Saying Goodbye

We are wrapping things up here in Lancaster as we prepare to move back to Tennessee. I'm two rolls of tape into packing. (I generally use 3 rolls per move). Although we came here knowing Abram's job was temporary, somehow, we seem to have put down a few roots over the last three years - one year at a time. We are looking forward very much to being in our own home with chickens and goats and a garden and even more to being near our families. We are looking forward to being permanent, and I keep telling Abram that if we finally get into this house, I'm gonna live there FOREVER.
We are also sad to be leaving our friends here and hoping that we can coax at least f few of them to visit us in Tennessee. We know what a haul it is to get down there.
Tuesday, I attended my last Lancaster County Birth Circle. I started the meetings of local mamas in March of 2009, and have been pleased that so many mamas have come together to share and learn and share about birth and parenting. For my final meeting, I asked all the mamas who came to share their birth stories. I had heard most of them - some of them many times, and it was beautiful to sit there with all those mamas and hear 24 different stories about how the children running around the room had come into the world and to remember a few who never did. Very soon, yet another little person will be born to one of our mamas. Lots of good HBAC vibes are going out to Angel (and later on this summer to Kerry). I am pleased that another of our mamas, Gwen, will be keeping the group going and hope that all those ladies will keep on telling their stories. The world needs to hear what birth is.
Tonight, we enjoyed a potluck picnic with friends at Longs Park. It was lovely to sit in the cooling evening while children ran in the park and darted in and out to eat dinner one bite hear and one bite later. There were friends from Abram's department, our play group (which hasn't met in almost a year - sniff - they're getting older),Tot Spot, and Birth Circle, friends we've known since Abram was in graduate school, friends we met on our apartment hunting trip up here in May 2008 (hi Donna and crew!), and friends we have only known a little while.
Thanks to all the people who have helped make Lancaster home for a little while.