a few things I appreciate

I love my friends & family. Here's a list of very special things that helped me with my journey:

0. my brother who flew to DSM just to get nathan so I didn't have to travel with him in the car for 3 days. that would have been darn right difficult, to say the least.
1. a package & note on my car before the start of my mid-cross country trip.
2. a comfortable place to stay after selling my house & before leaving Ames.
2.5. a comfortable place for Emma to stay after selling my house & before leaving Ames.
3. an extra car key used to keep the air conditioner on while I took pit-stops on my cross country journey.
4. a great car tune-up
4. window shades.
5. XM Radio (ask me about my favorite stations)
6. cell calls that I hung up on while navigating big cities (e.g., Indianapolis, Columbus, anywhere w/ forced exits & traffic lights).

Insight from Colin...

My friend Colin called the other day and told me to stop feeling sorry about leaving Ames. His favorite magazine, Mother Earth News, ranks our new home in Athens, Ohio as "one of twelve great places you've never heard of." Really - take a look:

12 Great Places...

Colin noted that Ames, Iowa "isn't even included" in the list (but Fairfield, Iowa is!) - further validation that I'm doing the right thing. While it's hard for me to resist critiquing the methodology used for this listing (take a look at some of the other places), I does make me feel more peaceful about the transition.

Matinsville Speedway

Grandma found out that practice for the Goody 250 was being held yesterday afternoon. Nathan was eager to check it out--here's a picture of them at the gate. We didn't want to pay the $5 cover (nor did we feel it was necessary to get closer) so we stayed behind the fence. Keep in mind that I never once set foot anywhere near the race track while growing up in Martinsville.

In the picture on the top, if you look carefully, you can see a race car going around the track.

Wonder about Nathan's reaction? These picture sum it up...

































Nathan's ready to go back--next time he wants to see a real race & sit in the stands. I hope he & Grandma enjoy it!