The Funk

I hesitated writing this blog post because it is a bit of a downer, but I'm hoping it will contribute to some perspective down the road, when I'm sure things will be better...

But I'm in a funk.

It is identical to the funk I went through shortly after we moved to Baton Rouge. When we moved to Baton Rouge a little over two years ago, after we had settled in, I did a lot of these kinds of things:

--thinking, "Oh my gosh - we've really MOVED here. We aren't just visiting! What have we done?" (You would think that fact would be pretty apparent, but I liken it to that realization, a few days after bringing a new baby home, that you aren't just babysitting that baby, but but the baby is there to STAY. FOREVER.)

--looking at photos and reminiscing about all the great times we had in the place we just moved from (who doesn't like to romanticize the past and forget all the not-so-great times?)

--feeling disconnected and isolated from everyone in the place I just moved to and wondering if/when I will ever feel connected again - it's a bit lonely, to tell the truth (To clarify: No one is to blame for this. Summer is kind of a crummy time to move to a new place because people are busy, on vacation, doing their own thing, etc. But still...LONELY.)

The good news is (I think, I hope) that the funk is temporary...at least it was two years ago. I distinctly remember sitting in Amelia's classroom at her then-new school, listening to her teacher talk about the plans for the year, and I just had this feeling of "Whew. Everything will be okay." And as we settled into routine - Amelia started school and I started teaching, and friendships were formed and cultivated - the funk was gone. I have a feeling that after we get into our routine here, and that will be very soon, the funk will disappear once again. Fingers crossed!

The funk has set in a bit heavily this week. I've had a bit of a pity party for one. Actually...maybe it has been for two because I think Amelia misses her friends as well. This is technically my last full week of summer before all the workshops, new employee training, and preplanning begin (!), so we've been doing some fun things to fight the funk.

Like eating ice cream with sprinkles...

Our First Month (Plus a Few Days) in Atlanta

I can't believe it has been over a month since that last post that I wrote our last evening in Baton Rouge.

Also, warning: this might be a very discombobulated post.

We've been adjusting to life back in Atlanta. It's been great reuniting with old friends (and, I must say it, old restaurants - ha!), and we really have enjoyed the area we are in.

I'm not going to lie: that move WORE. ME. OUT. Darryl did most of the physical labor (with some hired help), but just the planning, the packing, the getting here, the unpacking, the things we had to do to be "established" here (new licenses, new car tags, doctor visits to get Amelia registered for school, etc.) AND the emotional toll of all of it has just made me really tired. (Speaking of emotional toll...we miss our BR friends something fierce.)

And the sad truth is that I really just have one full week of summer left before I start going to workshops, "new employee" training/orientation, and pre-planning. Amelia and I have plans to "live it up" next week. :-)

Anyway, here are a few highlights of the past month. I realized that I didn't take many photos at all, so I'll just use what I have.

I am SO glad our kitchen doesn't look like this anymore. Those boxes make me tired all over again.

QT and I had a sweet reunion in the form of Diet Dr. Pepper over crushed ice. (Publix and I also had a passionate reunion - I think I had three Publix subs the first week I was here. Man, I missed Publix and QT!!)

My parents were awesome to keep Amelia the first week we were back so that I could get lots of unpacking gone. This was our first night together as a family of three.

This was Amelia after I registered her at her new school. She was excited!

We celebrated school registration by getting cupcakes. Anyway, I saw this sign and agree wholeheartedly.

From cupcakes to running, of all things...Darryl and I registered for the Peachtree Road Race this year. My parents kept Amelia AGAIN for us, so we stayed in a hotel near the starting line and went out to dinner at Capital Grille the night before.

Here we are post-race on the somewhat fragrant MARTA.

This past Sunday, I went to Florida for a few days to pick up Amelia and visit with my parents. On Monday, we went to the beach. It was beautiful weather for beaching!

This girl wants to stay in the water the WHOLE time.

We also visited with Darryl's family. This is Darryl's sister's dog, Lily. Y'all, I love this dog. Ashley won't let me have her. 

(I was such a terrible photographer on this trip. I must do better.)

And now we're back with a pretty long to-do list for the next few weeks. Maybe I should put "blog more often" on that to-do list. :-)