Starting Over

     It's come to my attention that I've been moping.  I've had a few weeks with time to myself due to foster care drama and unfortunately it has caused me to reflect on what we/I left...

- family
- sunday dinner at Gma JoJo's
- "besties" through the back gate
- knitting club
- savers/Deseret Industries
- COSTCO
- Winco Pizza dough
- mountains
- cool nights and mornings
- friends who know what other friends are looking for for their homes, children, etc and pick it up for each other when they find it. (awesome, I know)
- a treehouse
-an alley
-a backyard with trees
- KUER 90.1
- having roots

And yet, there are some things we/I've gained...
- a flat street ending in a cul-de-sac for bike riding
- frogs, lizards, geckos, and other "friends" to keep young boys curious
- a dad who's home with us so much more and who LOVES his job
- a fantastic school
- THE BEACH
- armadillos and possums

I/we may need some time to wrap our heads around this move, but we've done hard things before.

     In honor of my new found perspective I visited the Dothan Welcome Center this very humid morning.  I was greeted by a giant golden peanut.

Fun fact..Dothan is the Peanut Capital of the WORLD

I found peanut shaped christmas ornaments, tie tacks, magnets, and other kitschy peanut shaped doodads, but I also found things to do...

I know your curiosity was peaked as much as mine by the pamphlet entitled, "Holiday Entertaining With Peanuts."  You can bet we'll be giving those ideas a try, because, who wouldn't?  We'll hit the "Alabama Civil Rights Trail" and the "Civil War Trail" running.   I think in my moping I forgot how much American history we're living in the middle of.  Consider this your invitation to watch the Marturello Family slowly slide out of their comfort zone and have some new experiences.  I can't promise it'll be pretty, but it will be entertaining.