Back in Illinois...

Well, we're back - and have been for about a week.  I'm sure at some point I'll write out what we did in those last few days in Australia, but I've been having a bit of a rough transition back to the real world.  I think I really prefer to be on vacation.

Unfortunately, I royally stink at managing things in my life - especially when I'm on the other side of the world.  Let's just say that I came back to pretty much everything in my life a shambles.  Three of our four crabs died while at the petsitter's - none of which were noticed, let alone removed from the cage, by the family watching the pets.  I guess we're lucky (?) the hamsters and guinea pigs survived their time there.  

I'm now in the process of job hunting, but reluctantly, which translates into poor job prospects.  Really, I just need a kick in my pants and I could probably sort everything out within a day or so - I just am looking for that ass kicking.

I had an interesting 32nd birthday yesterday - I felt as though I was simultaneously ignored for the most part and celebrated more than I've been in a while by others.  I had my first birthday cake in many years.  I had a much smaller celebration dinner than I have in the past couple of years.  It was a strange day full of lots of tears (did I mention how screwed up everything still is?) and some of the most caring gestures and thoughtful moments I've experienced in so long.

I'm still a little thrown by my birthday.

So oh my goodness - I feel basically like I've been on an emotional rollercoaster since returning from Australia a little over a week ago.  The wacked out sleep schedule I've been maintaining doesn't help that, either.  

But, I'm back - and I'm feeling like I'm going to accomplish a whole lot tomorrow.  I didn't want to abandon the blog, though - and felt as though I'd been negligent for the past two weeks or so.  My next blog will be about the joys of my new addiction - swapping!