Homesick

We have been in Michigan over three months now and are pretty well settled. We've learned how to get around, and other than the Michigan Left (an irritating traffic rule of going past your destination and turning around to get back to it), it's pretty easy to find places because the roads are laid out in a grid system and are very clear and simple. The immediate area we are living in does not vary in resemblance greatly from New England, except for some subtle architechtural differences and the road layout. Of course, you dont have to travel far to find those wide, open spaces typical of Michigan.

One thing that is sadly lacking in this area, although they have almost every other store known to man, is good ol'Dunkin Donuts!! They do have them but you have to search. I miss being able to drive 5 minutes in any direction and get my coffee. Oh well, it has saved us some money for sure. They do have some Starbucks and another strange coffee/donut chain called TIM HORTONS! (this is not a joke) Keith and I could never quite remember the name of it at first...Was it Jim Hortons or Tim Hentons??? I did try it once and have never returned.

I miss my local library which was so easy to get in and out of and where I've taken Ethan since he was a baby and all the librarians would ooooohhh and ahhhhh over him. Still I can't complain too much because our library here is probably just as close and much nicer (although that's part of the problem--I'm running out of formalware for my library trips). It costs a pretty quarter or two to park for any amount of time unless you want to park in a garage and walk a bit in the frigid air, dragging your two year old.

Of course, what we miss the most is people. Really, we left behind so many friends and family. It's hard to hear Ethan ask for them almost daily..."Go to Kevin's house?" Or, "Play with Spencer and Sage...?", "Go see Andrew and Alicia?" I try to give him a little hope and keep his memories alive and tell him, "Well, not for a while but sometime..." He lets out a huge cheer---YEEEAAAY! This has become our routine and makes me sad.

But we are doing Ok, meeting new people and visiting with old friends out here who live an hour to an hour and a half away. Life keeps us busy and today it was sunny and in the 40s!! Hurray...things are looking up.