One year ago on this very date, I sat in our New York apartment and found our beloved Fayetteville house on Craigslist. There began a series of urgent phone calls and texts and favors from friends we hardly knew, and before we knew it we were signing a lease and making plans to make this sweetheart of a town our home.  (Right around the time when the above picture was taken!)

And while this place really feels like home, we’re still in the midst of the first year transition which means ours ups come with some downs.  Recently we got news that our unexpectedly huge New York state tax refund (an up!) was rejected due to our accountant’s error (a down). Equally unexpectedly, the accountant filed what’s called a Peace of Mind Claim, which if approved means they pay the difference since it was their mistake (potential UP!).  Remembering this time last year and all the peace of mind that would be required for a worrywart like me to say goodbye to dear friends, a nice salary and great benefits has me wishing all of life came with a Peace of Mind Claim. Alongside the tax return up & down news, Troy racked up some extremely high dental bills (booooo), but then got offered a real live teaching job at the Fayetteville Montessori School (YAY!).  You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the dizziness & excitement that only a really good roller coaster can provide.  To quote my lovely new doctor who looked me in the eyes, told me to stop worrying, and diagnosed my terrifying chest pains as pleurisy: “The older we get, the more we remember that somehow it all just works out.”

I’d like to go back in time and show us this Scrapbook from the Future of life these days …

Birthday Celebration!  Mexican!

Troy’s New Job Celebration!  Chinese!

These two Nelson sisters drove down from Kansas City to see HAMLET last weekend!

Huck & Troy ran/walked in the Susan G. Komen Ozark Race for the Cure 5K last Saturday morning while I slept in!

Here’s my feet taking a lovely break from “Peter Pan” with 2nd & 3rd graders at The New School!

Making our back yard beautiful, one cabbage at a time!

The world’s most humble dog!

What I’ve been working on in my spare time!  Coming to St. Paul’s next week right after “Peter Pan”!