Another sad anniversary

It's been two years since the miscarriage (can you believe it?). I'm OK with being a mom of one and most of the time I don't think I would want to start all over again with a baby at this point, either. It is really hard to have so many reminders, though. I always seem to know someone who is pregnant (even friends from high school who are as "old" as me), and I have three friends with toddlers that keep the dates fixed in my mind- one friend who had her baby the same day I had the miscarriage, and two other friends who had babies when I was supposed to have mine (they are around 18 months old now). Again, most of the time, I'm fine with it- but other times, I can't bear to look at photos of their kids on FB.

I read my post from last year at this time, and it seems like I'm in a better state of mind now than I was then. I am also getting ready for a conference trip (like I was then), but not stressing out about it in such an extreme way. This time we are driving to a conference (the whole family). I have my talk pretty much ready and am just worrying about getting other things done before we leave later in the week. It should be a good trip (if D feels better- she has a sore throat and I'm starting to suspect it is strep!)

One of the things I've been doing lately instead of blogging, is reading for fun. As I wrote about recently, I read the Harry Potter series. After that, I read His Dark Materials (finished The Amber Spyglass yesterday). I am going to read the short follow-up books to that, but then I need to find something else. I've really been enjoying getting back to reading fiction. It's reduced my TV watching, although I don't usually watch hours of TV, anyway. I've also been working my way through another kind of book. D and I have been enjoying yummy cupcakes on a daily basis and I make a new batch as soon as we finish one. I hope we can cope without them for a few days while we're gone!

We're down to three weeks in the semester (then finals) and I can't wait. I always feel burned out this time of the semester...

3 Years & 565 Posts...

I started writing a reflective post for my 3-year blog-a-versary, but it just felt too forced, so I am going with a short and sweet post instead. I've enjoyed writing this blog and interacting with all of you over the last three years. You've shared in my joys and pains and it's been wonderful to have this virtual support in my life. Thanks to all you! Here's to another 3 years (and more!)

32 posts in 30 days

I haven't blogged this much in a LONG time- since April of this year, when I had bad news to blog about. I haven't had any big news this month (other than confirming that I don't have skin cancer) and I have written some posts that don't say a whole lot, but at least I managed to stick to it. It's been great to get back to blogging and I feel like I will be able to maintain my momentum- even if I don't blog daily next month.

I can't say as much about InaDWriMo, which I made 0% progress. I had hoped it would motivate me to get back to that paper I had abandoned, but it didn't happen. I have a lot of things in the works, research-wise so that is good, but I just need to stick to it and follow through. The next few weeks will be filled with grading, so I don't expect to accomplish any extra research then, either, but over winter break, I might have a chance.

On that note, I'm off to do some reading for class by the glow of our Christmas lights on this dreary, cold, rainy Sunday morning.

RBO needing to get busy!

• OK- I really need to get my butt in gear. I have a paper deadline in two weeks that is looking less feasible by the minute, but I would still like to try to make it. The editor for the special issue also said that it could probably be extended, too. A month sounds more reasonable, but given the level of motivation I have lately, even that is not too promising. 
• D will likely be playing over at the neighbor's quite a bit with her friend these next few weeks, so I should have still have time to work quite a bit, even though her two weeks of science day camps are over. I also want to take her to some fun things this month, though- we have zoo and museum memberships that are being wasted, so it's time to go! 
• We have no travel plans for this entire month (so far), so we'll just be hanging around Small College Town until our conference trip (with extra week of vacation afterward) in August.
  
• We STILL have not received H's letter for a naturalization ceremony and I am convinced that it was lost in the mail. It's been almost 8 weeks (55 days) since he passed the test and was told that he would hear something within 45 days. He called the national number, but they don't do anything until 90 days have passed. I think we are just going to show up at the local office tomorrow to see if we can at least find out if they mailed anything yet. We tried to make an appointment online, but H doesn't fit any of the situations listed. I guess the worst that can happen is they don't tell us anything and send us away. Of course, we still have to wonder if the ceremony will end up being scheduled during our trip (another reason we have no other travel plans so far). H is convinced that do ceremonies on July 4th, but I'm not sure that judges would want to work that day.
• Today is my last official day as an assistant professor. I still have a post brewing about this- the idea that I can do "what ever I want" and decide how I want to define my career without worrying about getting that next paper in before tenure. I am looking into a potential  joint appointment opportunity at my U, also. Again- these issues deserve their own post. I feel like I should be celebrating, too. Lots of people seem surprised that we don't have a big tenure-celebration-trip planned for this summer. Of course, none of these people know that I was supposed to be pregnant right now (ruling out travel to H's home country), or that we are waiting on immigration crap (also preventing international travel). It's a bit of a bummer, but I really can't complain. Small College Town is nice in the summer- there are fewer students, it's beautiful and green (I lived away from the Midwest long enough to still have "green shock" every summer- I love it), the fireflies are out, and the humidity seems to have dropped back to reasonable levels (for now anyway).
• I am just trying to balance enjoying summer for all of it's flexibility, clean my house, and still accomplish some work!

Is it you???

Dr. Brazen Hussy posted her 25,000th visitor and I've finally had that many!!