Homelife, Career, and ..... more?

It feels good to be home. Today felt like our first "normal"day in weeks. Andrew had class, the girls and I stayed home baking and reading books, then some friends came for dinner...ah, the good life. We did enjoy the holidays. The week before Christmas was busy with preparations for travels, visits with my family, and work. We spent most of Christmas week in Pennsylvania with Andrew's family where Ramona and Astrid had a great time playing with their six cousins. We were home long enough for me to work a couple of days and then off to Athens to stay with my parents for a few days. Then a couple of more days of work and that brings us back to the present...just where I want to be.

I was talking with a friend tonight about how difficult it is to find a balance between cultivating a meaningful lifestyle (which for me includes much baking, cooking, gardening, active time with my family, reading, and exploring the outdoors), working for a living, and maintaining an active involvement in community and civic action. Since becoming a parent I find myself reading and thinking about the changes I would like to see in my community and the world, but I just don't have as much free time to volunteer, or be part of a protest, or organize a community group. I had planned to volunteer at a non-profit health clinic, only to come to the obvious realization that I would need to pay for daycare for my children in order to go volunteer. So, I have been trying to incorporate my visions and hopes for my community and the world into my everyday life and work. Instead of driving to work in a rush and just going through the ropes, I walk there. The moon and stars are out these winter days as I leave for work at 630am and they remind me of all those reasons I wanted to be involved in women's health, the changes I hoped to make, and the support I hoped to provide. I arrive to work ready to do my basic job and hopefully a little more. One of my friends that came for dinner tonight is very involved in educating others and organizing against mountain top removal for coal mining. I am inspired by her energy and courage. She is presenting to a Yale law conference, creating school age curriculms, and planning to be part of the organized civil disobediance (protest) in DC this march. At the same time she is a mom, a full-time graduate student, and has just moved to a new city. It feels good to find a friend that inspires me to not stand back and hope, but to actively work with others to create a change. On that note, I feel very hopeful about our next years as a country under the new guidance of our President Elect, Barack Obama!