MOVING ON UP, DOWN... ALL AROUND

Whoops - I've been absent (smacks own hand). With the week-end, and it being the August LONG week-end here in Canada, you'll have to excuse me for not wanting to be a slave to the computer. To be perfectly honest, I don't spend much time at home lately, or at least in my house. It's too nice to sit inside. Soon enough our whole month of summer will be over, and I'll be held captive in this house once again.

So new on the home front... my husband is determined to get us relocated to Houston, Texas next summer. It's his so-called mission in life. He was there again on a business trip last week. He says he truly misses living in the States, and being in Calgary never has felt like "home". *Sigh* - who am I to argue? I made living in Michigan a living hell. I was so unhappy there - if it hadn't been for the three babies I was taking care of, I might've had more time to complain. To be honest though - I'm not exactly vetoing the whole Houston move. I too enjoyed living in the States. And I'll say it - there are things that I miss about it. For one, adequate medical care. 'Nough said. It may be "free" here (it's not, you pay for it in your gargantuan taxes), but you get what you pay for. This is particularly bad in Calgary because we are had a major population influx, and didn't get the matching influxes in our medical care, police, fire department or schools. Too many people - not enough resources. It's really sad. Plus, service when you go anywhere completely blows. You can sit in a drive thru at Burger King for at least 30 minutes because I think only two people are working there, each for $25.00 an hour. It's insane.

For now, Calgary is the place to be. It is probably the best place in North America to be with an autistic child. Only because Alberta is a debt free Province, and they have the best therapeutic resources for the disabled. Back in Michigan, Kierra was considered "lucky" to get two hours a week in therapy services. Here, she get's 3 hours a day, five days a week. PLUS she got her special ed pre-school services damn near free, and that was 20 hours a week as well. I think the move here was the best thing we ever did - because it is when we saw the most progress in Kierra. Plus I actually do like it here. We met good friends, I love my house, and I love living the City life. I don't think I could do the small town thing again. I've been acclimated to the hustle and bustle of city life. However, once Kierra hits grade one (next fall), she'll no longer have those extended services (she'll just get what the board of education offers), so we have no reason to stay other than we want to. The great thing about hubby's company is that it's international, so he can move pretty much anywhere they operate a pipeline.

Part of me wishes we could move back to where the family is. Even living in Calgary, I'm still isolated from them. I haven't lived with or near family since I moved out after high school graduation. I'm used to it I suppose - not being there for all the holidays and missing out on birthdays and what not. Unfortunately, Manitoba doesn't exactly have the financial gain for hubby that Alberta does. But I wonder if I'll ever look back and regret not being closer to family. I'm sure I will at some point. I remind myself constantly that we have to do what's in the best interests of "our" family. Still, I wish I could pick up selected members of the extended one, and bring them where ever we go. Others... I'm content to let em rot where they are (LOL I'm not full of animosity or anything).

One thing is for sure, we just never know where we'll end up next. Occupational hazard and all. But that's the way we roll. Never stay anywhere too long, and always looking for new adventure on the horizon.