Tuesday, February 12, 2013

It's happening...

So, I've come to a point in my life where I can say I'm seeing the beginning and end of things, and it is strange.

Just in the past few months, events are unfolding that quite justifyingly label me as "old."  (At least, they are things that I would associate with being middle-aged).  It is weird, because it is happening to me.  So weird.

As you already know, we moved to CA (3rd time's a charm!) for my husband's new position with a company he has helped get started.  He has wanted to "be his own boss" for a long time, and we saved up time, money, and resources to make it happen--and it is happening.  Being the child of a life-long duPont employee, where Uncle "Dupy" took care of us well, I was very scared of having a business.  Especially with so many failed attempts out there.  Still a bit unnerving, but exciting to see where it is taking my husband--the sky is the limit for him!  He deserves it!  And it's weird and I feel old that I can look back at where we were 15 years ago and see how far, far, FAR we have come.  (And, to realize that in 15 more years we will have only 2 of our 6 children still at home and will be grandparents, several times over, most likely).   Even more strange is how FAST I feel like 15 years has gone by.

Another reason I feel old, my husband just received a stake calling (callings are service opportunities where individuals give of their time, for free, for bettering the Lord's kingdom, by helping others).    In our church, we are organized geographically for meeting purposes and each unit is called a ward (or branch, if it is smaller).  Several wards/branches are organized into a stake.  When I was a kid, the older people seemed to have stake callings And, now that's us.  So, weird.

My husband has had a goal, for a few years now, to become licensed as an amateur radio operator (HAM), you know, to be handy in emergency situations.  There is a senior missionary couple, both with the most advanced amateur licenses, here in our stake, that have been teaching HAM and getting people licensed for a good part of their mission.  A new class started up at the beginning of this year.  My husband wanted to go for it.  Thinking that I'd like to be able to communicate and help out in emergencies, I asked him if it'd be okay if I signed up, too.  He thought it was great!

It's a 6-week course, class held once a week.  Then you take the test.  Realizing that our baby would probably come before the course had ended, we were able to go to Oakland and take the licensing exam there a few weeks ago.  This meant we had to both study the manual, ahead of schedule, and take practice exams.  I haven't had to study for a test in some 13 years (since I graduated from college).  And, I procrastinated.  And, that meant cramming.  And that meant that I ended up acing the test (yeah--see http://bewareofkids.blogspot.com/2009/12/procrastination.html).  My husband passed too, though not a perfect score, and he was steadily studying like a good student should.

Already, you are thinking, "HAM radio?!  Like truckers en route with radio to face and saying something like 'This is FR5WH calling T7SSP....'" Yeah, something like that.  We have our technician licenses and we have radios.  Though this is more of a NERDY thing, it still feels like something older people get in to--you know, people who don't have a life.  Oh my.  But, seriously--I want to help out in an emergency.  Actually, I hope there is never an emergency. Still, I want to be prepared....  Again--OLD!

And, lastly....I just had our 6th child.  Hullo--slap me in the face--SIX?!?  Yowsers.  I have six children.  And, this mommy is getting old.  Her older kids test her mental strength now more than ever.  Having a newborn is cake compared to having to help with homework after school (x's 4).  And so, this is it.  My baby's "firsts" will be my "lasts."  Every milestone she reaches will be bittersweet for me--sweet successes for her, yet sad "goodbyes" for me.  It's that time in my life--I never thought it would come.  Yet, here it is.  And, I don't feel old enough for it.

So, yes, yes, I'm getting older.  Hard to believe it.  I don't plan on letting it get me down and gaining a bunch of weight and getting lazy--oh no!  Just something that I have to chew on for a bit, digest it, and move on, and of course--make it look awesome :). 

How are you feeling older?  Share your insight; it's a bit therapeutic.  And, by the way--thanks for reading my aging thoughts....

 

4 comments:

MARY IN SCOTLAND said...

Congrats on the HAM Radio License! I've been wanting to get mine for a long time. I should just do it. If there was ever an emergency over here my family wouldn't know if I was OK. But, if I had a HAM radio I could radio to them just fine.

Both my parents and Becca are all licensed. I'll never forget their call numbers: KA8FUF, N8IJA, KD7KFE
I don't even know how I remember those. Well, mom and dad used their radios a lot. But, I think it is interesting and I'd love to do it.

I feel old. I'm 33 and I only have 1 child. I feel like I should have been done long before now. My husband is 41! Things never turn out the way I plan. I feel old yet still young and inexperienced, like I have so much to learn. I'm a new parent and we've never owned a home. I'm still a baby in some ways.

ldsjaneite said...

Honestly I only feel old when 1) I am able to say things like "that was 10+ years ago" and realize I'm referring to my teen years. Were those really that long ago?

And 2) being around YSAs still. It was weird to pull out crayons for a party I had the other day and realize that those crayons were older than have the people in the YSA ward.

Otherwise, I'd say I feel really young. I don't have an opportunity to have most of the experiences that marked "old" to me when I was growing up. Besides, my life is just too full and wonderful to notice--as long as I'm feeling joy and happiness, I'm OK no matter if I feel old OR young that day!

Marie' said...

I had never felt old until last year one of my YW said that I am middle age. She meant it in a good way. Like I am not old, just middle age kind of way. But we leaders were cracking up.
I also feel old when I look at new fashion trends and instead of thinking it is new, I can remember how I wore it last time it was in.
It is impressive that you can still cram before a test. I used to be able to do that. Memories a whole note book the night before the test and ace it. I don't think I can do that any more.

Tara said...

Jon and I were just laughing about this topic the other day. One night last week we told the kids good night and then said, "Don't stay up too late and turn off the lights when you go to bed." That's when we realized we're really getting old. We're going to bed before our kids! Only old people do that! :)