Since we returned from Yucatan a few days ago, it seems a series of cosmic tests have been assembled and thrown my way, to challenge my commitment and clarity about what the best opportunity is going forward.

Little Rocket, the foster dog who we grew so attached to and then finally adopted out reluctantly to her 'perfect' home, has returned. I started getting troubling emails several days before we returned from Mexico, indicating problems and requesting that we retrieve her. Since she was in Denver, we picked her up late (around midnight, after our flights got in) from the failed adoption home, and brought her home with us.

She is such a great little dog - we both love her dearly, and would keep her if our circumstances were a little different. But if we are truly commited to trying out life in Mexico, with the flying down there for progressively longer periods of time it just doesn't make sense. And there are so many needy street dogs down there, one (or more) of which we could probably befriend and adopt.

I'm sure we can find a worthy and loving home for Rocket here and wait until we are settled there to adopt locally. But it's hard to let her go...

Then I spotted a job listing yesterday that was about as perfect a fit as possible for me - a network analyst position with the county school district. The kind of job I've been watching for since we arrived here about five years ago. Of course, there's no guarantee that they would even bring me in for an interview, but I now wonder if I should apply and see what happens. Of course, that would probably mean staying here for another year or more. Would the Mexico opportunity and dream fade away one again in the meantime? I can simply declare myself retired now (with fiscal caution), but would meaningful work bring fulfillment? The longer we wait to make our move, the more risk that a health problem will arise - or sense of adventure will diminish. We're not getting any younger...

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