Ra, Ra Raleigh...

And so we moved to Raleigh.

We found our happy place...a place of good spirit, sunshine, chirping birds, children playing outside, delicious restaurants, culture, fun, great neighbors, diverse people...I can go on and on. The transition has been astounding. It was surprisingly easy and our lives are as different as they can be from State College.

a day in the life of us: I will wake up to the "chirpy, chirpy, chirpy, chirp" of a happy bird in our lush backyard. It's easy to roll out of bed when the cool morning air filled with the aromas of a thousand different flowers breezes into our open windows.
I pull on my running clothes and hit the bike trail. No need for music. I'm filled to the brim with the sounds of birds, the spring colors, my neighbors also exercising. I open myself to the day and feel the incredible potential of the hours until I will again sleep.

The kids will be up or at least Marcos will be. He showers and dresses on his own now. Jenna sneaks into our bed quietly in the early morning and snuggles in for some more sleep until I get home to rouse the troops.

Showers, lunches, breakfast and more. The morning rush is on. Duarte and Marcos will hurry out the door to ride their bikes to school. Of the school year, Marcos has ridden in a car to school maybe 15 times. He is proud of his earth friendly commute. So is Duarte as he continues his own commute to campus.

I get Jenna off to pre-school and I roll into work around 9:00. Teaching this year has been a dream. I've enjoyed the feel of the classroom and the content and the students. I feel I am my best self when I step into a classroom and endeavor to teach even the most reluctant minds.

I'm working part time and so I leave early. At 3:00 I pick up Jenna, drive home and arrive to The Circle (the name of our street). There is always a group of almost 10 kids looking longingly at our car...waiting for Jenna and waiting for Marcos who will soon arrive by bike. Marcos is the unofficial leader of the pack. As soon as he is out, the creativity begins. I've seen it all... bike races, obstacle courses, quidditch matches, baseball, petshops, micro-wars and more. I love that our children can enjoy the freedom to play and to imagine and to develop relationships with a group of children.

As for the adults on the street, well that's another story. We also enjoy our time and freedom and creativity. A 5:00 glass of wine, mojito, or beer generally starts the evening cocktail hour. It isn't uncommon for more neighbors to slowly approach with their own bottles and soon we have an impromptu dinner party, wine gathering or social. The cars driving up and down our street have to fend for themselves as there are wild children and happy adults meandering in and out of the traffic areas.
If it is a dinner party evening, then we gather under the majestic beech tree which serves as a sentry for our home and yard and place in the world. I call the tree "Albus" after Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter. Albus is the tree of life. It's branches are strong and reaching. Life is abundant in it's thick trunk and lush foliage. Food tastes better and wine goes down smoother under it's nurturing branches. Oh, the conversations Albus has absorbed....

Duarte and I, daily, marvel at this new life - so much like a vacation.
We did it, we got it SO right!