oldgreedy.

First: Welcome to life, Samuel Brix Bond! Kisses and roses for all! Way to go, Carolyn and Eric!

Also:

I started my new job yesterday. It’s at a small book publisher for mostly elementary level nonfiction, titles like “Why am I a Bird?” or “The Drug Trade.” It seems like it’ll be a good job, once I figure out what’s going on, what I should be doing every day, and get my commute ironed out. It’s strange to step in to manage people at an unfamiliar place. I felt confident managing people in my last job because I had done the work myself before, so I had an idea of what they were going through. Here, I wonder if they’ll think, what does he know? He hasn’t done this before.

I still miss the old job. I was preparing to go for weeks, but the departure felt abrupt, still scrambling to get stuff done on the last day, knowing that the people I left behind would be scrambling still. They gave me a great sendoff at the end, complete with thoughtful cards, notes, e-cards, and an amazing drawing from one of my favorite editors. Tears were shed. It was a privilege to have an ending like that, especially after just a couple of years there–made me feel like I really did have an impact, accomplished something, not just in whatever textbooks we created, but in creating some positive result for the people I worked with, which is even more gratifying. I hope they know how much I loved working with them, a talented, fun bunch who made me look forward to going into work every day. I will keep my fingers crossed that this job will be a little like that one.

Yes, I think I will. How bout next week. For the move, that is. The baby can wait till October.

We’ve been figuring it out for a while, actually, so sorry for the belated news-dissemination. Much to catch up on. I’ll dedicate this post to the baby. We’re very excited, naturally. Reading lots of book and following his/her growth from the size of a lentil to a bean to a grape to maybe now an apricot. Isa’s been feeling the sickness, but she’s just about out of her first trimester so we’re hopeful she’ll have a few easier months. We had an ultrasound today and saw the baby. He/she actually looks human, which is a good thing. About three inches long. Apparently it’s a healthy baby. She’s due October 15…about a year younger than Griffin, whom we look forward to meeting and introducing as a playmate down the road.

The baby made it easier to decide to move back–we were thinking about it (Isa’s been missing the midwest and I still like it out there), so we decided to do it before the baby comes. She likes her doctor out there more than any out here anyway. It also made it easier to tell family about the move. We’re moving back to Chicago to have a baby is easier than we’re moving back to Chicago because we don’t like it out here.

What else…got a new job, think we have an apartment in Wheaton, and just finished my old job. Also went to Costa Rica. Hopefully I’ll get to write about those things, if anybody still checks this thing.