Home Away From Home

Less than a month ago we headed north. We packed up the house in Atlanta over the course of about a week, and then the movers came on a Monday and put it all on their truck. We had planned to leave that day and drive to Michigan. There we were going to wait for our shipment to make it to Madison while we stayed at my folks' house. The movers ended up taking a bit longer than expected and it would have been a dangerous all-night drive to the Midwest. We made a quick call to the best hotel you've never heard of over in Peoplestown. Pet's welcome. Dinner, drinks, and conversation provided. Includes private balcony and kitchen. They even have kids' bath toys for your use. Many thanks to the Walk-Lynch's for putting us up and putting up with us.

Tuesday morning, bright and early, six bodies were loaded into the car in all manner of seats, crates, and beds. As you could imagine there was little room for us to take much of anything else with us in the car. Somehow I convinced Lauren to let me bring the desktop computer by claiming it would be necessary to get some work done before things arrived in Madison. This would be the longest car ride of Benton's life, and the furthest the cat and one dog had ever been from Atlanta. The morning began quietly and it was a smooth first three or four hours. I actually don't remember much of the trip being horrible. We stopped for lunch in Lexington and made it to Detroit in pretty good time.

We woke up Wednesday morning in Southgate, MI and got our first estimate for delivery in Madison, 13 days later. We could only complain to the company so long before we had to start thinking about what we would do with our things now arriving after Lauren was scheduled to begin her new job. We had planned to stay in Michigan through the Labor Day weekend regardless. We ended up getting great weather and a lot of family time. It was the first time we spent some regular weekday (non-holiday) time in Southgate - and the whole gang was along for the ride. We took Benton to the play ground at my old school. Walked the dogs by the high school and through the Southgate Nature Center located behind it. "When I went to school here, this was just a scary field."

My parents vacation had already been scheduled and so they were home to play with B in the yard and the kiddie pool. They also took a day trip to the Toledo Zoo and the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum. We went to see a friend's high school football game on Friday night. On our anniversary Lauren and I took a trip to Ann Arbor for a night out. We strolled around town and sampled brews at Jolly Pumpkin.

On the Wednesday after the holiday weekend we decided to leave and drive on to Madison. My parents followed with air mattresses, folding chairs, tables, and towels. Southgate was a great temporary home and introduction to the Midwest.

Leaving Atlanta

Lauren's job ended on August 17th. The week before, a get together - there is not really another word for it: it was not a party, not a ceremony, not a send off as much as some of her colleagues gathering to say goodbye and well wish - was held at the CDC with cake and drinks and a small speech by a boss figure. Members of her closest work team pooled some cash to buy us each a foam cheese supply item for our midwest destination. Benton now has his compulsory cheesehead.

In the week that followed boxes began to accrue and our things slowly, and then more quickly over the weekend, moved into them (or into piles and bags headed for Goodwill and the Salvation Army). A timely 'most e-mailed' article from the New York Times described the benefits of owning less. Each night of the week we had plans to meet up with another friend to say goodbye in one way or another. This included a wonderful Dirty South Beer Club farewell and an ice cream social to say goodbye to Katy and Ben as they moved on to California. We became a bit nostalgic, trying to hold on to the things that make Atlanta what it is even if we don't really like them. Finding a chicken bone in a parking lot or seeing an outrageous temperature reading became a photo opportunity.

Things got hectic in the last week and we became exhausted. Rooms got cleared in preparation for the movers who called on Friday to tell us they'd be there in a few days (ahead of expectations) to load everything into a truck. I think all the dust and cat hair and dog hair and dirt made its way into our lungs and exacerbated our tired state toward an illness. I hope this cough is not chronic.

Our best laid plans to give Benton one more day with his teachers at day care - some of the first folks who ever got to know him and vice versa - and leave midday for Michigan fell flat as the movers continued to load our things into the later afternoon. With our house empty we made a call to the best motel, free or otherwise, in the city limits (name withheld). We enjoyed our last night in Atlanta, as we had so often, with dear friends and good food. In the morning we returned to our house one last time to grab Fila and set off for a new chapter.

Benton's First Birthday

It's been three months since I have blogged. Sadder: there have been only 7 posts this year since the 2011 year in review. Saddest: There have not been many updates on Benton even though he has continued to grow and change. Maybe that is why the blog has not recorded his progress - it is too fast and too expansive to cover. Photos and videos are the mode of the day but even those fail to accurately document what has happened over the past year.

Yes, it has been a year since Benton was born. To celebrate, we all headed up to the northeast for a party. The first destination was Newport to see Gabby and Pappi (forgive me as I confuse all the monikers). In a maneuver out of a James Bond film we arrived at the Providence airport to find a car waiting for us in the lot (with a car seat!). We zoomed off to Newport; our parking and bridge toll paid for by the $20 left in the car's ashtray. Once there we enjoyed the cool summer day out on the porch and in the garden. The next day we trued to go to the beach but got rained out and instead went to an aquarium where you could touch crabs and sharks and starfish. next, we headed to Connecticut to meet up with Suse and the rest of the family, and to prepare for the party the next day.

To set the scene, decorations were made using the characters of one of Benton's favorite books. Notably it features a brown bear. The characters donned the edge of a homemade cake from Grandma and hung from the lights in the kitchen. Pictures of Benton from each month of his first year were draped through the entranceway. Benton went through about three or four outfits as he opened gifts and ate cake. Friends and family came in from as far as New York City - never mind that he himself flew in from Atlanta - to be with him on this special day. Later he played on the deck with giant bubbles.

When we got home the gifts continued to arrive and then be put together by his dad. Now Benton continues to improve his walking, throw in more and more talking, and grows every day.