while I work. He got into the groove very quickly. He's nearly finished potty training already and will turn two in December. Austen's preschool is letting Caelen enroll in January due to his signs of readiness (the usual age limit is 2 1/2). This will really thrill him. He wants to go with Austen each day so badly and Austen is so excited to have him join him. They won't be together at a school like this again for another three years.

Speaking of school we are registering Austen for Kindergarten for next fall. I am hoping for him to be accepted into a full time outdoor Waldorf program. They have the most magical venue and Austen is in love with the place after his tour. It doesn't hurt that most of his close friends are headed there too. So fingers crossed everyone! It's a lottery.

Joel is busy as always. It seems like he's been on a work trip nearly every week since the school year began. He's been home most weekends and for a few weekdays here and there but it's been pretty sparse. The boys are pretty used to being just with me and we have our routines down but there are always sad bedtime goodnights. I can't wait for the holiday season mostly because the travel ends for a little while.

My company is picking up lots of speed at last now that the kids are taken care of for a stretch each day. I took some time this year to really think about who I want to work with and what direction I want to take my portfolio. A maternity leave is both a curse—because it takes years to get caught up to your peers again— and a blessing—because you can change course and no one really notices the shift except you. I never had to cut loose my science & tech companies before I veered off to serve arty boutique companies. I'm happier and no one had to get ruffled about it. I post things I'm working on all the time if you are curious.

Everyone is still asking if we got the new Green Cards yet. No. Joel just checked the processing times and they are now processing Nov of 2016 and we are early Feb 2017 so I figure early Feb 2018 we should be good to go. But who knows. We're all itchy to travel and even taking about expatriation for a short stint if something comes up that looks good. One expats, always expats. Can we ever settle?