What a Year

In looking back on this past year 2014 was not at all what I expected it to be as I cheersed the New Year with champagne and kisses surrounded by my dearest friends and family. It started subtly enough; an innocent conversation between Myah and I as we warmed our perpetual Minnesota chill in the steam room at LifeTime Fitness. She was sharing with me about her day and what she had learned in Drivers Ed when, like any good parent would, I took that opportunity to ask her what she planned on doing to make money to pay for the car, insurance, and gas that having her driver’s license would require. Without skipping a beat she informed me that she would not need a car as she was planning on going to Georgia Tech for college where the MARTA would suffice as her main mode of transportation. Recalling that she had toured GT the previous summer while there for a wedding with her Grandma I began to ask questions about why, what she liked, credentials, criteria, and of course tuition. As our conversation neared its end I recall shrugging and saying “I could live in Georgia”. And as the saying goes; be careful what you wish for. 

That simple entertaining of thought, subsequent discovery of the aforementioned tuition, prayer, and a whole sky of stars aligning we began our journey south. Reflecting upon this past year, I can unequivocally say this was definitely the biggest transition I have faced in my 40 years. Bigger than getting married, becoming a Mom, and losing loved ones. Scarier than the Haunted Basement of the Soap Box Factory. More emotional than the first time I watched Rose lose Jack’s grip as he slipped into the icy waters after the Titanic sank. And, truth be told, more exciting than stepping onto a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

From telling our friends and family the news to selling our house and saying goodbye to all of the above, many of the truths I had come to know were beautifully confirmed:  First; that I am surrounded by the best people in the world who planned parties, helped pack, stored and sold countless items, supported us, encouraged us, and most importantly, cried with us. They show up when you least expect it and need it most. Second; I know now that even on my worst day as a Mom I will move mountains to give Myah the best chance at achieving her dreams. Third; I know that my husband is the best kind of magician – no tricks, no sleight of hand, no smoke and mirrors; pure, raw, hard to accomplish, triumphant magic. He makes things happen for the simple pleasure of making me smile. and finally, I understand myself better. Not in a self-discovery “ah-ha” kind of way but in a quiet resolve and content kind of way. I used to think that being virtually omni-present and involved in every detail of people’s lives was how I proved myself as a friend (don’t get me wrong I long for spending time and knowing all the details but 1100 miles is a distance not easily bridged in person) and now I see that true friendship has no boundaries. It is not stifled by time differences, limited by distance, or diminished by frequency of visits. It is, however intentional and fueled solely by love. 

So as I look back on this past year of unforeseen heartache coupled with unexpected adventure I am humbled because it is part of my life’s story and that is my favorite book.

They say fences make good neighbors...

When you move into a new neighborhood one of the first things you wonder is whether your neighbors will be nice. Are they easy going? Are they loud? Do they take care of their lawn? Ultimately, will we love them or loathe them? Moving into the corner lot of Coolidge Street 11 years ago we wondered those very things and being new to the neighborhood those same questions were being pondered about us. It didn't take long for curious neighbors to come greet the newbies and assess the young family joining their neighborhood ranks. 

To the back, we learned that the mature couple was meticulous about thier lawn grooming and didn't care for our lack of a green thumb and mediocre lawn maintenance. They planted fast growing trees to finish off the already partial blockade of pine trees clearly defining where our (often brown) lawn ended and their golf-green lawn began. 

To the side we discovered a very different type of neighbor. They were kind, friendly, always outside working on a project or garden and became our sole resource for borrowing tools. These neighbors kept an extra eye on anything out of the ordinary, helped snowblow, brought flowers from their garden (I think Lisa knew I'd never be growing my own), and were simply there with a smile a and a wave as we went about our respective daily lives. 

When one of their many projects included building a fence seperating our property lines I felt a pang of disappointment assuming they had grown weary of our consistent flow of social activities and that perhaps we were not the neighbors they had hoped for. As the fence went up I watched as Mark situated each wood slat next to the one before so tight that even air would find it difficult to pass - surely they wanted complete separation. As the weeks passed and the fence went up I had resigned myself to the fact that we had somehow failed them as neighbors. 

What I hadn't considered was an opening in that fence; one with an ornate walk through and long lattice trellis that was designed to allowed easy access from our back yard to theirs. It was never discussed, it just was what it was - an open invitation for a neighborly visit. 

Years have passed since then and we still adore our amazing neighbors so it was with sad hearts that we walked through our walkway last month to share the news of our moving away. Before long we found Mark attaching hinges to the walkway opening and crafting a seamless door so that when shut, the new neighbors would be none the wiser that there was ever a passageway connecting our families. The door is complete but they have yet to seal it shut while we are still here. As I sit today and look at that open door knowing the new owners will only see fence, I am reminded of the old saying that fences make good neighbors

but in my experience a fence with a walk through makes good friends. 

98%

It started with a nonchalant conversation in the LifeTime steam room (where Myah and I solve all the worlds problems) as my ever prepared 15 year old announced that despite it being most teens dream, her father and I, in fact, do not have to purchase a car for her 16th Birthday.  Clearly confused I wrongly assumed she didn't want the responsibility of paying for the insurance and gas of said vehicle, but not she adamantly assured me that the reason was because she is going to attend Georgia Tech for college and planned to ride the MARTA for her transportation needs. While relaying this bit of information to Bob, just as nonchalantly as his daughter, mused at the idea of packing up and moving south. By March our house was on the market and we were in full 'move mode'. Showings and a couple offers we didn't entertain arose while we waited for the right buyers. We waited. And waited some more. In May we decided that since we weren't in a position to HAVE to sell, we'd take it off the market on June 1st and consider trying again next year. Two weeks leading up to the 1st, all house activity ceased to exist, we'd reconciled within ourselves that we'd be spending another winter in MN, and we were ok with that. 

June 1st, 2014

I came home from church to be greeted by Bob shaking his head announcing we received a request for a showing that night and since it was technically within our timeframe he felt we should go through with it. And so we did. During that showing another realtor called to set up a showing for the following day. Bob again felt that we should let it happen (since the call came in on June 1st) so we did. They loved it and put an offer the next day, within the week we had addendum's and a purchase agreement signed. By no human coincidence, Bob had already planned to drive to GA with our friend Bob and his son Colin; and so that Saturday the Bob's (dubbed by a Jamaican as Sexy Bob and Cool Bob) set off on a road trip to the Empire State of the South. Arriving on Monday Sexy Bob set out on a two-day date with Becky the Realtor in search of the perfect house. With Skype-style showings for me and my brave husband taking on the daunting task of describing (in great detail) the look and feel of the features he knows I'm most interested in, we decided on our new home. So here we are with closing dates set, a house to be packed, and another southern road trip on the books. #futureGApeach