- Whole Foods - don't take it for granted, it is a virtual universe of food! The last time we went, we spent almost 2 hours basically just looking at everything. I can't WAIT to make that a weekly ritual.
- Douceur de France Bakery - after 5 years of looking for them, Baxter found real chocolate eclairs just like we had in Paris on our honeymoon at this wonderful little spot! They also serve a wonderful brunch. Best of all - it will be just a few miles from the new homestead!
- Culture - too many things to list here separately: The High Museum, The Atlanta Zoo, multiple concert venues (and not just those for the under 30 set), and the chance to do just about anything you can imagine without having to book a hotel or crash on my niece's tiny bed!
- Hiking - I can think of a handful of places that are great for family hikes that are just a short drive away. This is something we miss every Sunday afternoon.
- Good bargains - I love discount shopping. Whether it's yard sales, thrift shops, or warehouses full of good finds - I love getting a deal and Atlanta is the place to find them.
- Family - maybe it's not necessary to explain this one; but I haven't lived near my family in a very long time. I left for school at UGA at the tender age of 17. Of course, I was home again pretty quickly - but only for a while. Before I knew it, I was back in Athens - then Greenville - then Savannah - then Athens again! It's been a bit of a Merry-Go-Round for the last decade or so. Being near my family is going to be nice. I miss them all and at different times of my life have had a very difficult time parting from a visit. A few things have changed since I last left home. The Parks Family has acquired quite a number of homes in the Smyrna area. If they were all clustered it could be categorized as a compound. My brother now lives next door to my parents, my sister now lives about a block away from them all in my brother's old house and my oldest niece is moving into the "old house" on Concord Road which is about a mile away. Our house will be less than two miles from all of them. Closeness doesn't get any closer than that! Apart from the free babysitting and shared meals together, it will be nice knowing that I can be there to help my Mom and Dad when they need it. They're in their upper 70s now and I will want to check in on them from time to time.
- Cultural Phenomena - not the same as culture, cultural phenomena are the things that tend to take over in large cities WAY before they do in other places. For instance, the grunge era, although ushered in by the good people of Seattle was immediately embraced by eager Atlantans. Other examples have more to do with the retail industry. For instance, although spending quite some time helping Baxter work on attracting Trader Joe's to the Athens market, I have never been inside one. They sound awesome and I want to go to one much like people in Indonesia dream of going to a Wal Mart. (Who am I kidding, they probably have Wal Marts in Indonesia!) I also have fallen in love with IKEA over the Internet; but our fledgling electronic romance will pale in comparison to the thrill of shopping there on a regular basis. Athens is great and Athens has its own cultural draws but Atlanta is the hub and I miss that.
- Great Meals - Nuevo Laredo Cantina (bigger and better than ever) was once one of my favorite places in the city. I also miss OK Cafe (unchanged), the burgers at US Grill, Kobe Steakhouse, Johnny Rockets and many many more!
- Friends - there are many friends in the Atlanta area that I would love to see. Jennifer, of course, comes to mind - Jen Curtis, Mandy, Melinda, Angie, the list goes on and on...The funny thing is that I had lost touch with all of them until just a few months ago. I'd call that pretty good timing. A year ago, I wouldn't have any clue if any of my old friends were still around or how to get in touch with them. In fact, it might feel a whole lot scarier than it does. At least if I feel like running away from the craziness of unpacking for a few minutes, I know some folks I can call on!
- People and traffic. There - I said it. As much as I used to hate it and as much as I CANNOT BELIEVE I am saying this: I actually miss all that hustle and bustle! There is something very satisfying in negotiating the big city. I never lost my internal map of all of its' suburbs and I know a thousand shortcuts. After all of these years, I sometimes still find myself calling Baxter to ask him the best route from one point in Athens to another, "should I go through five points or take the loop?" It's almost like there isn't any room left up there for another city. Maybe my brain held onto all of those highways and byways for a reason. Now that I'm moving back, I'm going to need them! Besides that, I really do like the massiveness of the city. There is an anonymity that exists in Atlanta that you just can't get here. Today at Target, I saw no less than 4 other choir moms shopping the aisles. Last time I was there, I ran into 4 or 5 people I knew. Now, don't get me wrong, I like that a lot! I love seeing my friends and feeling so closely connected - most of the time! But it would be nice if I could leave my house without my makeup just ONCE and not see a dozen people I know!
My list would be longer but so much of Atlanta and Smyrna have changed. I could hope to find things the same at every little place that holds a memory for me; but that would be disappointing. I know things in the city never stay the same for long. It's sometimes sad but that ever-evolving reality is part of what makes me love it so much.
We're actually getting stuff done around here. I just loaded up Baxter's car with a ton of stuff to donate to Goodwill. We have painted our dining room and master suite and we're starting on the upstairs tomorrow. We will be signing our listing agreement on Monday. Baxter is still looking for a job but now that the election is over, he is starting to hear back from people. I hope that he will have some interviews lined up soon and we can really get this ball rolling. I will continue to report our progress, our hopes for the future and even our consternation. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for us during this great time of transition. It means a lot to know you hold our family in such high esteem.
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