In It Together

When S and I first started dating we were pretty smitten from the get-go. But I had already been accepted to a nursing program out-of-state and we tried to casually “play it by ear”.

Apparently casual doesn’t cut it when you’re crazy about somebody. Within six months of my moving away, S had quit his job and joined me. Unfortunately for him, this occurred in the height of the recession and he struggled to find meaningful work. He continued to struggle for the next three years and has been vastly overqualified for each job he has accepted settled for. He toyed with going back to school for his MBA because it made the most sense (his educational and professional background is in business). But for the duration of our relationship, he put his own ambitions and goals on the back burner to help me get through school. He sacrificed, and kept our home feeling like a home, and cared for our dogs, and pretty much kept us afloat. In the midst of it all, he married me too (I’m a lucky girl)!

Now it’s his turn.

We’ve spent a lot of time discussing different possibilities. Growing up he wanted to be a pediatrician. He also considered nursing for a while. We talked about the MBA option but it felt more like a “should” than a “want to”. He explored and researched, and we discussed and debated. We made mental pro/con lists together. And he made a decision.

S is going back to school to be a Physician Assistant.

He’s considering a blog of his own, so hopefully you’ll hear more straight from the husband’s mouth keyboard. He’s taking his first prereq this summer term.

In the meantime I’m dealing with ambition of my own and a sense of restlessness as the summer continues. So as we discuss his future, we’re discussing my future too. Our future. And we’re looking for a big change. An adventure. Something to dislodge us and disrupt us and force us to move forward with our individual and collective dreams.

We’re hoping to relocate somewhere where we both have options. Fantastic options. Across the country is not too far. At least not at this point. We know we’ll eventually end up close to family. But this is the time for adventure.