As the summary of this blog states: in this family, nothing ever goes according to plan. Such is the case again today, as we have not so much been thrown a curve ball as a knuckle-ball, and it’s right in our groove.
If you’ve been following along, my contract got cut short last month, and I’ve been looking for work. Initially there were a couple of Chicago-based opportunities: one was filled before I got my foot in the door; and the other required that I (*ahem*) “adjust” my resume to “polish” my experience in order to meet the qualifications. This type of thing goes on all the time, the recruiter told me. Well, it doesn’t go on with me at all I told him. So that was a no-go.
There were a couple of long shots in Detroit and back in Columbus, OH of all stupid things. But both of those turned out to be non-starters. But one particular opening caught my attention, and I brought it up with Meg one night when we were out on a walk together. It was a direct-hire, permanent position; full-time, with a complete vacation and benefits package.
We decided that even though it was out of town, we would pursue it and see where it went. It turned out going to two phone interviews, one via video conference, and one whirlwind overnight visit. Then an offer, and after much deliberation and family consultation, acceptance.
I am moving to Portland, Oregon. Meg will stay in Illinois with our youngest while he completes his Senior year in high school. Once he’s nicely tucked into university in the fall of 2013, she and the pets will join me out west to begin the rest of our lives.
This is going to be really f***ing hard. I’ll most likely get home only once a month, and likely for little more than a long weekend. My vacation will be available for Christmas, so I’ll have that to look forward to. But Meg is going to be raising our son, her step-son, basically on her own. I won’t be there to help her, or comfort her, and those two will have to split my share of the chores as well. This is not going to be anywhere close to ‘easy’.
But this kind of stuff happens for a reason. We tell ourselves this, trying to re-assure ourselves that we’re making the right decision. It nearly always turns out to be true, though the benefits sometimes are not visible for months, or even years. We just have to push on, put our trust in providence, and do our best to find the benefits in this arrangement.
The most obvious one being, our dream of moving west after our children get off to college is coming true.
Meg Currell 
If you like what you see...