Still the same...

I read my post from April, and realized not much has changed in the last month or so....

We got a few offers for our home, but nothing worked out. We decided not to sell our current home. We will not be moving to a new house. Things have a way of working out for themselves....and this whole process has been very educational, as well as beneficial for us. Purging, cleaning, organizing the home has been the biggest benefit so far. My credit score had taken a beating due to some issues and those issues are resolved now. We've understood the local market criteria, how to stage a home, how to get ready for showings, do open houses, and have learnt a lot about the real estate selling process these past couple months. In a way, I'm relieved I don't have to move. We like this place, and the neighborhood. We are looking forward to enjoying the summer break here!

Things at work are still somewhat stressful. There is no clear direction for our group. The management has changed, even though our project and work has not. I've lived with ambiguity before, so I have not been negatively impacted so far. But you can sense the turmoil when you enter the campus each day. Lots of folks have cancelled vacations and sabbaticals, and in general, the mood is somber. Not an environment I would choose to be in, if I had that choice right now.

Kids have been falling sick quite a bit. It has been extremely difficult to manage these times. The son is napping next to me as I type this. He has high fever, and an ear infection. He vomited his dinner last night, leading to a ton of laundry and midnight bath, as well as a sleepless night for us. 

So yeah, that's life, but if you look, you can always find happiness and joy around :).... 

The daughter had a beautiful graduation ceremony for kindergarten yesterday. She has triumphed this year in a new school, made lots of new-diverse friends, and has grown so much. As parents, we did an average job. The morning routine was always stressful, the evening homework routine was also somewhat stressful, and we could have done a lot better in managing our emotions during this time. We have learnt from this experience and hope that the next year will be much better. 

We have a vacation coming up in June - YAY!!. Tickets have been booked and some trips have been planned. We will be meeting family and friends that we haven't connected with in a long time. Our travel and break from routine is very much anticipated! 

Kids have been learning canvas painting techniques with a friend who is an excellent artist. She lives on a 5-acre farm with chickens, dogs and tortoises. She plants a huge produce garden each year, and kids have helped her this year with planting. Our weekly visits to her place are always so much fun, as well as therapeutic!

Summer is here, and the kids have been having lots of play dates, park outings (including spray parks), and attending birthday parties. Weather has been gorgeous and they are also enjoying bike rides. They've been picking up germs and getting sick too, but I would gladly take these common illnesses in lieu of the awesome outdoor fun any day!!

Here's a graduation picture and a couple of our adventurous boy to end the post....such joy on the kids' faces - more than enough to evaporate all the stress!