This time last year, I was starting to hit my seasonal low, with 5 months of winter ahead of me. So we seriously started getting Ash's resume updated, researching cities, and firms. We decided to start networking with friends in those locations. Then he sent off the first batch of resumes to Nashville. Then Atlanta. A couple in Chattanooga. And we waited. And kind of half-heartedly prayed. And waited. And found more firms in those cities to apply to. More resumes. More waiting. More praying and wondering. Then in April, a firm or two responded that they loved his work/resume, but had no ability to hire at the moment. Same thing a couple of times over. Then a firm emailed for an interview. Then another. And another. Shock. So we headed South for a vacation on 30-A before the interview.
Beach trip with family was lovely. So much fun. I wept when I finally got to the beach by myself. So grateful to end our 9 month winter digging our toes into the sand and staring out over the gulf...riding bikes along the beach and warming our bones in the sun. Drinking way too much, too early in the day, and letting cousins play together and grandparents watch them. *Sigh* We tried to push back thoughts of what we were too afraid to hope for all week until the interviews. It worked, mostly.
After the interviews, we waited on numbers and serious considerations...both ours and theirs. In June, Ash made a commitment to Square Feet Studio. They needed him there asap. So we had to pack up apartment and studio in less than 5 weeks...which would have been no problem sans toddler.
We had the help of Ash's fam to fly up and watch Ellery the last few days of our time in Boston and then fly back South with her. We had amazing friends show up and help us move all of our crap out of our apartment and organize it in the truck (which is actually a talent)...the bestie was just off a 6 week super-intensive stint at Vassar the day before and still showed up to help and laugh at the nondiscreet items that were to be found around the apartment. Ooops! We threw our own going away party for Ellery's birthday sake...and b/c we wanted to make it fairly easy to see everyone before we headed out. It is still beyond me to think about the kind of people that we met in Boston. I will have to save some of my thoughts about these dear friends for another blog post, but suffice it to say that we survived our first year in Boston being pretty empty and lonely, but we left with friendships that deepened who we are and challenged us at our very core. We are thankful.
We landed in Atlanta in the Old Fourth Ward (O4W) in a tiny little 2BR apartment. Dad helped us navigate the roads South, which coming out of New England is no easy task, esp if you are driving a 15' high truck and suddenly, the bridge ahead has a height restriction of say, 11'6". Not Fun. Three weeks before we were to leave, we finally found an apartment. Harder than you might imagine since we would be renting sight-unseen. We landed in a little community within walking distance of Ash's new Inman Park firm, and is called the Wigwam. It was perfect. Historic. Art Deco. Part of a national park (MLK district). Great neighbors. So warm and welcoming and we almost hated to attempt looking for homes to buy. Esp since our look-see went bust in June.
July - Present: We arrived. Had a family birthday party for our little 2-year old sweetie. Did first ATL show for Olaria. Got a new realtor. Put an offer on a Fannie Mae house in late August. Went to Bhm for a show. Ellery started new CMO program. Got bids for contract work on said house in Sept. Waited on due diligence responses from FM. Lost contract on house b/c of FM in Oct. Disappointment. (I)started this Emory depression study. Good friends moved from Boston to Atlanta for a job. Did another show. Starting looking at homes again in late Oct. Put offer in on another home. More shows. Ash's birthday (the day our mortgage fell apart). Went through Dante's Inferno to get mortgage closed (again, another blog post there). Thanksgiving in Bhm. Pulled our hair out for a solid week after missing our initial closing. Finally closed on house December 2nd. Moved December 3rd. Had another show that same day. Unpacked. Another show the next weekend in Chattanooga. Unpacking/decorating the house for xmas. My birthday. Christmas travel. New Year's retreat at home as the McClure Three. (I)quit depression study in frustration. Somewhere in there, we had no less than 7 house guests come and suffer on the living room air mattress before we moved. And another set come this past week now that the cloud has been setup in the 3rd bedroom. Whew! More about the house in another post. We love it.
So, two moves and 6 months later, there is your update. Thanks for reading. We are tired and miss our friends in Boston deeply. We are glad to be closer to family and Bhm friends, and in our OWN home. We are hopeful as we stand at the front end of new life in a new city, despite the loneliness we feel right now. We are so thankful for all the help we have had to bring us so far. We are hoping for 2012 to be one of just as much adventure, with a little less heavy lifting. And we hope to laugh more this year than last, as least I do.
