Sunday, November 1, 2009

Returning to Blogging

I went away from blogging. I think it had a lot to do with the level of denial needed to get through our life at the moment. Well, at least denial about the financial part of our life. I have this beautiful, amazing, funny child and a loving, wonderful wife and we have a roof over our head. Most days this is what I focus on and I let a lot of the little details of how our life has changed in the last nine month slip away. Writing concentrates the mind on the details and I've been taking a holiday of sorts. However, I think it may be time to stop with the holiday. So I'm back and we'll see how this goes.

A great deal has happened in the last year. X has grown from a tiny newborn baby
to a big one year old.


I went back to work for six days before being laid off in the middle of February. I have been a SAHM for X's first year, although this was not a choice I made but just how life happened. I would not trade this year home with him for anything, but I would trade the way I got there.

Emily has officially entered the academic job market, applying for quite a few jobs. It is exciting, yet nerve wracking, waiting to hear if/where we will be moving this coming school year. This job hunt has the effect of putting aspects of our lives on hold. I look forward to being able to move forward decisively at some point.

We are recipients of multiply types of state aid. X is on Medicaid and he and I are on WIC (because according to the state, I am a single mother), although now that he just turned a year, WIC is now just for him. I have been receiving unemployment benefits since February which are due to run out in the middle of January. When that happens our family will suddenly qualify for food stamps and more free health care, which is good because the COBRA subsidy for my health insurance runs out December 1st and I REALLY can't afford the COBRA insurance without it.

So this is our life right now. Well, at least a small portion of it.

4 comments:

GIsen said...

Are you interested in going back to school? At least some grant money might put some air back in your tires for a bit.

Obama has put together emergency grants for career changers, those laid off in certain occupations.

Annie said...

I just wanted to leave a note to say that I became interested in your blog back before the posts tapered off, and I started "watching". I am still "watching". Random lurker, awaaaaaaaaaay!

Kate said...

Malea- I actually am interested in going back to school. However, with Emily potentially having a job in a different part of the country in August, I can't start a program until then. But as soon as we know where we'll be living, I'm so there. Thanks for the idea.

Annie- I greatly welcome random lurkers! Especially as I am one in so many places. Thanks for saying hi!

Wendelah said...

I'm glad to see you have returned to blogging and I hope your financial situation improves soon.

I'm rooting for Emily to get a full-time tenure track job in the Fall, too.