Originally published at American Family. Please leave any comments there.

I am continuing to move forward with the long list of home repairs that need to be completed if we end up having to sell the house.  On a realistic day, I am aware that my skills do not reach far beyond painting.  On a more unrealistic day, I am convinced I can re-tile our bathtubs myself.  So far, I am mostly just painting, but occasionally I find myself shopping for wet saws on ebay.  (Stupid Ebay.)

Since we are continuing to do home repairs, it appears that Mr. A and I have NOT decided NOT to move.  We haven’t actually decided to move either.  I think what is most likely going to happen is that Mr. A is going to apply for the job he wants in Chicago, Washington DC, and Denver and we will see what happens. 

When I agreed that he could apply, it was only under the following conditions: 

A) He will only stay at the job for 3 years.  If he can’t get the value from this job in three years of sacrificing our comfortable lifestyle and living near family, then it isn’t worth it.  There will be a huge financial incentive if he gets this job, but only AFTER he leaves and goes on with that experience to a big-paying company.  I can do just about anything for three years, but 5 years (and staying until my baby M is out of 4th grade!) is too long.

B)  I will not work the first year, even if it means we end up using credit cards or something.  Uprooting the girls would be stressful enough, but it would be too much to ask of little L to go into full-time daycare under those circumstances.  Her attachment is good (great even!), but she still bears the scars from the trauma of losing her previous life.  If we can’t find a way to do it that is safe and healthy for L, then we can’t go.  Also, if I am not working, it will be much easier to bring the girls back to visit our families.  Plus, you know, there is the fact that I don’t really like to work.

C)  After the three years, Mr. A will agressively look for work back here in this city.  We know that there are only a limited number of jobs at a level he will want to consider.  We also know there is only a limited opportunity for him to advance here for more than one or two more jobs, unless he is extremely lucky or his dream job changes.  We still want to do everything in our power for the girls to have a chance to grow up near our families. 

That being said, there is only one job that Mr. A is applying for that is worth moving.  That job is extremely competitive (we’ve heard an estimate that at least several hundred people apply for each opening), so it isn’t like applying means he has a good chance of getting the job.  Mr. A will also look for jobs here too.

It is kind of like we are living in a suspenseful movie and we have no idea what the ending will be.  At the very least, the house will be prettier in the meantime.