nostalgia

The other evening, after a really, really rough day with Elliott (these seem to be more frequent and intense the longer this house selling process continues) Nate came home and I was released to walk the dog, get some fresh air and decompress from an intense day.

I decided to walk Bear past some friend's houses that I needed to drop Christmas cards to anyhow. Two are a block and a half from me, one is about 3 blocks. I walked past the first two (once of which I had just been to the night before wrapping gifts for our mom's group's adopt-a-family) and stuck the cards in their mailboxes. Then Bear and I walked another couple blocks to the off-leash area in the park. She mozied around and after a bit, I decided it was a perfect time to swing by another friend's house and pick up our milk and eggs order for the week. So Bear and I walked over there (about 5 blocks) and passed by the third friend's house on the way home, dropping the card in the mailbox.

It struck me on this walk how much I'm going to miss this community right here in Arbor Lodge. This little neighborhood has really become home to our family. It's not unusual for me to run into mamas I know at the grocery store, park or just walking around, everyone at the off-leash area knows and loves our quirky Bear, we have neighbors we can count on in a pinch. I pick up most of our family's food within blocks of our house. We can walk to Bear's daycare. It's pretty cozy.

As much as I look forward to a new house, more space and more quiet, I do mourn the loss that will come with this upcoming move. I do love the community up here in NoPo, I don't think it can really be duplicated in quite the same way.

But I have to be realistic. I know I'll make new friends, the park near the new house is amazing, we will be walkable to one of Elliott's best buddies and one of my best buddies. The location, for being in the burbs, is surprisingly bikeable and is very close to some wonderful things like the downtown Beaverton area, a trailhead for the Fanno Creek Trail System, a really big park filled with big trees and a great playground. It's walkable to both the elementary and middle school. It's not too far out, so I'll be able to get to and from NoPo for playdates and such fairly easily.

But still, I'll miss this crazy corner of the world. It's a very cozy, comfortable, fun corner and we have some dear friends up here that we'll miss being able to see on a lark. I know with some effort, the friendships will continue, but it will take more planning, coordinating and such.

Anyhow, it's just what was on my mind as I walked our dog through the neighborhood, decompressing and letting some of the quieter thoughts stew and get some actual thinking time in my overwhelmed brain.