The circus elephant has lost its way.: July 2014

We are here in Savannah, GA, and have been for about 7 weeks (It was SIX weeks, when I started composing this post). I started teaching, and so did Rob, and we have been busy busy! But please tell me-Who is not busy? When someone tells me that they are busy, my ass starts to twitch. Digress.

The move was as smooth as moves ever go. My job in Birmingham ended on May 7, and I took a few weeks to stay home with the kids and do some packing. Not easy, but we had some fun times. Fast forward to moving day-I left Birmingham with the girls on May 31, and it only took about 6:45 hours to get to our new house! We stopped one time to have some lunch and play at Chic-Fil-A. Em and Harper were SO EXCITED to see the new place. They especially loved the open spaces, since we had very little stuff here when we arrived. First stop was Wal-Mart so we could make something for dinner. The girls had Lunchables and Capri Suns outside on a makeshift picnic table for their first meal here. We learned that the mosquitos are really quite different than the ones in Birmingham. Em's bed was already here, and I had brought Harper's Pack & Play with us, so getting them in bed was a breeze. I spent the first night folding some towels, chatting with my friend Gordon about an upcoming job interview, and reading a book.

Moving day with the ducklings.

Sisters explore the new (overgrown!) yard.

First dinner at the new house-a picnic!

No furniture plus two toddlers-oddly awesome. Not as many potential tragedies.

Next morning, we went to Skidaway Island National Park to play. We saw two deer on the playground! Em was stoked, and called them "baby deers!", which they were not. But she is two. Harper screamed and they ran away. This was the day that Rob was coming with the moving truck! 22ft of Penske muscle. Luckily we hired movers for loading and unloading, and while we didn't hire them for a ton of time, they were able to get the heavy stuff and leave the rest to us. I have to say that the person who mentioned that Rob would be doing the "real" work while I "took care of the kids" nearly got their eyeballs poked out. We each had a tough job, though.

So, the truck got here, and the real work began. Unpacking an entire house with two toddlers underfoot is a challenging and frustrating experience. If you are curious what it's like, you could either have your babies 18 months apart and then move when they are 1 and 2 years old, OR you could take up a career in herding squirrels and cats simultaneously. We are pretty much settled in now, and have entered into the grind of laundry, cooking, dishes, and general messiness. Feels like home.

The truck arrived, and I felt like it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me.

You will see why.

It was, however, THE BEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO EMERALD.

We eventually got the place mostly set up.

First movie on the new TV? Frozen.

Let it go.

We've done some cool stuff around the city too. Forsyth Park is just as awesome as everyone says, and we go there pretty much every Saturday for the Market, Splash Pad (if it is turned on), and playground. There is a great coffee house that has kids' story time every Sunday afternoon (we haven't been yet). This is in stark contrast to my favorite Birmingham coffee shop, which had a sign that read, "Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy". The coffee at the new place is not quite as good as the Bham joint, but it is really good, and they've got my vote! And of course-the beach. We have been several times, and find evenings the best time to go, because it is less crowded, and sunscreen is not as much of an issue. Sunscreening two toddlers is enough to drive Rob and I into complete bickering madness, so we avoid it if possible!

Nice spot for lunch on the way back from Tybee Island.

HarperDoodle is a teeny tiny sea turtle.

Seriously. She lays in the surf and lets the waves wash over her.

Em is out at sea in her big raft.

I live here.

Checking out the fiddlers at Skidaway.

A quiet moment (maybe 1/4 moment...) outside the UGA Extension aquarium.

Hiking. Sweaty gross hiking.

Anyway, we love our house and our big yard. Tons of shade, very quiet, Spanish moss everywhere. We live about 1.5 miles away from a community park with a lake and a running track. It is beautiful.

One of my (somewhat seldom) morning runs to Lake Mayer.

The mosquitos are no joke. One needs bug spray all the time. But it is kind of oily. And what if it's sunny and you also need sunscreen (you also need that all the time)? So there is that dilemma. Do any of you know of a good sunscreen that is also mosquito-repellent? THE STRUGGLE.

All in all, things are going well. I have been hired on as a full time biology instructor starting this fall, so we may actually be able to save some money this year, after blowing through so much savings on moving and getting set up in the new place. And not getting paid a couple of months. We are struggling with daycare germs, which laugh in the face of those hippy dippy anti inflammatory essential oils. We need the real shit (antibiotics galore) around here. Hoping we will all be healthy soon, but right now a new family member is sick each week, and we have been rotating.

We have a go-to babysitter! In our neighborhood! We've had friends over! New friends! Once. We have talked to new people and are trying to forge new relationships without trying too hard. But see, once you are an adult, it becomes difficult. Rob's parents came to visit for 4th of July. And some folks are coming to visit us soon from FL and AL. Em tells me every day that "I had good day ah school! I pway wif my fwiends!"

Real life: Father's Day.

Em picked out a Johnny Cash tee shirt and a Guy Harvey Tervis Tumbler.

#redneck