News from Down in Schusterville

It is with a mixture of both deep sadness and great excitment that we share with you some big news. By the end of next month, Schusterville, and the 4 Schusters currently living in it, will no longer be located in Marin County, California, but rather in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Shocking, yes, sudden, yes, but there is no doubt in either of our minds that this is the right thing for our little family right now. Those of you who really know me, know that I have always been a firm believer in "everything happens for a reason." Many don't agree with me and that's ok but I believe it and it has not steered me wrong - it is my own version of faith, I guess, faith in myself and faith in our family unit. When Wolf lost his job in July, I was scared shitless, wondering what the heck we were going to do. Yet I always had it in the back of my head that this happened because there is something else we are meant to be doing. What, we had no idea. Then a few weeks ago I saw a job posting on my company's job page for an assistant in Oregon. As soon as I saw it, I knew. Call it weird, call it strange, but I had no doubt that if I wanted that job, it would be mine. In fact, I waited a whole week before I told Wolf about it, so that I could be sure that it was what I wanted to do. But if felt right and it still does. Wolf's response was "go for it." Within a week I had talked to the recruiter, interviewed with several people, got a job offer, adjusted the job offer and finally accepted.

Everything had happened so easily, seamlessly and we were giddy with the excitement of it all. But now we had the hard part.....telling everyone. As we began figuring out how to tell all of our family and friends, we were deeply struck by how many friends we truly have. There are so many of you that are near and dear to our hearts that there was no way that we could tell you all personally. Nor did we just want to put a blanket statement out there in Facebook. So I thought of using my blog to explain it all.

I head up to Oregon early tomorrow morning and will be there all week - for meetings and to find a place for us to live. Wolf and the boys will drive up Wednesday then we will all drive home together on Sunday. Our goal is to find a place next week, sign a lease, then come back down here to get everything packed up and ready to go. The sooner we get the boys up there and settled into school, the better. We are hoping that all will work out so that we are up there by October 15th.

However, there is no way that we will be able to leave without having one last Schuster party. So, on October 8th we will have a gigantic going away potluck at our house. Not sure what time it will start, probably around 3, but details will follow. For now, please hold the date.

Wolf and I are sure you will have questions for us so please feel free to email or call. This is not goodbye as one does not ever say goodbye to friends. You will always be in our hearts and our thoughts and we will be but a phone call or a facebook comment away.

Thank you for loving us, thank you for supporting us and most of all, thank you for being in our lives.

All of our love - Wolf, Amy, Mason and Morgan

Morgan

Mason

Here we are again......

Well, here it is, a whole year since my last post. With the growth of Facebook, I haven't had much reason to blog, but I am finding that, while I really enjoy Facebook and how it keeps me connected to everyone I know, it actually keeps me TOO connected. I don't feel like I can share information or say things without feeling like it I will somehow get into trouble, like I shouldn't have friends who are also co-workers. It's all so complicated and a bit incestuous, really.

So I am going to write again, because I really miss it. I miss telling stories about my family and sharing little things that the boys did. I love going back and reading things from years past. It doesn't matter to me if anyone reads this, it only matters that I write it.

That's all I have for now. I'm a a bit tired after a billion loads of laundry and grocery shopping and house cleaning and kids homework and cooking dinner. I have a physical at 8 in the morning so I better get my beauty sleep.

Here's to a new year, one where the possibilities are endless. I think it will be a good one.

Welcome New Year

I KNOW that time goes by quickly, I KNOW that I will blink and another year will be gone, yet somehow I am shocked every time the holidays roll around or when I turn another year older. I want so much to enjoy every minute, to relish in my children's youth, to not miss a snuggle or a comment or just a simple moment, but I can't seem to grab hold of enough of those minutes. Every morning is a rush to get us all out of the door, every day is spent working at a job that I don't enjoy, and every evening is spent trying to get dinner on the table before it's time for the kids to be in bed.

Wolf and I had 11 days off together over the holidays and it was heaven. It is a tradition for us, one we started before kids and one we have managed to keep going, no matter what jobs either of us have. For three days we put the kids in their respective school/aftercare and spent some quality time together. We went out to breakfast, we hung out in the book store, we saw a movie - all of the things we can't really do, well, peacefully anyway, when the kids are around.

The last day of the New Year we spent at the Oakland Zoo, playing, hanging out and simply having fun. The weather was perfect and we could not have asked for a better way to end the New Year. That night we went to a party at a friend's house where we celebrated ringing in the New Year at midnight East Coast time so that all of the kids could be in on the festivities. We were home by 11:15 and somehow, both boys managed to make it to midnight, although just barely!

Now it is a New Year and I see wonderful things on the horizon. I am sure there will be days that aren't so good, hell, I'm sure there will days that totally suck ass, but for right now, in this moment, I am going to believe in the good. I am going to appreciate my children, the two beautiful bright spots in my life, as much as I can. I am going to love my husband even more every day, and remember to tell him so. I am going to remember to be proud of who I am and what I can do, remember to believe in myself. I am a lucky woman who does not want for anything and for that I am grateful beyond measure.

While I am not a religious person, I firmly believe that there are things that guide us in our lives, be they some form of powers that be or simply the amazing energy our subconscious minds produce. I wholeheartedly believe that all things happen for a reason and while they don't always make sense at first, there is a flow to things, a rhythm, a purpose and I am going to let that flow guide me to my next adventure.

At this very moment, I am putting out to the world that I believe my next adventure is a job at Pixar, doing what I know how to do and proving to myself, and everyone else, that I am damn good at what I do.

So to anyone who reads this, know that I am wishing all of you a very happy and fulfilling year. May a dream come true, may a wish be granted, may a goal be fulfilled. Positive energy and love to you all.

Just some pictures....

Mason quote

Mason: Mom, come look. Legos are just like us!
Mom: Really, how?
Mason: Look, the cast shadows, just like we do!

Morgan in Motion