It has been a while since the last time I have posted.  I have been dealing with some challenges and logistics.  I have bought the tickets, began the paperwork at work and organized my kitchen.  It is official,  I will be returning to the U.S. by the end of January (at the latest) for a six month leave of absence.   As I wrote previously my father was diagnosed with a rare cancer last April.  He had chemotherapy over the summer and things were looking positive.  However, the circumstances have changed, and the situation is less positive.  I will be home to spend time with my family during this period.

My last post was about Thanksgiving.  There are many things I am thankful for, my family, my husband, and my friends.  I am so thankful to have a husband that knows what family means.  The minute I told him about my father’s situation, he was willing to put me on a plane the next day—no matter the cost.  Being away from him for a significant period of time will be unfortunate, but I am so glad to have this time with my father, and with my family.  I am so lucky that I can take 6 months of unpaid time, without losing my job or being homeless.  There are many things I am thankful for this year.

My blog’s name is “Far From the Sticks.” In New Hampshire, the “Sticks” is slang for rural areas.  I am far from where I come from and where I grew up.  My life has taken paths I have never imagined and I have had many adventures on the way.  While I am going back home, in some ways I can never return to the “Sticks.”  When I was growing up, my parents made sure to provide me with a childhood.  My friends and I used to climb trees and canoe in old prom dresses, playing “Little House on the Prairie.” On Friday nights, my Dad would turn on the Temptations and we would all dance in the living room.  My brother and I would play in the stream in the rain–with galoshes and umbrellas.  I can never return to my childhood in the “Sticks,” but I can go home.  I am counting the days until I can get there.