Moving on up.. the hill

So an hour after Heath was born 6/3/10, Jonathan received a text message from his co-worker (and our friend) Adam saying 'check your email- you are moving to Maple West.' Back in April (when life was more calm and we had lots of spare time to pack boxes) Jonathan had conversations with his Director about the possibility of moving residence halls for an opportunity to be challenged in his work life after two years of serving in the honors residence hall. Pomfret has just about the best students you could ask for with little judicial load and some great RAs and programs. Not really desiring to leave this great place we were in, we also know that investing in Arkansas long term means it is important for Jonathan to show progression in his work and after years of being in Housing, a healthy challenge was probably due.

So after a month and a half of discussions and uncertainties it seemed pretty clear that we would not be moving. So my nesting began and we prepared Heath's room in Pomfret. Then Heath came (after 31 hours of labor- yes I am going to say that as many times as possible because I am damn proud), and then the text came. Jonathan gingerly told me the news about an hour later cushioning it with 'we don't have to talk about this now, but...' So I chose not to think about it. Emotionally and physically overloaded, it was important for sanity to be kept to just not think about it. Both of our parents would be in town the next week and so we took Heath home to Pomfret for 7 days and then the following Saturday moved from Pomfret to Maple Hill West with the gracious help of parents, Adam, Will and Brittany. THANK YOU!!!

In one day they packed everything up, moved it and began unpacking it in our new place while I tried to stay in my zen-like postpartum state not processing all of this overwhelming change at once in our life. (In the meanwhile we also had our second anniversary and Jonathan's first father's day, 4 parents visiting and then my aunt and uncle in town after J's folks left). It's been a crazy June to say the least.

We did our final walk through in Pomfret today and I held up pretty well. Then we got to the kitchen and I looked at that tiny stupid easy-bake oven that I have hated for the last two years and the tears came. I thought- so many meals have been prepared in this oven and shared with the people we love. Birthday cakes for the RAs every month, or some other snack for weekly staff meetings, our first Thanksgiving meal that we hosted with my family in town, baking cookies with friends at Christmas... all done in that stupid oven that I'm now crying over. Yes- I am thankful for the upgrade in our new apartment- fully equipped with a full size oven, dishwasher and non-cinderblock walls- but Pomfret was our first home together as newlyweds and we filled every inch of that ugly shoebox apartment with laughter and love and memories. Leaving the walls is easy, leaving the RAs is the hardest, but I know we are starting a new chapter in many ways and beginning in a new place is a marker of all that is to come.