Thursday Morning Update: My Mom is Home!

Yesterday the doctor surprised us all by discharging my mom from the hospital!

For several days, the doctors and nurses had talked about the possibility of having my mom go to a rehab center for a short period of time to get her strength and mobility back to normal, so that was what we were expecting to happen.  My mom even had me go on a shopping errand yesterday to get a few "rehab outfits."

However, when her doctor came to see her, he had her walk some around the room, told her that her labs looked great.  She was no longer hooked to any kind of IV and was taking everything by mouth.  So...he said she could work on getting her strength back at home.

We are really, really hoping that she is able to STAY home this time.  Please continue to keep her in your good thoughts/prayers!

Monday Evening Mom Update

I drove in this afternoon and surprised my mom with a visit. I called my dad yesterday to tell him I wanted to come for a few days, and we decided to keep it a surprise...and she definitely was surprised!

As for what is going on with her...the doctors still don't know for sure and probably won't until they get her labs back.  A neurologist saw her yesterday and ordered another CAT scan and spinal tap (both of which have already been done) because he was concerned there was some kind of pressure around her spine, causing her legs to be as weak as they are.  Her liver is also a bit swollen and some of those levels are a little elevated, but one possibility for that is all the medicine she has been taking over the past twenty days.

HOWEVER...this afternoon a physical therapist worked with her to help her get around more and build up her strength, and my mom was able to walk down the hallway (assisted, of course), and she sat in a chair for a few hours.  This is the most she has been up and about, and while it wore her out ultimately, she did say it helped her feel better.  We're hoping to continue that kind of "exercise" so she can do more and more.

Her hospital meal looked terrible tonight, and I offered to get her some Mexican food...so we had a fiesta picnic instead of standard hospital fare. Woohoo!!

(A running joke with her meals at the hospital is apparently somewhere it says she can't chew her food well, so all her food comes to her chopped in tiny pieces.  We've mentioned several times that she has all her teeth and can actually chew her food, and the next meal might be "normal," but sure enough, she'll eventually get the chopped up food again.  I wish I had taken a photo of her chicken and rice tonight. It might be the grossest thing I've ever seen on a plate.)

And for our after-dinner entertainment, Darryl called us on FaceTime and Amelia danced to Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" -- I mean a full-on routine.  It was hilarious!

So it was a good afternoon.  Please continue to keep her in your prayers, and let's hope today marked the beginning of some steady improvement!

(Also, forgive any typos.  I know better.  I'm just tired.)

Saturday Morning Mom Update

Just cutting right to the chase...

My mom is being tested for West Nile, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease, and several other similar insect/parasite-related illnesses; HOWEVER, it will be 5-7 days before we know the results because the labs have to be sent to California.

(Can I pause for a minute and say how ridiculous that is? Seriously? Please tell me there is a good explanation for a 5- to 7-day turnaround on lab results.)

So...the doctors now are just focusing, as they have been, on treating her symptoms.  Right now, her main complaint is a horrible headache that she has pretty much had for 2-1/2 weeks.  She told me if they could find something that would successfully diminish that pain, she thinks she would feel a hundred times better.

There's no reason to suspect that my mom won't recover from this; it just seems to be taking a long time, and right now, we aren't even sure what she has. (And have I already mentioned that it will be 5-7 days before we know???)

Still keep my mom in your good thoughts in prayers. We really do appreciate them!

Mom Update: Friday Morning

So it appears that some family and friends are consulting this blog for information about my mom, so I'm going to try to update it when I know something new.

When my mom went to the hospital yesterday, her kidney doctor saw her and felt she should be seen by a neurologist.  (My mom was diagnosed with kidney disease two years ago but has done very well with maintaining her kidneys' function since her diagnosis.  My mom LOVES her kidney doctor, and after I met her last week, I love her too.  She's the perfect blend of seriousness, intelligence, humor, and compassion.)

Anyway, a neurologist hasn't seen her yet, BUT they did a CAT scan on my mom yesterday and the doctor she was seeing during her hospital stay last week is working with her again, and he is consulting with an infectious disease specialist.  Based on questions they've asked my mom, it seems they are trying to rule out Lyme Disease. (My mom doesn't think she has been bitten by a tick, though, and she doesn't have any kind of rash.)

So, basically...we still don't know what is going on.  Her sodium was low, as suspected, but apparently the doctors think something else is going on.

(As of right now, I'm hanging tight in Baton Rouge, even though it is really hard not to be there.  I am trying to get things squared away here, however, just in case I need to return to Florida.  Whatever information the doctors have today will probably determine what I will do.)

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers!

Where do I even begin???

Last Tuesday, I had just gone to the gym (yep...go me!) and was getting ready for the day when my dad called to say that she was being rushed to the hospital by ambulance because her doctor said her "body was about to go into shock."

My mom had been fighting a yucky illness for over a week -- high fever (104-plus at times), weakness, and soreness in her neck and back.  Because it was the week of the 4th and their regular doctor was on vacation, my dad took her to two different ERs trying to get a diagnosis, relief, something.  Both times, she was told she just had a bad virus, and based on her blood work, they didn't see the need to do a spinal tap to confirm a meningitis diagnosis because nothing in her blood work suggested that she had an infection like that.

So when my dad was able to take her to her usual doctor, he sent her to the hospital right away to be admitted.

Darryl was literally at the gate of the Baton Rouge airport, about to go on a trip for four days.  I called him, and within an hour, the three of us were packed and in the car, headed to Florida.

On the way there, my dad would call to update us.  This hospital (a different one from the ones they had been to) did a spinal tap right away and diagnosed her with viral meningitis.  (While any kind of meningitis is serious, the viral form is the less severe of the two.)

From that point on, my mom's health seemed to be a roller coaster.  I would leave the hospital in the evening feeling that she was truly getting better, then the next day she would seem worse.  At first, all the fluids they gave her through IV seemed to energize her a little, but then her body wasn't getting rid of the fluid quickly enough, so she had to be put on some strong diuretics to get rid of the fluid. Then her sodium was too low and she had to take a pill for that.

(I also must pause here to say a HUGE "thank you" to Darryl's sister, Ashley, and our sister-in-law, Daphne, for helping us so much with Amelia. Daphne met us at the hospital to get Amelia to take her to Ashley's house...we wanted Amelia as far away from all this as possible.)

We left on Saturday, after she seemed to be getting steadily better for about two days, and the hospital released her on Sunday.  However, since then, the roller coaster has continued. Good days, bad days...and so it goes.

I was waiting to blog about this when things really seemed to be on the "up and up," but my dad called today to say she is going back the hospital.  She is getting progressively weaker, and the theory is that her sodium might be dipping again and she needs to be where she can be monitored and cared for.  Right now, my plan is to stay put if it truly is just a matter of getting her body chemistry "balanced."  Please continue to send prayers and/or good thoughts her way because she is OVER this. Way over it.

I hope my next update is a positive one!

Lemon Icebox Pie!

I've had a busy past couple of weeks that included a trip to Florida, a few days spent with my former sophomore girls' small group from my "old" church, a busy 4th of July...and typically, this is when I don't blog for a while because I get overwhelmed by all the photos and such.  So instead, I'm sharing a recipe. :-)

About a month ago, our friends Damian and Rebecca invited us for dinner and I offered to bring dessert.

(I love to make desserts, y'all.)

(And I love to eat them.)

Damian asked if I could make a lemon icebox pie.  Truth be told, I'd never made one, but I'm not one to turn down a baking request.  I remembered that my friend Tim had posted an article about icebox pies from Serious Eats on Facebook, and one of the pie recipes listed was one for lemon icebox pie. So I made it.  And it was awesome. And you should add it RIGHT NOW to your dessert rotation.  (Unless you don't like lemon icebox pie.  And then I might think you are KRAZY.)

Here is the link to the recipe, which also includes a photo.  (I have poor, poor food photography skills, and none of my creations look the least bit appetizing when I photograph them.)

ALSO...I love my lemon icebox pie with whipped cream.  And while I'm not too good to eat some Redi-Whip out of the can, I also love some homemade whipped cream (and it is so easy!).  I take a cup of heavy whipping cream, about 1-1/2 TBSP of sugar, and beat it with a whisk on the highest setting of my electric mixer until it looks like, well, whipped cream.  (Also...I think the recipe for whipped cream is somewhat known, but I got those exact measurements from The Pioneer Woman.)

I see no reason why you can't spread that whipped cream all over the top of the pie, but because I love whipped cream and Darryl does not (what is wrong with that man?), I just serve a big ole spoonful of it on the side.

Perfection.

You know you are living in Louisiana when...

...your child makes a red beans and rice magnet at her day camp. :-)

...it is so hot and humid outside that you cave and buy your daughter a ridiculous water slide so she can at least enjoy the outdoors. (The girl LOVES to be outside.)

...you drive an hour to have the chargrilled oysters at Drago's. (I hate oysters, but Darryl loves them and claims these oysters have changed his life.)

...you feel compelled to watch the Miss Louisiana pageant (while also watching the Miss Georgia pageant, I might add).

...your daughter goes to breakfast with her daddy and tells him that she wants beignets.  (And she did in fact get beignets.  Along with this ridiculous chocolate milk.  Sugar for breakfast, anyone?)

Just Some Ramblin'

1. I was a terrible daughter and wife and didn't give a shout out to my husband or dad on Father's Day for being the amazing fathers they are.  Well, they are amazing...even if I am saying so several days late. :-/

2. I'm thrilled to report that Amelia has made friends with two girls next door.  When we lived in Georgia, our neighborhood wasn't really full of kids, but we were fortunate to have a girl Amelia's age who lived next door and they played together a good bit.  The two girls next door have been over some this week and Amelia has had a blast playing with them.

3. I'm a bit frustrated with the weight loss thing. I gained back a little over a pound this past week, probably because I was BAD over the weekend. (Reese's Pieces, pound cake with ice cream, fried shrimp...) Ugh. I've been working out like a madwoman these past couple of weeks, so I'm hoping the scale will go the right way soon.

4.  The other day I sat down to watch Oprah's Next Chapter. Before I knew it, I had watched four episodes. I like it. (Also? Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka are living in my dream house. I have saved the episode on my DVR so I can drool over it time and time again. And you never know...if I come into some wealth, I will play the episode for a contractor/architect and say, "Build THAT!")

5.  I have nothing else. I'm finding this to be a week when I have things I want to do but no real motivation to do them. Alas.

Some Favorite Things

I might not be Oprah, but does that mean I shouldn't share a few of my favorite things?  (But since I'm not Oprah, I do not have the budget to send you a gift basket of all these items.)

These are just some little things that just make me happy.

1. Mrs. Meyer's Countertop Spray. Rarely do I get excited about a cleaning product (I like cleanliness but never cared much about the products themselves), but I absolutely love this spray.  I especially love the Lemon Verbena scent for the kitchen and the lavender scent for the bathrooms. (By the way, am I the only person who wants to spell it L-A-V-E-N-D-A-R?)

2. Ritz Fresh Stacks.  If you think this is a ridiculous marketing ploy, think again, my friends.  Unless you are on a complete cracker binge, you are probably not going to blitz through a stack of Ritz.  (In all honesty, I could eat a stack a Ritz and with some cheese on top. Or plain. And I have been known to consume my fair share of "squirt-on cheese" back in the day. Don't judge.)  Anyway...if you are just eating a few here and there, you are guaranteed fresh crackers every. single. time. I hate a stale cracker.

3. Tervis Tumblers.  I love a Tervis Tumbler. They are insulated, so they keep your drink hot or cold, and they don't sweat, so you don't have to worry about a coaster.  It is my go-to "glass" and I drink out of it at home and take it with me on the road. (Since I've been trying to lose a little weight, I take one full of water with me when I get in the car.)

4. Anthropologie Coffee Mugs. I am not a big Anthropologie person as far as the clothes go (not my style at all), but I do like their some of their kitchen items, especially their coffee mugs.  This one was given to me as a gift, and I lurve it.

5. Cast-iron skillet. I have had a cast-iron skillet for a while, but because of the porcelain surface of our stove back in Georgia, I never got to use it, so I packed it up when we thought we were moving a couple of years ago. :-)  I found it when we really did move a month and a half ago, and I probably use it two or three times a week.  I think it cooks more evenly, and maybe food just tastes a little better when it is prepared in it. (Maybe?)

If only I could now say, "You get a skillet! And you get a skillet! EVERYBODY IS GETTING A SKILLEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTT!"

Monday Morning Catch-Up

You know what's been going on around here?

Not much.

Life is good, but not much...

(Darryl just sneezed a la the Will Ferrell sneeze below, and I just gave him "the look." SO LOUD.)

...is going on.

Here are just some bits of randomness:

--I enjoyed watching the Tonys last night.  It is by far my favorite awards show, primarily because of the host (I've loved Neil Patrick Harris since Doogie, y'all) and the performances.

--LSU's baseball season is over. Alas.

--FSU is still going strong, so at least Darryl is happy.

--We went bowling this past weekend and Amelia beat both Darryl and me. Granted, she had bumpers, but still.  We should be able to beat a four-year-old whose ball rolls at the speed of .555 miles an hour.

--We tried our first church yesterday. I won't mention which one it was, but let's just say it was NOT for us. The search continues.

--The Mad Men finale was kind of meh, in my opinion. (I'm not sure that anyone who reads this cares, but I just wanted to make my opinion known.)

--I have officially lost 5 pounds!  Woot!

--I was going to walk this morning, but walked outside (at 6:30!) and the air felt like a hot, wet blanket (at 6:30!)...so I went to get donuts instead. (However, I did NOT get myself a donut. Such will power.  I think that's why I'm borderline disgruntled this morning.)

TV Talk: Finales, Sneezes, and Mad Men

I haven't posted much about TV in a while (probably because I don't watch nearly as much as I used to), but I have some thoughts on things. Warning: There are spoilers below, so if you are like me and leave shows sitting on your DVR for a sweet forever, you might not want to keep reading.

1. A couple of weeks ago, Darryl and I happened to catch some of Will Ferrell's hosting turn on SNL.  When this commercial spoof came on, we LAUGHED because people, this is our life. (Sorry for the poor video quality -- it was the best I could find on YouTube.)



Darryl and I have flat-out ARGUED VERY LOUDLY about his sneezing. It is loud, boisterous, and makes me jump every time I hear it. When she says, "You sound like a lunatic"... and "why can't you sneeze like a normal person?"...well, I'll just say that maybe I've said those EXACT WORDS.

(I'm feeling ALL CAPS-ish today.)

2. I have yet another bone to pick with Grey's Anatomy. Yes, I broke up with Grey's for a while, but then I got sucked in by the rumor that a major character was going to die. Poor Lexie Grey. Anyway, I'm annoyed that creator and head honcho Shonda Rimes believes that tragedy equals good TV. Because it doesn't.  At one point in the finale, Cristina lists all the things that have happened to her at Seattle Grace -- having a gun held to her head, being held hostage by a crazed shooter, having a friend get hit by a bus, etc. -- and says she can't wait to leave. Amen, sister.

3.  I liked the Modern Family finale. I didn't see the twist at the end coming, so bravo to them!

4.  This season's Dancing with the Stars was the best yet.  There were about five really strong contenders, and the final three deserved to be in the final three.  And really, our country should just be grateful to DWTS for introducing us to beauty of William Levy.

You are welcome.

5. I'm saving the best point for last. Y'all. Two words: Mad Men. I have been very iffy with the show this season. I read an article this week (can't remember where, or I would give it credit as a good English teacher should) that described this season as feeling like a collection of satisfying short stories. It has felt a little disjointed to me, with some thematic threads weaving through it and a couple of ongoing stories with a couple of the characters, but it just didn't seem to gel in my opinion.

HOWEVER, this past week's Mad Men reminded me of why I love the show. I know I sound cheesy, but it was sheer brilliance.  Much has been written about the episode so it would be easy to Google, but there is a sequence that juxtaposes two very different but also profoundly similar situations (beautiful Joan prostituting herself -- literally-- to supposedly save the agency, and Don giving a presentation about Jaguar centered on the ability to "own" beauty) that delighted me while sending chills down my spine. (How low can you go, SCDP?) (Also, I love me some good juxtaposition. That is/was one of my favorite literary techniques to teach.)  And the ending scene with Don and Peggy, when the protege says goodbye to her mentor? Perfection. PERFECTION.

ANYWAY...That's it.

Life in the Red Stick

I haven't really updated much on how things are going here. We've been in Baton Rouge a month, so here is just a mish-mash of stuff related to life in Baton Rouge:

1. I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I feel as though we are in a bit of a time warp.  When we lived here before, we had friends who had just had babies.  My friend Martha's kids were in high school. Now those babies who were not even a year old are entering the 5th grade, and Martha's youngest "kid" just graduated with his Master's degree and has a paying job.  Yet, some of the roads, businesses, and buildings look exactly the same as they did ten years ago.  It's a weird feeling.

2. We are enjoying having friends over more often because Baton Rouge isn't as spread out as Atlanta. (That was really my number-one complaint about Atlanta.)  Our closest friends can get here in ten minutes.

3.  I had forgotten how HOT it is here. It's HOT. Did I mention that it is HOT???

4.  I can't remember if I mentioned this before or not, but my job is now "official." I'm very grateful for that fact.  (The "unofficial-ness" may need to be explained in another blog post.)

5.  Darryl's working from home has been an adjustment.  Not a bad one, but it definitely is one.

6.  We really like the house we are renting. It is amazing how much easier it is to keep a house neat when there is room for everything. (Well, almost everything.  We still have a sleeper couch in our garage.) I especially like the openness of it.

7.  I do miss Publix. That hasn't changed.

8.  I also miss my friends, but can I tell you how awesome Facebook and text messaging are? Seriously.  No, it isn't the same as seeing people face to face, but it is nice to feel in touch with everyone, you know?

9.  Amelia is doing well. She has some activities lined up this summer to get her involved with some kids her age, and she seems to enjoy that.  I'm hoping that now that school is out, we'll see more of the neighborhood kids out and about.

10.  I feel like I need a 10. Oh wait...Tim wants me to find and become BFFs with this local celebrity athlete. I'll do what I can, Tim.  I'll do what I can.

Amelia in Action

For the first time in at least six weeks, I connected my "good" camera to the computer to get my photos (I have been taking most of my photos with the iPhone lately), and I found these that cracked me up. They were taken about mid-April when we were still in Atlanta.

Amelia LOVES to put on her princess dresses...with her blue-flowered rainboots. And she loves to wear her rainboots when it isn't raining. She decided to make this random stick her magic wand. However, she got a bit carried away with it and wanted to run with it, so...

I took it away from her and she was not happy. (Yes, I totally photographed my child while she was pouting.)

ANYWAY...

Amelia was home with me for the past few weeks.  After the first week, I decided we needed an activity, so I signed her up for swim lessons. I figured she could use a refresher course since it had been at least six months since she had been in the pool. Last Thursday was the day parents could see all the kids had learned.

Here she is, ready for action. (If she becomes an Olympic swimmer, this will be in People magazine one day.)

And here she is, getting her freestyle on. (She is actually best at backstroke, but I didn't get a good photo of that, alas.)

And here she is, satisfied after a good effort.

It has been so hot here and Amelia really enjoys playing in the water and being outside, so we got this over the weekend.

Not only does Amelia enjoy it, but her mom also enjoys it because she can sit in the shade and read a magazine while Amelia WEARS HERSELF OUT.

And you know what parents call something that wears out their kids? MONEY WELL SPENT.

A List: A little bit of this and that

1. Last night I watched the last 20 minutes of American Idol (Go Phillip Phillips!), the last 20 minutes of Glee, and the last 20 minutes of Dancing with the Stars. I have realized that is pretty much all you need to watch to get the gist of the season.
2. To be honest, I have watched DWTS all season. But Oh. My. Word. That show knows how to drag out a finale.
3. I am on Day 3 of doing Weight Watchers online. I thought about not mentioning it on here because, for Pete's sake, I've blogged about my losing weight efforts approximately 582 times. But I'm at "that point" right now, meaning I have one pair of shorts that fits.
4. Amelia and I have rented Barbie's Mermaid Tale three times from Redbox. Darryl thinks we should just buy it, but I don't know that I want it in our permanent collection.
5. I am taking an online scrapbooking class by Ali Edwards called 31 Things. The focus is on writing about a certain topic/aspect of our lives every day for 31 days. (So technically, you don't have to be a "scrapbooker" for this class. If you know how to type and can take a photo, you're good.) I'm enjoying it so far; it is definitely helping get my writing mojo going a little.
6. I am currently reading Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and I. Love. It. (I am too lazy to post a photo. Google it.)
7. We're adjusting to life in Baton Rouge and are enjoying being back. I feel a little like we're in a time warp, but I'll go into that a bit later. Another post for another time.
8. Also? I miss Publix.

Mother's Day...and Motherhood Thoughts

I realize it is Thursday and Mother's Day was four days ago.

I'm really on top of things.

I had a really good Mother's Day.  Darryl and Amelia gifted me with a gift card to a spa.  Woot!

And, of course, that morning, we called our wonderful Mama/Nana to wish her a Happy Mother's Day!

Our friend Rebecca invited us to her parents' house "out in the country" for their Mother's Day cookout.  While that may sound awkward -- going to a friend's extended family's gathering -- it actually wasn't because we had met and been around much of Rebecca's family before for other things.

The weather was perfect, and Amelia even got to ride a horse for the first time.

For the record, I'm not a horse person.  I don't mind looking at them from afar, but they scare me a little.  I won't tell Amelia that, though. :-)

Amelia also found this gear in the playroom.  I think she'll adjust to living in Louisiana just fine.

When we got home, I took a power nap while Amelia and Darryl went to Lowe's, and that evening, we had La Madeleine's for dinner (my choice, obviously).

And I have no good transition here, but just know that the following relates to motherhood:

So, back in Georgia, there is a tragic story that has gotten a lot of attention from the media about a grad student who rode a homemade zip line, fell, and cut her leg.  The injury itself required stitches, but otherwise was no big deal until it was discovered that the girl was suffering from flesh-eating bacteria.  Now, she has had her leg amputated (with future amputations a probability) and is continuing to fight for her life.

My friend Blayne and I were discussing this story last week, and I said, "Well, I guess I'll add 'Do not ride any homemade zip lines' to the list of things I want to be sure to tell Amelia."  (To be clear, I'm not making light of this story at all.  I'm just thinking that this girl's situation must be a living hell not only for her, but also for her parents.)  As soon as I said that to Blayne, I was reminded of something my mother once told me.

When I was in college, I received a letter from my mom.  (This was before everyone had email, y'all.)  After she updated me on news and tidbits of information, she said something along these lines:

"I don't think I ever told you this, and you probably already know it, but you DO know that you aren't supposed to let your hair dryer fall in a sink full of water, don't you?  You can get electrocuted that way."

My mom and I still laugh about that story from time to time, but I think as mothers (and I'm sure fathers feel the same way), we feel this overwhelming burden to keep our kids as safe as possible...but we realize we can only control so much.

There is no way to warn our kids about -- much less protect them from -- every hazard in the world.  And that is scary to think about.

What is the fine line between warning our kids about dangers, but also encouraging them to "seize the day"?  (Seriously...if all my friends were riding the zip line, I probably would have too.)

I let my daughter ride a horse while trying not to think about all the stories I've heard of people getting kicked in the head by horses or falling off horses.

And something tells me this motherhood thing isn't going to get any easier. :-)

But I love it, with all its fears, insecurities, and "am I doing the right thing."

And for the record, I did know that I should not let my hair dryer fall in a sink full of water.

Fun Times with Friends

I found the cord, so get ready for some photos!

In the couple of weeks before we left Atlanta, I "lived it up" by having some good times with friends.  (Darryl might or might not have called me a "social butterfly" during this time.)

First, I had dinner at On the Border with my friend Sabrina.  She used to be the guidance counselor at my school and really has a soft heart for kids, especially the "hard to love" ones. :-)  Somehow, On the Border became "the" place where we would always meet, so it seemed fitting that we meet there again.

One day, Amelia and I went with my cousin Vicky (Amelia calls her "BeeBee") to the Georgia Aquarium.  It was a fun visit and not crowded at all!

(I like how there is only one tiny fish in that photo.)

Then one night, I met my friend Casi at The Cheesecake Factory.  Casi and I have been friends since high school.  However, we found that even though we both lived in the Atlanta area, we were able to see each other only a few times a year.  We think we saw each other more in the past when we lived in separate states, so we're hopeful we might see each other more in the future now that we are in separate states again!

Another night, I met my friend Tim and two of my former colleagues, Pam and Lisa, at Flip.  We had a delicious meal (my burger had pimiento cheese on it, y'all), complete with yummy milkshakes.  'Twas a fun time!

One day for lunch, my friend Blayne and I decided, spontaneously, to go to The Varsity for lunch.  I had to have one last chili dog with rings (and an F.O., or Frosted Orange).

That evening, I met Tim and Max for dinner at Shorty's.  (A. That's why I had just one chili dog instead of two.  B. Tim and Max were impressed, and perhaps horrified, that I could put away The Varsity AND Shorty's in the same day.)  Tim, as I've mentioned before, was a colleague who became one of my close friends, and I've gotten to know Max over the past few years and consider him a good friend as well!  I will miss them!

(Don't we all look angelic in that beam of light?)

And for my Last Big Atlanta Hoorah, I went to dinner and then Les Mis at the Fox with my friend Blayne, her daughter, and her daughter's boyfriend.  (I was Blayne's date, ha!)  Blayne and I first bonded over scrapbooking (don't mock or judge, scrapbook haters), but we have become very good friends over the past year.  I will miss our weekly excursions to scrapbook, have lunch, or both!  And I stupidly forgot to take a photo of the two of us, but I do have this:

(Also, at Les Mis, I ran into my former principal and a former student!)

So that is how I lived it up before I left.  Good times, awesome friends...and I can't wait to see them again!

The Move

I was going to do a post complete with some photos about the move, but alas...I can't find the cord to do that.  Goodness knows where it is.

Since my last post said that we were here (Baton Rouge), you would be safe to assume that everything went well with the closing on the house and all that jazz.  I think because of the debacle the last time we tried to sell our house, we were nervous something could go wrong until the very last minute.  But nothing did.

And while there is definitely a sense of pride that comes with purchasing a house, there is something freeing about not owning one at all.  Interesting.  (To clarify...we are renting a house now and plan to buy once we find a house a love in an area we love, so that statement wasn't a declaration that we will never be homeowners again or anything of that sort.)

Our friends Damian and Rebecca flew to Atlanta to help us move.  (Good friends, yes?)  We had our last "real" meal in Atlanta at Chuy's (the creamy jalapeno dip and the beef fajitas are the bomb-dot-com), and then we finished up packing what remained in our old house before heading to the hotel.

And here's the thing: I was all prepared to do a big ugly cry when I saw that empty house and pulled away from it for the last time, but frankly, I was too tired and feeling too much like, "Thank goodness everything is packed up and we can go to bed."

Saturday, Damian and Darryl drove the moving trucks and left a couple of hours before the girls, and Rebecca drove Darryl's truck while I drove my car with Amelia as my travel companion.  Everything went smoothly, and I met my parents in Mobile so they could take Amelia for the week.

(Let me interrupt here to say my parents have been very gracious to keep Amelia two separate weeks over the past month and a half so we could take care of things with this move.  They love Amelia tremendously, but I know she can be an energetic handful at times!)

We arrived Saturday afternoon and Darryl and Damian, along with another friend, Charles, worked like dogs to get both trucks unloaded by that evening.  CRAZY.

And we've been unpacking boxes ever since.  I'd say we're about 90% unpacked, and we really like the rental house.  It is crazy how our furniture fits perfectly in it --the dimensions, the style, and so forth.  That might be a post for another time.  If I can find my camera cord.

My parents brought Amelia to us this past Friday, and she really loves her new room.  Perhaps even more, though, she loves sitting at the bar in the kitchen to eat her meals.  (Isn't it funny how little kids just love little things like that?  We didn't have a bar in our old house, so this is something new for her.)

We feel a sense of peace about being here.  Things are becoming more official with my job (my contract is in the mail!), and it feels good to be back...even though Baton Rouge welcomed us back with record high temps. :-)

So that's the lowdown.  There are a few anecdotes I will have to post, but I wanted to catch you all (my three readers) up to speed on the move.

We made it!

Well, we made it to Baton Rouge!  And if you have ever moved before, you know that the past few days have consisted of nothing but unpacking, unpacking, and more unpacking.

We're eating, of course.  Heaven knows I'm not one to forgo a meal just so I can keep unpacking.  (To show how tired I am...I might have just typed "forego a mill." Um...)

Today, though, I decided Darryl and I needed to stop eating as though we are tourists in Louisiana.  I mean, there is TIME now to fit in what we want to eat.  So today I began with a bowl of Kashi cereal.  That's a tidbit of info I'm sure you are glad that I shared.

Anyway, I will post a more thorough update soon.  Things are going well, though.  Thanks for all the good thoughts you are sending our way!

What We'll Miss About Living in Atlanta (The LIst)

1.  Our friends.  Obviously.  (I'm not going to go into detail about that now because then I might slip into the "ugly cry," and I'm too tired to ugly cry right now.) (Also, I've gotten much closer to my cousin who lives here, and I hate that I won't see her as often, too.)

2.  Our church.  Goodness, we love our church.  We've learned there, grown there, made friends there, worshiped there, led/been part of small groups there.  I think we are saddest about the fact that Amelia will miss out on the great programs they have for kids.  The one consolation is that -- while we plan to find a church home in BR -- we can watch online. (Also...on a side note...Andy Stanley's current series "Christian" might be my FAVORITE series of all time.  You can listen to / watch it online.  After every sentence out of his mouth, I want to say "WORD.")

3.  QT.  You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.

4.  Seasons.  I have loved having all four seasons here, especially fall with all of its orange and yellows. :-)

5.  Seasonal festivities.  From pumpkin patches to the Pink Pig, I love that there are all those kinds of traditional things to do here.

6.  Lots of stuff to do.  Braves games, musicals, museums, the Aquarium...Atlanta has it.  In spades.

7.  Our house.  Bless its heart, we tried to sell it three times, so maybe it felt unloved.  The third time was the charm, I guess.  This has been a good home to us, though, and when I think of all the memories here -- celebrating holidays, doing everyday life, bringing Amelia home from the hospital -- well, I could go into the ugly cry mode again.  So I'll stop there.

8.  Some yummy eateries, primarily Dutch Monkey Doughnuts, Chuy's, and Rico's.  True, we are going somewhere with delicious restaurants, but sadly, these three aren't there. :-(

I feel like I'm leaving something out.  What am I leaving out???

Edited to Add:  I thought of two more...

9.  Publix.  For reals.  Love me some Publix.

10.  My hairstylist (who has no website).  A good hairstylist is golden.  After going from one pricey salon to another, I visited Kelley on the recommendation of my friend Jess.  Kelley works with a friend in the basement of her friend's house (that might sound shady, but it isn't...).  She's so sweet, and I've been going to her for about six years.  (And her prices are great!)

A Big Move...Literally

A couple of weeks ago I alluded to something "big" going on in our lives.  Well, here it is:

We are moving back to Baton Rouge.  Saturday.

We're excited.  We're ready to go.  We're also nervous because it is a big life change.  And of course we are sad at leaving the place we've called home for the past nine-plus years.  And the friends we are leaving?  Well, I don't even want to talk about that right now.

It's kind of a long story at how we have arrived at this decision, but for the sake of brevity, I'll spare you lots of details.

Basically, the story is this: I have a very likely opportunity (that has been unofficially-but-should-soon-be-officially confirmed) to return to the job I once had as a full-time college instructor.  While I enjoyed teaching high school for the seven years that I did it, I felt that I wasn't really balancing motherhood and teaching to my satisfaction after Amelia was born.  I often found myself wishing that I could go back to a college teaching schedule for the sake of being a more involved mother, but honestly, full-time instructor positions seem to be a rarity in these parts.

My friend Martha jokingly mentioned that she bet I could get my old job back if we returned to Baton Rouge.  I laughed it off at first, but then Darryl and I started talking about it.  And the more we talked about it, the more we were drawn to the idea for many reasons besides just employment for me.  (I'll get into those in a later post this week.)  I got in touch with the people I needed to get in touch with, and the ball started rolling from there.

But we were skeptical.

We'd have to sell our house in a terrible market.  We got a contract on our house in about 45 days.

We'd have to find a place we liked for Amelia to go to school.  We found it.

Darryl would have to get approval to work from a remote location.  He got it.

Things just started falling into place, and we are certain that this is the right move for us to make at this season in our lives.

There are several things I feel the need to clarify, though...

1.  We do not feel that we made a mistake in moving to Atlanta when we did.  This isn't a case of "Atlanta isn't for us, so let's move back to what is familiar."  We have loved living here, so much so that we told ourselves in the beginning that if this Baton Rouge move didn't work out, we would be just fine here.  And that is the truth.  I can't even get into the things we've gained from living here, but we are so grateful for the experiences we've had in the past nine years.

2.  We know there is some truth in "you can't go home again." We know places change.  People change.  People who were our friends before might not have much in common with us now.  On the flip side, I suspect people we weren't good friends with before might have more in common with us now.  We are not expecting life to be just like it was when we left.

3.  No job is perfect.  Every job has its flaws; it all comes down to the flaws you can live with and the ones you can't.  I vividly remember the yucky parts of college teaching, but you know what?  I can live with them.

4.  No place is perfect.  Atlanta is too spread out and has too much traffic.  But you know what?  Baton Rouge has some gross humidity, y'all.  (Darryl is pumped about it.  I, with the naturally wavy/crazy hair, am NOT.)

So that's the big news.  And I'll have some more posts this week about things related to the move.  Keep us in your thoughts, though...we've got a lot to get done this week!