I'm Going To Miss....

Here are the things we're going to miss about living in Pittsburgh.....

*Spending the summers outside all the time

*Not needing the air conditioning for most of the summer and leaving the windows open

*All the parks to choose from (I mean, there are tons of parks in Pittsburgh!)

*Living one block from the Farmer's Market that lasts all summer through November

*Buying local honey from a local farmer

*Driving over one of the 300+ bridges 

*Tons of fireflys in the summer

*Swinging on the porch swing

*Eating dinner/lunch/breakfast on the front porch while we enjoy the nice summer weather

*Hanging out on the front porch while we watch the kids play

*Being able to cross the street for a spontaneous playdate and get some good talk time with friends

*The way all the trees turn different colors in the fall

*My lovely and very good friends

*Being able to walk to Jon's school, the hardware store, health food store, friend's houses, CVS (a.k.a. local convenience store), bakery, popcorn store, hole in the wall- but tastey- Chinese take out, park, local coffee store in 10 minutes or LESS!

*Family lunch day at Trinity

*Craft group every Monday where I was surrounded by several wise women (and where I asked all my questions about how to knit--who am I going to ask now??!)

*Not having to drive 30 minutes to get anywhere 

*Racoon Creek (state park with cool swimming area)

*Our pediatrician--lovely Christian man who prayed for Graham before he got his circumcision and vaccines.  He gave us his HOME phone number so we could call him if we needed him!!  I only used it twice.

*Ewan and Isaac's Preschool--Noah's Ark

*There was something about living in Ambridge that felt very LOCAL--being able to walk several places probably had a lot to do with it--but you felt more connected to the people around you versus the subarbs, where you tend to feel more disconnected from your neighbors and you really have to drive to get to most places.  People walk and even though we lived in a more urban environment, you get to know people's faces even if you never learn their names.  

*Watching the squirrels do gymnastics on the electric/cable/phone wires in our backyard

*Watching Ewan scare the bunnies away from our garden in the backyard

*Having a backyard (we'll be living in campus housing for 4 years so no backyard)

*The Trinity community

*Spring!  I never REALLY knew how beautiful Spring could be until I lived somewhere there are actually seasons. You tell yourself in February and March that Spring will arrive in April and you can make it.

*Looking at my favorite tree in the front yard, a Japanese Maple.  And it is where we buried Keeva.  I'll miss that a lot.

*Having my own garden

*The Midwife Center

Things I'm NOT going to miss....

*The long, cold, dreary GRAY winter.  Oh wait, I only get to enjoy a sweltering Texas summer before going to England where it is a long, (not quite as) cold, dreary winter.  But then there are the summers there.....

*Living in a 4 story house.  I've never had such a hard time keeping a house clean before!  

*Stink bug invasions

*A cluttered entry way 6+months of the year from winter coats, fall coats, scarves, boots, mittens, hats....

*Fine coal dust finding its way into my house

*Shoving 3 kids with heavy coats on into their car seats

*Feeling like I live in a drum (hardwood floors on 3 levels echo like you wouldn't believe!)

*Not being able to see sunsets

I'm sort of surprised, but I ran out of things I'm NOT going to miss pretty quick.  There were a lot of great things about living in Pittsburgh while Jon went to Trinity.  I'm still reflecting on what God taught me while we were there although the first word that come to mind is endurance.  

We are glad for our time in Texas before we head across the pond.  We want to spend a lot of time with family and friends before we see everyone less often than we did while we were 1200 miles away.  Even though it is hotter than hot, I'm enjoying the sunny days and looking at the great big sky.  My mom lives in the country and we took over the second floor of her house.  My computer is set up next to several windows and I spend a lot of time looking out those windows.  (Insert dreamy look here)

A little praise note for ya....we got our Visas!  We got notification that the visas are on their way.  HUGE relief!  Those things are complicated!  I know some of you know what I'm talking about!