Things I will miss/things I will look forward to

In making a move to Atlanta after having lived in south Georgia most of my life, there are many things I am going to miss so much. I realize I am gaining some good things too (which I will also mention).

Things I'll miss:

• The smell of fresh baked bread in downtown Thomasville
• Grassroots Coffee. Not JUST the coffee but the vibe and friendliness of the place
• Knowing my way around and every short cut to get somewhere
• The fact that you can be pretty much anywhere in 10 minutes in town
• Friends I have known for 26 years. We've fellowshipped together, taken meals together, raised our children together, educated our children together, grown together, in short, we know each other's history and experienced it together
• I know in life there is more to come with these friends: weddings, births, deaths. I won't be here to share in those things with them
• Running into families in town with babies I have helped bring into the world, mothers and babies I have helped to get nursing started out well, couples I coached through pregnancy and birth.
• The sound of the church bells in downtown that play hymns out for the whole world to hear. It's such a holy thing.
• Playing cards with Steve and Marian
• The brick streets downtown
• How beautifully orchestrated all the pieces are in place here to practice good midwifery--labs, consults, ultrasounds, medications for clients through various supportive physicians
• The Farmer's Market
• Richard's at night
• My ladies Bible study
• Having grandparents and other family not very far away
• Being half-way between both sets of grandchildren
• Dawson Street and the historical district
• Being able to drive down so many streets and point out nice, quality homes that my husband built

So, though my heart is sad to be leaving all of that behind, what do I have to look forward to?

• Having all my belongings in ONE house, not divided between two dwellings and offices
• Having someone to eat dinner with in the evenings (hubby)
• 4 out of 5 grandchildren within an hours driving distance, along with their mommies and daddies
• The gorgeous Atlanta skyline
• The possibility of snow each year (as long as I don't get snowed in!)
• Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Costco
• More sushi places to eat than you can shake a stick at
• The myriad of birth related conferences held there every year. CEUs should be easier to accomplish
• Having the possibility of backup if I'm sick or need to plan a vacation with so many other midwives available
• The beautiful woods surrounding our new home and the deer that visit (but not the raccoons)
• The sense of adventure I feel anticipating what God has for us to explore spiritually there. I have no idea who we will fellowship with, but the possibilities are endless. Just want to be obedient.
• The TONS of places to explore and visit: museums, parks, galleries, etc.
• Shopping. Now if I only had money.
• The new families and babies I am meeting and will continue to meet

Things I AM NOT looking forward to:

• Learning my way around. My husband keeps trying to verbalize where things are and how they are laid out. I am not an auditory learner.
• The traffic. It takes forever to get anywhere
• Being snowed in with the possibility of someone going into labor.
• How cold our new house is in the winter.
• The slow, inconsistent internet service through Bellsouth
• The shower in the master bathroom. Very hard to regulate the temperature
• The electrical breakers which pop if more than one thing is running in multiple rooms

I'm going to have to push myself to find ways to meet people and make friends. It will be very easy to just turn into a bit of a recluse with only clients and family as my only contacts, but I know I will need more than that. So be praying for outlets that will allow for deep friendships and fellowship to happen.