Wednesday, December 08, 2004

TWO BITS!!!!!!!

I feel like Roger Rabbit shaking so uncontrollably until he just couldn't stand it no more!

For those of you who are too intelligent to remember the movie, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"
there's a scene where some bad guys are tying to lure Roger from his hiding space by tapping out, "Shave and a haircut..." over and over again because they know if there's one thing a Toon can't resist it's completing this sing-songy nonsensical rhyme with, "...two bits!!!!!" And finally, the urge gets the better of Roger. He shakes, he bites hit tongue, but the pressure to respond is there and he finally succumbs to the pressure and leaps out from hiding to yell, "...two bits!!!!!!" So while I would normally like to think of myself being somewhat more comparable to the reserved and cool Jessica Rabbit (va-va-va-voom!) today I am just Roger jumping out and shouting, "...two bits!"

Finally we are able to break our silence and announce that we will be moving to Madison, Wisconsin in a little less than two weeks. This sounds very sudden for those of your just being invited to partake in the highly sought after loop of Duck Gossip (yes, People is just knocking down our doors trying to figure out what we're up to next!), but we've been interviewing, traveling, crying (OK, that was really just me), researching and contemplating for three months. Timing for Brandon to give his notice has been terrible with his boss being out, then B going to Madison to find a place for us to live, and then his boss being out again. But finally the news is out in the open.

Grace is too young to know what's going on and this is a great opportunity for Brandon, so for today, let's focus on me. It's therapeutic. For me. For you, it's just a long look into my mind, so grab some coffee, sit down and relax, you'll be here for awhile.

I'm torn apart about the move. Very. We've just completed our home here, spent three years fostering relationships and planting our roots in Austin. It's warm (or at the very coldest, cool) year round which allows me to walk with Grace and be outside most of the year (even if we have to wait to walk until 7 PM in the summer because it's so hot).

But on the flip-side I have this fabulous opportunity to go back home and be closer to family, which is very important to me. I want Grace and Peanut to grow up knowing their grandparents and cousins. I want them to remember seeing family more than once or twice a year. Then there's the changing of the seasons. I'm thrilled that they'll get the opportunity to know the changing colors of the leaves, the gentleness of falling snow and the growth of the buds on the trees in the spring. I also want for them to walk barefoot in the grass without worrying about fire ants, scorpions, coral snakes or any of the other numerous things that might want to eat you down here.

There, I feel much better. The pros, the cons...really not resolving anything but at least it's out there. Let's summarize, I'm excited, but sad...all at once. And I didn't mention this previously, but I still hate the snow. Nice to look at from a big picture window whilst sipping hot cocoa by a hot roaring fire, not nice to drive/walk/slide around in.

That's it for now. I'm packing, slowly but surely, packing up the house that we just moved into with delusions of long-term residency. Nope, ain't gonna happen. And for those of you tracking my moves, this is #10 in eight years which includes four cross-country moves.

We'll keep you posted, but our estimated date of departure is somewhere a few days before Christmas, because there's nothing like the stress of the holidays unless it's the stress of the holidays mixed with moving, pregnancy and a 20 hour car trip with a one year-old!

Oh, and since you sat so nicely and patiently for my long, drawn out pity party here are some pictures of the cute and adorable Miss Grace for you ogle over.

Love to all-