Taking Up The Slack

Hubster submitted his application for dental school today.

We celebrated all of his hard work by going out to one of our favorite local restaurants, which blessedly is a loud one, so no one could hear the wailings of nap-deprived children.

I don't have a doubt in my mind that he is going to get in. He's had 15 years of work experience, rare in a field where many go from high school to college to graduate school. He's done everything from manual labor to technical research. He has test scores and grades well above average. And he's just simply amazing.

All we have to do is sit back and wait for interview season in the fall.

I know he'll get in.

And it scares me just a little.

Over the years, our lives have been very complicated. We've juggled multiple schedules and responsibilities. And one of the only reasons we've been able to make this work is because of Hubster. He's been there for me. He's the one who took time off work when my schedule was too crazy. He's the one who's been responsible for shuttling kids to school and activities. He's taken up the slack that I've left for years.

But soon, he'll have something that demands just as much of him as my profession does of me. He'll be the one with all night study session before exams and unexpected evening labs. He'll be the one with unpredictable clinical rotation schedules.

It's absolutely his turn. He's earned it. I feel privileged that I'll have the opportunity to support him as he has supported me.

But it means there will be two of us, working as hard as we can. Not that hard work scares us. We're used to it.

But there will still be our precious boys to take care of, a house to tend to, meals to be made and clothes to be cleaned. And I wonder, who will be left to take up the slack?