Reflections of a year

One year ago yesterday, we boarded a plane to China.  We were childless, selfish, expectant, scared to death, and CLUELESS.

I just went back and read all of my posts from May of 2010.  I can't believe how many changes we have all been through since then.  Of course, the other members of my family had changes too, but let's face it, despite the title of this blog, it is all about me.

So, since May of 2010, I have:

• quit my first academic job, started a second, and completed my first year at the second
• moved from Montgomery to Cumming 
• travelled to China and adopted a baby (10 month old) in May
• lost my first dog to cancer and watched him die in my arms
• adopted another dog (who turned out to be very puppyish)
• found myself pregnant in October
• figured out how to be a working parent
• taught for 8 months while being 40/41 years old and pregnant for the first time in my life
• fell completely in love with my daughter

When I type it out, it doesn't seem as if it is as much as it feels like.  I feel like a really different person.  And, yet, I'm still CLUELESS.  How am I going to handle two children?  How do people keep their marriages going while raising two children, working, and generally trying to be decent at all three things?

What I know right now is that mother nature is brilliant.  Once we reach this 9th month, we are SO ready to get rid of the parasite, we don't care about how much labor and delivery is going to hurt (and I understand she also provides amnesia to forget about it after).  And, in general, that is where I am.  Ready to get him OUT of me.  

Here's what I do know:  be careful what you ask for in life.  It comes, and it comes when it wants to come, not when you plan for it.  :)

Baby X is about one month away (or most probably, he will come when he's good and ready).  Baby Zi will be an amazing big sister.