Our trip to the St. Louis Arch

Kids loved it. No fear here!
Cardinals Stadium--made me think of my old friend, Brady.
The little elevator "pod" made me anxious.

I like this picture. I took it from the bottom.

And I though this one would make a nice postcard.

I saw the arch years ago on a church youth group trip with a friend.

There seems to be a lot more to the museum part now,

but the creepy little elevator pods were just as anxiety provoking

this time as they were then.

This time the wind was not blowing, and I was very grateful for that

because I could feel it swaying back then. It can sway as much as 18 inches in a big wind.

Me no likey.

Have you heard? We're moving to the lake...

and we can't wait!!

Our very quick trip to Missouri

We went ot see these very special people
and meet this very special little guy,
who is our new Godson.

I held him a lot.

We saw a lot of flooding in Indiana and Illinois.

I always love a drive around a midwestern town square.

It was a very quick trip (4 driving days and 2 visiting days)

but a nice one that we are so glad we were able to make.

I will really miss these things

This little fellow, who has grown so much already.

I will miss watching him morph into a rider and sleeper.

It has to happen someday!

This little guy, who makes me laugh so much!

He can dance just like Elaine on Sienfeld, and it kills me.

Dogwoods in spring.

These are so delicate and pretty.

The blossoms seem to float in the forests.

"Ball trees."
First person (not from here) to guess what these are

wins the "We are moving in 5 days, and I'm losing my head" prize

Doesn't that sound like a good one?

This house has captivated me since we first moved here.

At Christmas, it is stunning.

I will not miss these

Pine straw, the thick layer of pine needles that everyone uses for landscaping.

They are pokey, and dare I say, ugly.
This mountain. I think it is Pilot Mountain (in western NC).
We see it on our way west. It's just odd to me.
The lack of spirea.
This is the first spirea I've seen here-ever-and I just saw it 2 weeks ago.
I loooooovve spirea, andI miss it.

I will miss

My garage.

I call it my garage because I park in it

and I work in it.

When Bobbie and Matt built all this custom storage,

I fell in love with the garage.

I hang out in this part of the garage a lot.
I'm sad to be leaving it.

I will not miss

Sand.

Our back yard, which is full of sand (and ugliness).

Look at this very sad picture of our backyard grass.

As awful as it is, it is 100% better than it was when we moved in.

Matt tried very, very hard to make it grow, and he's a pretty good grass grower.
4.5 years, and we just never could make it grow.

(Ha! Look how freely I use the word "we." I had absolutely no part in the backyard grass endeavor. As evidence of how much Matt likes to grow grass, I submit that he emailed me a photo of the sprinkler heads after they popped up at the new house this week. I call him "Yard Man.")

BTW, this is a photo of our septic tank, which was cleaned last week. I wanted to remember exactly where it is located.

Pollen.

This year was the worst, but whatever.

Every year it. is. horrendous.

Going in another direction now...

I think I'll be reasonable and balance the things I won't miss with things I will.

North Carolina in the spring is truly beautiful.

I give you--

Azaela's.

They are amazing to this Iowa girl.

And they are everywhere in the spring.