Roots

Today we have now been Portland residents for about 2 weeks. We've experienced the sun and the rain as well as the highs (being able to do wash at 11pm, a backyard, air conditioning) and the lows (those first scratches on the brand new hardwood floor, a possible mole in the backyard) of home ownership. There is a lot to love here...but there's also adjustment that comes with change. The first time Sophia said she wanted to get in the car so we could go home, I just about broke down in tears. Now when she asks to play with her old friends, I'm able to tell her we'll see them in the future without having a meltdown.

So far, I think the best part of owning a house is being part of a neighborhood and having that sense of community. We picked our house because it was a great location (close to work, hospital, transit, schools, etc). We had no idea as to what the neighborhood would hold. And we totally scored- young families line the block with kids who are all around Sophia's age group. And everyone is nice- not like fake nice, but genuinely decent nice people. On July 4th we got to experience our first block party. Everyone pulled their grills out to the sidewalk, we all brought munchies to share and after dinner we shot off fireworks. It felt like it was straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting- one of those things you always think would be really great to have, but you don't think you'd even could have because it doesn't really exist. Or at least the cynic in me used to think it couldn't exist.

2 weeks in and we are starting to settle, starting to put down roots and make this place feel like home. I will definitely be posting pictures...the only catch is that I know where the camera is, but have yet to unpack (or find) the cables that connect it to the computer. I'm sure they're here somewhere in this big mess...
for now I will catch up on old adventures.