Wow, some of you have had busy/exciting lives!!

I'm just now starting to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I've been a very involved mom, wife, and home school instructor for 20 years now (the kids are in public school now). We've had 7 big moves, double that if you count apartments, rentals and temp housing. Add in community/church involvement and I was never bored.

DH and I like to do home improvement projects (the kitchen is the big project this year). I do a lot of it right with him. I'm comfortable using power tools, laying tile, grouting, painting...everything but electrical. I'm not sure we will ever be done with this house. I am a dabbler by nature. I do some gardening, I like to refinish furniture, sew, organize and clean stuff, cook, bake, simple canning, etc. If I want to do something I learn how, do it for a while and then move on to the next thing that catches my interest. I'm frugal, a true home economist with a focus on reusing/re-purposing and financial planning.

So now we have one kid graduating HS this year and another next year. We've been here for 8 years, maybe 9(?). I think I'm getting bored. I feel like I want to move, lol.
We aren't really plugged into our current church, I'm not sure we will stay when the kids are done with the youth program. Since we don't home school we are not in that loop anymore. Most of the couples we know have much younger kids so I'm feeling a bit out of phase lately. I like to do a lot of things but none of them feel like doing much. I'm fairly content with my own company and that of my family. I'm not the type to 'do lunch' or spend the day at the mall with women friends (the last time I did that I wanted to throw myself down the escalator, lol). Likewise they don't want to come and help me refinish furniture or grout my bathroom. *shrug*

To complicate things, I want to be available to start traveling with DH once the kids leave for college. He's been all over the world while I was home with diapers and teaching the life cycle of moths and how to divide fractions, lol. I can't quite figure out where that leaves me in regards to what I want to do now. I don't really want to be tied to a real job now and my hobbies are just hobbies unless I make more out of them but it would have to be flexible and fun. I have no idea!!

So that's me...tubing down the river of life right now.

You're not dull. Dull is the person who boasts and pontificates. You are uniformly charming and humble. I wouldn't mind sitting next to you on a air plane.

That's amazing!

Morning Glory -- I think you and I could be real life buddies! Dh and I have been working on our house for nearly 9 years! I've laid tiles, sanded sheet rock, laid hardwoods, re-located bushes, dabbled in gardening...and so on! We are currently doing a bathroom. I'd also much rather be in the company of my family doing the things we do than a lunch date or hanging out at the mall. LOL

I think this a great awesome thread. Everyone lives great lives. I am project manager for software company that specialize in Energy Trading and Risk Managment software. I have a ungrad degree in Computer Science and a MBA. I like my job but I don't love it. I am driven by money to buy sparkles.

SouthernBella-I might not mind hanging out in the mall with you. Can we go to the Black and Decker outlet store?
Then we can do a craft/home decor project with spackle....it will be loads of fun. Who says spackle is only for walls!?! HA!

I mentioned in the beginning of the thread that I'm a hobbyist of the stock market. I mostly trade commodities and futures. I feel completed to say hi. Hi

Hi! I was thinking this recently; we should have a "get to know you" sort of thing.

So, Me.
I homeschool my 2 boys; I'm a little surprised how many of "us" do so far! I've been at home with them since my oldest was born about 9 years ago. I am currently a patent "expert" in Environmental Science; specifically Environmental Remediation. In other words, I know about cleaning up yuck that has been spilled or dumped.

I am also a part-time college professor and I have my PhD in Chemistry.

I am spoiled rotten by my amazing husband and I L.O.V.E. every minute of it.

Just today I got an 8mm and 9mm CZ from Chris in the UK and husband said, "oh, that one is SO you" as he pointed to the 9mm. So, ya, I'll be rockin the 3ct AmoraGem. Watch out!

Eleanore, in four short, but beautiful, sentences, you've exposed yourself as eloquent!

Tigger, you are most certainly not dull. Your description conjures up words like industrious, diligent, and successful - in both career and home life.

A thousand years ago, before my current status, I majored in English in college, and then went to work as a technical writer for a financial software company in NYC's Tribeca area. They sold their variety of products to large Wall Street business news services like Reuters, and what is now known as Dow Jones Telerate, as well as to institutional brokerage companies. I branched out from there into writing their marketing brochure packages for the sales team.

While there, I met my husband, then boyfriend-to-fiance, and got married. I was making more money at the time, but because of his upward career trajectory, I made the move to CT and my commute became 2.5 hours each way. I found the same type of work again locally for a wax-injection mold machine company that manufactured equipment for various industries (jewelry, aerospace, automotive, etc.) worldwide.

While there, I got pregnant at 28. It was quite a surprise as we weren't planning on getting pregnant until our mid-thirties. As were were far from any immediate family, and full-time daycare was out of our reach then, I became a stay-at-home mom. Oh boy, those were some lean times! I eventually managed to work part-time as a substitute teacher while my DD was in preschool. 3 years later, DS was born while my husband was well into his career with very long hours and going to graduate school in Indiana at the same time.

Shortly after getting his MBA, hubby's career really took off and we began a military-like life of relocating every 3-5 years. Since the kids were in their formative years, I agreed to stay at home and get everything set for everyone with each move.

We most recently completed our 5th move into our 4th house, not counting the 3 temporary homes we had this summer.

I am still currently a Domestic Goddess, and I wear my mantle proudly. I will say that this lifestyle has made me into a very organized, jack-of-all trades woman. I've kept our budget from the very first and have paid off DH's college tuition, both cars, and have two fiscally responsible kids. I can tell you the ins and outs of corporate relocation in my sleep. I've become an expert in home staging and have sold all our houses very quickly. Our last one sold in 2 days in a down market! Most near and dear to my heart, this unexpected life of a SAHM has given me a very close and loving relationship to my kids. Oh, I cannot forget my DH either - he is absolutely wonderful.

As a quick close, I am a little like morning glory in that I need to find out what I'd like to do when the kids eventually leave the nest.