New Season

Since the first day of school....

- Anna is gradually adjusting. She made it to school today without actually shedding tears. She has been on some playdates and a birthday party. She joined choir at a church I think we've settled on. She cries before going there too, even though she really wants to go. I fully expected the choir director to call CPS on me. "Why is Anna crying?!"
"Oh, she just gets anxious."
He eyes me very suspiciously, "But she does great here! She smiles and has fun and participates and has friends!"
I don't know what to tell ya, sir.
 Her school teacher, who looks like a Miss America contestant, said, "I know she has been telling the paras 'i am having trouble adjusting' (this kiddo - what can i say?!) but I just don't see it! She has tons of friends, she's so smart and doing so well, she participates wholeheartedly in class! I think she puts a lot of pressure on herself (you think?!) I don't want you to think I put that pressure on her." (We're good as long as you promise not to think I put that pressure on her either!) I wonder if teachers who look like a Miss America contestant may not be aware that their students think they are the bee's knees and try very hard to impress. Anyway, Anna is making progress, slowly, but making progress.

-Molly is tearing it up in cross-country. She has reached sub-7 minute mile times, even. Have I mentioned that these Moorestown XC girls and coaches have won my undying affection for the way they have brought her into the fold? Moll also joined book study and youth group at the church I think we have settled on. Her new school is very challenging on the school work side of things. She spends lots of time on homework. This still does not stop her from joining after school clubs like "Urban Challenge" where they learn about poverty in Camden and interact with kids their age there and do service projects. This would be after school and before cross-country practice. I wish I had more of that girl's get-up-and-go.

-Jeff bought a brand new car. Yeah, he lasted about 3 days of me working. He has presented this as a very reasonable purchase - reliable Honda Accord, great gas mileage, the Subaru has over 85,000 miles and is crazy loud - but let it be noted that this car has a sunroof. He's doing really well. He's healthier and happier than he has been in awhile.

-I started work again. I love my new job. I do end up working about 2 nights a week and once in a while a Saturday, but it's we are navigating well, so far. It is new to me and a challenge. I attended a law clinic last week (as the only non-lawyer present, though I totally did not advertise that), for instance. I sit in meetings at the courthouse with police chiefs and sergeants and county prosecutors. Criminal justice isn't my expertise, but it has been really interesting learning all about domestic violence law in New Jersey.  It will be awhile until I feel like the "expert" I am eventually supposed to be. Oh, and I had a media appearance. Kind of embarrassing, but we did get a record number of volunteers from the piece, so I guess it's ok.  I will have to do things like be on call all night. But I honestly do feel grateful for this job, and I get to work with amazing people in a great organization.

-We visited the shore again. It is very disorientating to reach the ocean from my home in less time than it takes to watch a feature length movie. I am used to hellish and lengthy trips involving car accidents and crying babies and such to reach the ocean. I admit that at the moment, I do not see a need to embark on such a journey to a beach again; I am perfectly content with Jersey beaches.  It was off-season too, which means free and uncrowded!

-We found some apple-picking places. New Jersey has some nice farmland, believe it or not. Being close to New York, we can get Empire apples too. So I don't feel like I have to totally give up that part of life I have enjoyed for the past 8 years. (And I have to make a pie when I am done with this - Anna really cares not what else is going on in life; when fruit is picked, a pie follows. Period. Thankfully I have the day off).

-I am not a shopper, but I think I am becoming one. There is a Trader Joe's close. I have always been kind of "what's the big deal about Trader Joe's?" But I sheepishly admit I am becoming more of a fan than I thought I could be. There is every kind of store imaginable in a one hour radius. The real silver lining is all of the fabulous thrift shopping near. There are tons of adorable historic towns with m-o-n-e-y. Moorestown. Haddonfield. Princeton. Which translates to seriously amazing consignment shopping. 

-We visited Jamie and Glenn and the kids. And we're gonna see them again soon. BECAUSE THEY LIVE ONLY 30 MINUTES AWAY!!!!! I am not used to moving somewhere and having friends and family near. So this is an exciting development. And my sister Kristy and her family live in DC, which on a good day is only 2.5 hours away. We do live in the string of East Coast cities though, so traffic can definitely be a deterrent. It's the biggest complaint I have about moving to the area. Well, that and expense. I cannot allow myself to think about what the cost of living was when we lived in Ohio.

-I pictured fall being muggy and gross. It has not been. I cannot count how many 70-in-the-afternoon, 50-in-the-morning-and-evening, clear blue sky, sunny days there have been in a row. So we have been doing lots of biking and walking around town. LOVE being in a walkable town again.

-I found a hair place. This is important, right people?! I may not have a doctor or dentist yet, but I have a salon (it's like in a movie-so cute, right on the main street, yes I can walk to it) and stylist.

-No I don't have any new real friends yet. Not that I am in a rush - I know better than to rush that. I am doing fine - work, the condo community, and the kids' stuff provides social interaction. But there is no one I would grab coffee with yet. I should join something at church or a running club in town (I did get an invite to a ladies' social club?! It didn't really seem like me. And you know me and the PTA aren't a good combo...) but I feel like I am still figuring out schedules and where stuff is and all that. I admit I was a teeny bit disappointed when no one approached me at church to ask me to join their ministry team or bible study (Cathy Cronk is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend!) Being an introvert, the energy I have for making social connections is limited. Jeff is even MORE of an introvert, so we can suffer socially if we aren't intentionally trying. He is a boss for the first time in his career, so it's even weirder for him to try to make friends at work.

Dare I say, overall this move is going pretty well? Maybe we can chalk this perspective up to no baby hormones coursing through my body (Michigan move) or total lack of iron in my blood (New York move)? Maybe practice has made me better at this? Maybe I am just fighting the slump harder? Maybe age is mellowing me out? Maybe I finally am starting to understand what "everything has a season" means.  Though for the record, I still am not so hot at that seasonal decorating stuff....

This is cross-country, apple-pie, back-to-school-and-work, new car, new church, New Jersey season for us.