Goodbye, Jacksonville

I wasn't really anticipating getting IN the water, but they had other plans.

 I wish I had the time and wit to write a really profound post on our time in Jacksonville, but I seem to be short on both at the moment. There's packing, and crazy kids (chaos does that), and a dog with a "hot spot" aka a leg oozing matter, and just generally trying to close up shop here. And no matter how early I start, it will inevitably devolve into semi-frantic stuffing odds and ends into one last box.

Therefore, suffice it to say that I'm sad to be leaving. Everything about this place speaks to my heart in a way that's hard for me to articulate. I love the slightly-more-water-than-land ness of this place, and the warmth (oh my lawd, the WARMTH), and incredible, vivid, lush abundance of life here.

There are big things weighing me down right now, like no more watching my littles cavort in the waves (whether or not they are supposed to get wet) and ponder the immensity of the ocean. I will miss this more than I can say.




And probably no more runs with Mel and Cora and that's sad as heck to me. We finished our Couch to 5K program, and while I appreciate the ability to plod/run a few miles now, I appreciate getting to know Melissa better even more. She is such a generous and bright spirit and such a good friend. And while we are moving to same town, it won't be the same, because there's work and moving away and oh poop, everything changes, and that's great, but sometimes change is sad and great all at once.

And there are some little things grieving me too. No more "diamonds on the soles of our shoes" or feet.




And no more immense trees shawled in Spanish moss.

This tree is what I look at while I'm at the gas station. I love it, don't ask me why.

Before I start sobbing, I'm going to change tactics and stop posting pictures of my favorite things. OK, topic change starting right about...NOW! (For you, Des and Jordan). 

The good news is that moving back to Rochester will certainly hold some good things for us. Like watching Graydon and Addie continue to grow as people and as friends.

And seeing our other friends again, and our house, and having a yard for our dogs, and, oh lots of things. All the good "it's our place" things. 

As sad as I am to be going, I'm so glad that we had this time here in Jacksonville to stretch out and just enjoy life for a few months. We made new friends, explored new places, and fell just a little bit more in love with our family and our country.

Thanks for the memories, Jax.

Is This Possible?

I only have four posts written in 2013. FOUR. That means I'm averaging about one a month. Golly goodness (yes I just wrote those words and you would too if you had a three year old that had recently chosen G.D.I. as her favorite angry phrase), I wish I blogged more. THERE ARE PRECIOUS THINGS GOING UNRECORDED. That essentially means they didn't happen. Or something like that.

I've got Addie's three year post in the works. And also Graydon's one year post. They are only three months overdue. I figure I've got a whole year, so it's cool.

OK, I guess I can't throw out a gem like Addie swearing and not explain it. You are all thinking it's Tim's fault because he is a notorious swear-er and I am so tempted to let you think that, but it's actually my fault. It was a long day, and there was sickness, and rain (the nerve!), and headaches, and endless tears, and a first attempt a dinner which burned b/c of the chaos, and then during the second attempt a dog who shall remain  nameless (Indy) barfed on the floor and out came a despairing swear phrase which obviously really resonated with Ads.

And now she repeats it every time she gets mad. "Addie, go to time out, we do not hit Brother" and here it comes, a muttered and perfectly inflected "God dash it". Except the uncensored version.

Be ye not so stupid as to swear in front of your parrot child. I cannot wait to send her to her Christian preschool in April with this action.

Anyway, I didn't come to this post intending to confess one of my parenting failures, though really, it's always good for the soul and the ego to relate one's cringe inducing moments.

I came here to set myself up for future guilt and failure by announcing my intention to blog twice a week. It's a modest goal but one I feel sure will I will fall short of at times. However, for the same reason that I run with a partner (thank you, Melissa, you cannot move to CA or my future rotund figure is on your conscience), I figure a public commitment might help me move from theory to action.

We shall see, I suppose. If I don't sound incredibly hopeful...well, I actually am quite hopeful. It's a way of talking down expectations in order to minimize my possible humiliation. Like the way I sandbag UNC's chances before a big game, but then spend the game howling at the refs and imploring the heavens and performing arcane good luck rituals to influence the outcome of the game.

I'd love to write more, but I've got to unearth my lucky underoos and orient my living room in the proper gametime feng shui. It's ACC tourney time and UNC plays tonight.

You think I'm joking.