As I look back on the pictures from our fall adventures, September seems so long ago.  It feels like so much has happened in such a short period of time.  I guess moving will do that.  For those who may not have heard we are back in Roanoke.  It wasn’t something I planned and hadn’t been pursuing.  But when I got a message back in August that a night shift position was opening up, and asking if I would be interested in coming back I had to do it.  My first reaction was actually to say No.  To stay in Michigan and on the course I had mapped out for school.  But I realized if I turned this opportunity down it might not come up again, and if I didn’t take it I could never complain about how much I didn’t like it in Michigan.

So I tried to shut out all the “what if’s” bouncing around in my head, and went for it.  It hasn’t been the smoothest move.  We’re still homeless, and staying with friends. All of our belongings are still in Michigan.  I’m not sure how long we’ll be without a place of our own.  I’ve decided that since we left and came back, this is obviously where we want to be, so I’m getting my ducks in a row to buy us a house.

My school plans are only delayed.  I start back up again next semester.  It will take me a little bit longer.  But that’s the difference between my paying for it and someone else paying for it, so I’m okay with slowing down a little.

Annelise has adjusted very well.  I was very nervous about her starting a new school part way into the year, but she is doing wonderful.  She made friends easily, and is doing great academically.   I love that I’m able to walk her to and from school everyday.

We are back in Grandin Village, about two blocks from our old house.  We love being back in the neighborhood.  When I was pregnant and while Annelise was an infant on warm days I would have the windows open and could hear the children on the playground.  As I imagined school for her, Virginia Heights was always the school in my mind.  So while we aren’t in our little house any longer, I love that she’s at that school.  In the afternoons I stop to get coffee on the way to the school and then sit on the playground while she plays with her friends.  When we walk home, we peak in all the shop windows like we use to do when she was a baby.   I’m not sure if I’ll be able to afford to buy in this neighborhood and right now there isn’t a lot on the market, but I’m trying to be patient and hoping that just the right house becomes available.  We’d love to stay.

The other big event this fall was the start of Kindergarten.  Even though she has been in “school” since she was an infant, actually starting Kindergarten felt like a big deal.  I guess this is when it starts to count.

Ever since Annelise was a baby I’ve debated how I would handle school…  public school, private school, homeschool?  In the past year I really started to feel convicted about having her in public school and decided that she would go to whichever school we were zoned for no matter which school that is (I do have one exception though but hopefully it will never be an issue).  I feel very strongly about supporting our public schools and the best way to do that is to have her in one.

I was nervous about her starting in one school and then switching to another.  I kind of felt like she was getting robbed of a “normal” Kindergarten experience, but so far everything has worked out well.  She made the transition from one school to the other very well.

 

 

We had one big trip this fall.  We traveled to New York state to attend a retreat for SMC (Single Mothers by Choice) families at a YMCA camp.   Single Mother’s by Choice is a national organization and there are several organized groups throughout the country.  I’ve never lived in an area large enough to be active in one but in some of the larger cities the groups are quite large, meet regularly and plan activities together.  The Frost Valley trip is one of those activities that mainly New York SMCs have done for several years and others have joined in one.  I had heard about the trip in the past and it sounded interesting  but I never imagined it was something we could manage.  As the plans were being made last winter there was a message in one of the groups I’m in that there were two rooms left in one of the lodges.  I had just dropped my winter class so I had some extra funds so I decided why not? and made us a reservation.

As it came time for the retreat I almost cancelled.  We were in the middle of a move, I was dealing with a lot of stress, did I really want to drive over 12 hours to a camp in the middle of nowhere, where I wouldn’t know anyone, for a weekend?  I wavered on going several times, but in the end we went and I was so glad that we did.

Annelise and I have never been around another SMC family.  And being a SMC, I’m an outsider in most mommy groups.  I can’t really relate to moms who have partners, but I’m also not a traditional single mom.   I don’t have any baby daddy drama and we aren’t a single parent family due to loss.  And no matter what mommy group I’m in I have to keep complaining to a minimum, because there is always someone who wants to throw the fact that I chose this in my face.  I thought this would be a good opportunity for both of us, for once to be among a group of people where we were “normal.”   And while there were never any conversations about our shared unique status, it was nice to be among women who when they said “I know” you know that they actually do.  And that when Annelise was off playing with friends I didn’t have to worry if the “daddy” question would come up and how she would handle it.

We both had a great time, made some new friends and tried some new things.  I wasn’t sure what I expected, but there were daily activities for us to choose from.  We did arts and crafts, archery, canoeing, horse back riding, high ropes, made apple cider and took a hay ride.  On our last night we had a fire and made s’mores.  We crammed a lot into a weekend.

Before we left for Virginia we had one more visit to Lewis Farm Market for all the fun fall activities.

Once we got settled in Roanoke we got busy getting ready for Halloween.  I missed out on the trip to the pumpkin patch (had to work) but I know Annelise had a wonderful time with Kathy and Richard (the couple we’re staying with) and she picked out a pumpkin for each of us.  Annelise had a difficult time deciding on a costume this year but eventually settled on a lion, specifically Simba from Lion King.  She was very adamant that it have a red mane.  I bought all the material and pattern to make it, but when we found one at Target I convinced her to get it.  She said that it was okay that it’s mane wasn’t red, but I knew that was important to her so I scurried at the last minute and added red yarn to make it more like Simba.  I knew it was successful when we walked up to a house and the lady asked specifically if she was Simba.  I loved trick or treating in our neighborhood.  It felt like the way Halloween should be, lots of homes were decorated and it was easy to go from house to house.

We’ve enjoyed on extended Fall being here in Roanoke.  There were still many days in October and into November where the weather was warm enough to ride bikes and run around without jackets.  We’re developing new routines and traditions.  Every Sunday we go to Sweet Donkey for cinnamon rolls, and every Wednesday we have supper at the Community Inn.  When the weather cooperates we ride bikes and play at the park.  There are several parks within biking distance of where we are staying.  We are close enough to school that we walk everyday, although I’ve discovered that the bus stop is in front of our house.  The walks to and from school our my favorite, and on days I don’t have to work we stay late and play on the playground with her new friends.  When asked what she likes most about being back in Roanoke she says it’s being able to see John Henry.  We love being near our friends again.