My Girl Has Confidence!

Before you watch, keep in mind that I took this video using my phone, and trying to the fact that I was recording her a secret.  So it's a little wobbly.



I have always said that I want Hannah to have confidence.  The first time some little boy looks at her and says "You're pretty" I'd like her to say something along the lines of "I know."Hopefully, it doesn't come back to bite me. ; )

Quite the Coincidink

This is Kelly.  We met in 6th grade.  We were both on Battle of the Books together and became friends.  For various times during junior and high school we pretty much lived together.  Of course, we had those very girl like spats, but we always got it over after some time.  When Kelly was in 8th grade, she met a guy in a chat room.  It was way back when AOL and chat rooms were really popular.  His name was Casey and he lived in Chicago.  

2006

Today, Kelly is married to Casey.  They live in Downer's Grove, just outside Chicago.  

2008

She's probably going to complain about her facial expression in this one.  

 2008

Today, Kelly and I have been friends for most of our life, the best of friends.  Except when we're mad at each other. ; )

2008

2009

2009

2010

2011

I wish I had some more photo's on this laptop, I've got some good one's from 8th and 9th grade.  

So what are the odd's that someone I grew up with in Fayetteville now lives in another state, the same city and state that David and I have relocated to?  I don't know but I'm thinking they're slim odds.  

And, I'm pretty happy that someone I love so much is so close now!  She's pregnant, due in May.  I'm excited for Hannah and Jay, her little girl, to grow up together; and Riley and Layla (the baby in her belly).  I have big plans for us Kel!!

Why We Moved

So aside from David's belief that he will be happier doing this job, and WAY better health insurance (which we've decided our family must have) here are some of the other considerations that played a part in our decision to move to Chicago.  

The Ashbury Greenway, and all the other greenways just like this!  

Where I can run for miles......with no babies!

See those poles?  They're perfect for speed training.  Which I need to work on for the 

Chicago Marathon I will run.

Theater

The Museum of Science and Industry

The Shedd Aquarium

Shows!

I can not wait to run down this path.  18 miles total, along Lake Michigan.

In short: culture and experience for ourselves and our kiddo's.  

I was talking to my Sunday School group right before we left.  I told them that I've realized why God brought me back to Fayetteville, for such a short time.  Before we moved back to Fayetteville, I thought I was a small town girl.  I thought I wanted to live in a country/rural setting.  But that's not what I want anymore.  Living in Italy changed me, and so has being a mom.  I get so excited thinking about the things I can offer Hannah and Riley in the way of culture and experience in Chicago..  Don't get me wrong, I would love to retire on 5 acres with lots of animals with a section for a garden.  But right now, I want to take advantage of the things that come with the big city.  I get excited thinking about Broadway, and the shows that David and I can go see.  I get excited thinking about my sister coming to see me in Chicago and taking her around.  I think about being with Josh and Leah in the city. I'm excited about what the future holds.  

A short bounce to Chicago

It was a good visit.  We got in Friday evening and David got promptly situated for his first day of work on Monday.  Saturday, St. Patrick's Day, was spend at Aunt Debby and Uncle Jim's house.  Everyone joined us at their house for dinner.  

It was SUCH A BEAUTIFUL day!  

Riley loved it.  

I love this picture!

Of course there was cornhole.  Will and Jim are playing in the water table.  

Hannah and Debby are spectating the cornhole game.  

And Brain, well he's analyzing his St. Patty's Day beverage. ; )

Hannah, Will, and Harrison

Hannah and Will

Chalk drawing at Grandma Cernock's by Hannah and Rachel.

 Riley's first dip, 

it was pretty cold but she didn't seem to mind.

  And Hannah braved a rope climb.  She did all out slide down once.  And got really bad rope burn, but we recovered and agreed that for now, someone will help her with the rope.  

And this was our train ride home.  

12 March: Moving Day

The night before was long!  Hannah spiked a fever around 10 pm.  Everything was packed, which meant David was on his way to WalMart at 10 pm.  I woke up at 430 am, throwing up.  David looked at me after getting sick and said "do you want to wait and leave tomorrow?"  But I declined.  My dad was going to be there at 5 am, with coffee and I didn't want to drag out my goodbyes any longer.  We couldn't fit everything on the UHual, so I was grumpy about leaving my family and my stuff; I just wanted to get this over with.  We got on the road a little after 6 am.  By 1030, I deeply regretted not waiting  another day.  We had already stopped twice.  David called Amy and Tom to let them know that he was unsure when we'd make it in because I was so sick.  That's when they decided to get in there car and drive towards us.  I know, pretty awesome, right!?!  It took David and I 11 hours to drive 400 miles because we had to stop so much for me.  Amy and Tom met up with us in Knoxville.  Tom took over for me and I slept the remainder of the drive to Carbondale.  We FINALLY got to Carbondale at 1130 pm (1230 am NC time).  It was nuts.  I don't know what I would have done without Amy and Tom's help.  Turned out to me some stomach bug, I felt better the next day and 100% the third day.  Driving + puking = not again!  David and I spent the next 4 days settling ourself in, then we headed to Chicago for some surprise baby shower fun and his first day of work.  

Hannah and Riley, the last month

We got Hannah a "A Frog Prince" for Valentines Day.  It was a small plastic conainer that held a frog.  You put water in the container and watched the frog transform into a prince.  

This is where we were about an hour into the transformation.  The complete change took about 3 days.  From here, he really just got bigger.  

Here's Riley, pounding on her keyboard.  

Here's Hannah (not pictured) with her kids.  They're on the bus, going on a field trip.  

Hannah's necklace she fashioned out of Riley's toys.  

I left Riley home with David so I could go work out.  Here's what I came home to:

Hannah's new tag toy.  It came with a small map of the solar system.  It's really neat!

This side has a solar system board game, the other side is her map.  

My Hometown: What I'll Miss

I'm saying goodbye to Fayetteville, again.  Except this time it's for Chicago.  I'm sad.  This moves hurts, it hurts to say goodbye, it hurts that we didn't make it work here.  I'll miss my family.  Pretty much my entire family lives within a 10 to 20  minute drive of our Hope Mills home.  On the other hand, there are things that I am very excited about living in Chicago for; museums and culture galore.  And 18 mile paved, running/cycle track along lake Michigan.  In honor of the city I call home, here's some other things I'll miss.

Arran Lakes has been my church home since I moved in with my Grandma when I was 4.  I have a very special relationship with church because my Grandma has been there since the church doors opened.  I know the pastor on a more personal level.  And I like that.  He preached my grandfather's funeral.  He was there the day  my Grandma was wheeled in for her mastectomy.  He baptized me when I was 12 years old and he married David and I.  He baptized David 2 years ago.  I have history with Pastor Jeff and the church.  When Riley was at Duke, they donated money to David and I, as well as countless, round the clock praying for her health.  Arran Lakes was our church home.  And they're doing things: http://www.dontgotochurch.org/.  I'm sad that I will not be here to witness this, because I believe it's going to be life changing.  

The doctor's at Fayetteville Children's Clinic are phenomenal! There are three doctor's there.  The practice is one of the oldest in Fayetteville and the founding doctor's son practices here today.  Dr. Iskander was the pediatrician for both girls.  I knew I liked her the minute she said "Honey is the only thing proven effective for coughs."  I like, and want, a doctor that doesn't push medicine on patients.  She found Riley's heart murmur, leading to the discovery of her VSD, while Riley was just hours old.  After telling this to many nurses, I know it's very uncommon for it to be found that quickly.  They are the only pediatric clinic to still round for their patients at the hospital.  

Finally, Fayetteville is becoming a city with options!  Sweetbottom's appeals to a more natural sense of parenting.  They sale cloth diapers, slings, and other products in line with a more natural approach to parenting.  They also hold classes for making your own baby legs, a baby wearer group and so forth.  

Hannah's preschool was run through the local YMCA and it's also were I went to the gym at.  It wasn't a fancy gym, but it was everything I needed.  I had a relationship with the employees and the teachers in the Prep program.  The Prep program is awesome.  I really believe the teachers; Ms. Faith, Ms. Pat, Ms. Rakia, Ms. Kat and Ms. Lisa, are there because they love working with kids.  Hannah had been there for 2 1/2 years, growing in the school with the same kids.  And Hannah loved her teachers!  I hated taking Hannah away from this program.  

The sparkling gem of Hope Mills, the owners here will help you out any way they can.  They helped orchestrate a blind taste test for us this past Christmas, which I just learned I have not blogged about yet!  Geesh, I'm behind.  

Another addition to downtown Fayetteville.  The owners are wonderful, helpful and incredibly nice.  They have a fantastic "tea time."

The Marra's.  We were together in Italy, and then together in Fayetteville.  She was always there; to listen, to help, and to entertain.  

Our small group at church.  The best group of people at Arran Lakes, or at least I

think so.  ; )

Josh and Leah.  While they don't live in Fayetteville anymore, it's where Josh's parents are, which meant that Josh and Leah will always come back to visit.  Now we're 12 hours apart and it's going to be much harder to see them!

Jared and Noelle.  These two very quickly became close friends.  Since Josh and Leah left for DC, we didn't have a "regular" set of friends.  Then we met Jared and Noelle, and they became our regular friends.  It wasn't "do you want to do something this weekend?" it was "what are we doing this weekend?" 

Dr. Miller with Duke Children's Cardiology.  This was Riley's Pediatric Cardiologist.  I love him! He was honest and took his time with David and I.  He never made us feel rushed or like our questions were unimportant.  

My backyard.  It was big and beautiful, with my flower beds and organic garden, my fruit trees and my birds.  

We had bbq's, cornhole games, vegetable and lots of water play in this backyard.  And now it'll offer someone else that same joy, hopefully.  My next backyard will be a re-creation of this one.  

Crafting with Hannah: An Owl Sign

I love shopping the clearance aisle's after holidays!  Hannah doesn't care that she's doing a Valentines Day/Christmas/Halloween etc after the actual holiday.  So I can pick up fun crafting things for us both to do cheap.  I picked up these at Walmart on the Valentine's Day clearance aisle.  We also picked up some foam hearts to decorate too.  

Hannah's almost finished owl and my finished owl, which I made for the girls' bedroom.