The Things I'm Looking Forward To...

Since I did a list of all of the things I will be missing when I leave Texas, I thought I would do a list of all of the things I am looking forward to about Columbus.  The move is bittersweet.  There are many good reasons why we are moving back, but there is so much we will miss.  Regardless, I've moved so many times in my life that I can make "home" almost anywhere.  I did live in Columbus 8 years though, so it feels like I am returning "home".  Michael was born and raised there, so he might be a tad more excited then I am. :)

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ONE--I am really looking forward to FOUR SEASONS!  I have always said that I want to be somewhere that has four distinct seasons. Technically Texas has 4 seasons, but it's not the same. Fall is my favorite time of year, and there is no fall like a northern fall.  That time when you pack up the flip flops and break out the sweaters.  Where you are a little chilly at the pumpkin patch (where you actually pick a pumpkin that grew there and wasn't imported), and you walk through corn mazes with the trees around you 4 or 5 different brilliant and bright colors... all while drinking hot cider.  You don't dress your baby for the pumpkin patch in a cute outfit only to show up mid October to 90 degree temps and have to strip her down and leave for fear of brutal sunburn. :)  I am also looking forward to it snowing a good amount--enough to go sledding, build a snowman and make a snow fort.

TWO--Columbus Metropolitan Libraries have repeatedly won awards and honors and are voted some of the best libraries in the country (http://www.columbuslibrary.org/about/reports-and-awards).  I know I sound like a broken record, but I love the libraries there and have missed them SO MUCH.  I don't think people in Texas know what they are missing, but quite frankly I think the libraries here suck!  I am looking forward to awesome libraries--both for myself and all of the amazing opportunities they have for the little kids.

THREE--I am looking forward to be close to a great Zoo and Aquarium (in one place-not 2).  Because Jack Hanna is from Columbus, he has helped make the Zoo really nice.  It is arguably one of the best in the country.  The Dallas zoo is not. :)  I have heard the Ft. Worth Zoo is better, but we never made it there.  That's the other thing.  Things like the zoo, aquarium and even science museum aren't as easily accessible here as they are in Columbus.  I would likely never have a membership to any of those places here, because I just wouldn't use it enough.  Each takes at least 45 minutes for us to get to, but it can be closer to an hour depending on traffic.  In Columbus it takes about 20 minutes (depending on where we choose to live).  I will have a membership to the Zoo and museum for sure!

FOUR--Along those lines, I am just looking forward to all of the kid things in general.  When I was a nanny for Little Man, I had a two and a half page list of places to go and things to do.  I called it my list 'o fun.  Some were free, some were reasonably priced, and some were a little more expensive and may not be something that Olivia and I get to often.  Either way, I am excited for the MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN.  I never would have guessed it would be like that.  I would have thought Dallas would have more to offer, but in my two and half years here (both as a nanny and a mom) I just haven't found that to be the case.

FIVE--We are looking forward to being back by close friends.  Some of Michael's best friends ever are the guys he met going to a Christian High School.  He cannot wait to be back close to them and their families.  I didn't grow up in Columbus, but I did live there for 8 yeas and made a bunch of great friends when teaching.  We are both excited for our children to grow up with these special adopted "aunts and uncles".  I also have a family that adopted me as their own when I moved to town, and it will be nice to be close to them again.

SIX--Speaking of family, most of Michael's family is in the area.  This was a driving force for us moving back.  We want our children to grow up around their family.

SEVEN--Ummm... speaking of family and friends, we will now be able to go on some date nights!  Woot woot!  I can count on one hand (OK, maybe a few fingers) the number of times Michael and I have gone out since having Olivia.  It's not that we don't want to or think it's important for our marriage.  It's the fact that when you are paying $10 an hour for a babysitter, and then paying for the actual date or activity, it starts to add up. There always seems to be other things we can spend $100 on.  We may be taking advantage of free babysitting! :)


EIGHT--I am looking forward to adding apple picking back into our family traditions.  A few of my friends here tease me, because apparently I've mentioned it a few too many times. :)  I loved taking Little Man every year and then Michael and I decided to just join in the fun and start our family tradition.  There are no apples to be picked in Texas. :(  Apple picking is such a fun fall activity.  I can't wait!

NINE--If we choose to send Olivia to preschool, we can send her to a 9 to 11:30/12 type of preschool.  Unless you are needing daycare, I just don't think a 2 or 3 year old need to be gone at school for 5 hours!  Their job is to play. They will be in school forever!  Why does it have to get so serious so fast?  The whole reason we would be sending Olivia (and I think the whole reason for most kids) is for socialization.  I think 2 and a half to 3 hours twice a week is more than enough socialization for a 3 year old.  Especially when you add in all the other activities and play dates, etc.  Clearly, I am in the minority here.  You have to look HARD to find these type of preschool hours here in our area of DFW.  (It does exist though!)  In Ohio, it's the opposite.  There are few preschools that choose to go to 1 or 2.  I can feed my child and have her nap at home. I  don't need to pay someone for that.  Plus, how much do they really nap?  Certainly not the 2 hours she gets at home!  There are also half day kindergarten options, if we go the traditional school route.

TEN--On the topic of school, private schools are about half the cost.  We are talking about homeschooling.  This has been Michael's choice since before we even got married, but even more so now that we have a growing little girl.  We still have lots of time to think and pray and see where we end up. But if we choose private school, costing half of what it does in Texas doesn't hurt.  It actually makes it an option to even put on the table.  (Not that I want to say "never", because I know better, but public school isn't even an option. No matter where we live.)
 
ELEVEN--I am looking forward to the fact that "vacation" time can be spent as vacation and not always used to go visit family.  It's not that we didn't want to visit family, but man this girl needs a vacation!  Hopefully we can start taking yearly family vacations!

TWELVE--Columbus is a test city, so even though we are going to miss a few of our favorite places to eat... there will be no shortage in Columbus. There are more restaurants than one could ever need, and some of the nationwide restaurants and movie theaters try out new things to see how it goes over.  Not bad.


Just this year Columbus was named one of the smartest cities IN THE WORLD!  I don't know if I buy all that, but since I'm moving there soon... I'm going with it! :)  We're moving to one of the smartest cities. Woo hoo!