The wanderin' blues

Recently we went on our first family vacation--we trekked to Hasting where I sang with the Platte Valley Skunk Runners at the Flatwater Music Festival, made it to Parks for a few days to see my brother and sister in-law, enjoyed a few days hiking and bumming around Rocky Mountain National Park, and ended our travels by spending time with our dear friends in Ogallala. It's no secret that I miss living in western Nebraska. I often have these romantic recollections of our time there, and these (and the pleas from families, students, and friends) often fuel the desire to move back.

But when I'm honest with myself (which doesn't always happen because being honest with oneself is quite the ordeal), I'm not sure moving back to Ogallala would be the right thing to do. Nate and I have talked about it, and there'd be a lot of cards that would have to fall into place---A LOT. Then there's the fear that we'd always compare it to what it was when we lived there nearly three years ago...part of me doesn't want to spoil these memories. When I'm honest with myself, I think what I really want is not to move back to Ogallala--but to be in a place that has some of the same values and themes (so to speak) as Ogallala. I've never been one to set down roots what with my nomadic tendencies, but now that we have J, I find myself longing to set aside "the wandering blues" for roots---maybe not deep ones, but roots nonetheless :)

Omaha is a cool city. There's lots of cultural opportunities, and we're starting to build some good relationships. I'm just not sure it's where I want to set down roots. I thought it was before Jon. Now that we have a living, breathing child, I question everything I thought I ever wanted for him when he was just a hypothetical notion. What I want for him is to attend a small school where he knows all or most of his classmates. I want him to be involved with many activities if that's what he chooses (in big schools, it seems there's not a lot of crossover between athletics and fine arts). I want to know his friends' parents and maybe even their grandparents. I'd also like him have access to the outdoors--to play, to run, to climb, or just to sit and be amazed at God's creativity. I want him to be exposed to people who are different from him so he develops a cooperative spirit, a soul of tolerance and acceptance. I want him to have opportunities to create if that's what he chooses to do. I want him to feel safe. I want him to be in a school that engages him and sees even his challenges as opportunities.

I'm not sure I can have all of this in Omaha or Ogallala. Sure, we can meet all of these by living in one place and then traveling during the summer. And maybe that's what we'll do because I don't know where we can live to have all of these desires met in one location. Perhaps I'm being an idealistic parent...but I think it's important to be deliberate about the values we instill in our children. I think the next year or two or three will be a time of exploration for us. Before we decide to pick up and move and tear Jon away from the only city he's ever lived, I want to explore Omaha more. We need to be deliberate about breaking out of our "Burke bubble" venturing into other pockets of the city. After our trip to Colorado this summer, Nate and I began talking about the possibilities of living there, but this is quite the move. There's a lot of research to be done before we can even consider this as a possibility to avoid regrets.

While I want to set down roots, part of me wonders if I'll ever "quit my ramblin' ways..." Will my heart ever feel settled? That's the question of the day, folks. It must be exhausting to be married to me...Nate, thanks for being a patient dude. I'll leave you with a song by The Be Good Tanyas that pretty well sums up my gypsy soul (if you watch the video, you can go back to the trends of the 90s...spaghetti strapped midriffs, wide legged pants, and clogs....).

Homesick Blues

Tonight I'm homesick for western Nebraska. It hit me last night as we pulled off I-80 onto 680 that was surprisingly busy for 12:30 AM (we were driving home from a day trip to Grand Island)--Tom Waits crooned through my speakers as I navigated a web of construction and cars and made my way to the Maple Street exit. I was too tired to think much about being homesick last night. But as the sun crawled higher into the sky this afternoon while we spent the day lounging around, I realized just how much I miss western Nebraska. I miss the flat running routes, gravel roads, turning a 5 minute grocery trip into a 25 minute trip all because we ran into students or their parents. I miss open spaces, stars that pepper the black sky, the sleepy rooster down the street from our old house that crowed at 9 am on Saturdays, driving out to the lake just to dip our toes in it and enjoy the beauty. But mostly I miss the people. I miss my students--how open (mostly) they were to watching TED Talks and discussing current events and how they indulged me by halfway listening to my crazy rants about poetry and writing and being change agents. I miss my students' families--there were a few who really embraced us and made us feel valued as teachers. I miss my running partner--the BEST running partner--who got up at ungodly hours to run with me before school--who ran stupid distances with me and listened to me, truly listened to me and withheld all judgement. I miss Ryan and Tracy--two of the most down to earth people we've had the pleasure of meeting. I miss the few visits we took to their family's ranch seeing them in their element. I miss Bob and Shannon--staying up too late indulging in simple pleasures: talking, eating, and laughing--pleasures that are unfortunately rare in today's culture. I've never enjoyed myself so much as when I'm chatting with them. These two are the only people (besides our parents) who we've ever felt comfortable with enough to send a text asking, "What's for dinner?"

Up until recently, I've found it difficult to identify a place as "home." I lived in Crete for long enough to complete elementary school, Columbus from middle through high school, Kearney and Lincoln for college...none of these places ever really felt like home to me. Even Ogallala didn't begin to feel like home until the last two years we lived there. The moment we left, though, I realized Ogallala was home.

Our new HOME!

It's been a year since we moved, but we've finally been able to purchase a home! I bet we walked through or drove by (and decided not to walk in!) 15-20 homes; after several heated conversations and some compromise, we finally agreed on one. When we walked into the home, Nate and I both knew right away that it was "the one."

Nate really wanted to be a few blocks from Burke, and I wanted to be in Midtown--but we purchased a home in northwest Omaha. It was a bit difficult for me to compromise and agree to looking in this area because I feel like I'm more conscientious about little things than most. But when we considered the needs of our future family (however unpredictable it is), we felt like this was a good area for us. The neighborhood is filled with mature trees (we have an excellent climbing tree in our front yard...as soon as the rain stops, I'm shimming up that bad boy!), diverse families, a park and pool down the street, a soccer and baseball/softball complex a few blocks away, and running trails less than a mile from here. Plus, it's only a ten minute drive for Nate to get to work. The neighborhood is quiet and is tucked away from any major street. 

The house itself is nothing fancy, and it needs a bit of work (we'll be staining the deck and painting the exterior in a few summers...so mark your calendars!), but it's comfortable and inviting. We moved in this last weekend, and after a few days of utter madness, it is finally feeling like our home. Fortunately, we didn't have to do any major work; with the help of our families, we painted nearly every nook and cranny in the house. The only thing left to do is to hang stuff on the walls...it's probably my least favorite part of moving because I'm just not patient or careful enough, and Nate is. So it's a frustrating experience for us!  One of the selling points for us in this house is the massive fenced-in backyard. After nearly a year of being outside on a leash, Sampson has enjoyed the last few days outside on the deck or in the yard flirting with the miniature Dachshund next door. A bonus for us was the basketball hoop in the driveway; needless to say, I've been teaching Nate a thing or two about basketball.

We're excited about the possibilites this new house might allow for! 

Changes on the horizon

Well, after praying and struggling for a few months, I decided to hand in my resignation from Gretna Public Schools last week. It was a tough decision because the district, administration, teachers, and students are all incredible. So why the decision?

First, Nate and I start our 10 week foster training on Tuesday. We're hoping to adopt children from the Nebraska Heart Gallery program who are currently available for adoption. We'd like to open ourselves up to adopting sibling sets--so two to three (or four?!) children. Even if an adoption doesn't work out, we'd like to foster up to three kids at a time. Going from zero to three or four children will take time that I don't have with my current job as an English teacher in Gretna. I can barely manage taking care of the little family I have and maintain my career now. I love teaching, but I've dreamed of being a mom for nearly seven years (since Nate and I married), and I don't want to feel divided. I want whatever children we have in our home to be one of my top priorities. Since we cannot afford for me to stay home full-time, I've decided that if some of the applications I have out for Instructional Facilitator/Coach jobs in the Metro area don't work out, I'll substitute teach until we are accustomed to our sudden change in lifestyle.

Secondly, I think I need to step away from teaching English even if it's just for a short time. I know I'm early in my career, but I think I pushed it too hard too quickly. I'm sure my crazy personal life (infertility, failed adoption, etc) hasn't helped, but this year my love for teaching has diminished more than I'd like it to. I find myself being a bit cynical, and that frightens me.

Initially I worried and stressed about this decision. I didn't sleep well for many nights and felt physically sick as I grappled with whether to stay or leave. Now that it's all said and done, I feel relieved.

Our lives could look very different by late summer. We sold our home in Ogallala a few weeks ago and began our search for a new home in Omaha this week. We're praying that it's finally time for us to grow our family. Nate and I are anxious to be parents; we really just want to love kids and provide them with a stable family. Hopefully it will be our turn very soon!

If you're the praying kind, here are a few requests:

• We're searching for a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 car garage home in a safe neighborhood that's not more than a 15 minute commute for Nate to work that's $150,000 or less....pretty specific, right? Yeah, we know! There aren't a ton of options that meet our requirements, but we have found a few. It's been a tough process because though Nate and I are similar in a lot of ways, we seem to be running into some conflict with this process. Pray we'd be patient and understanding with each other, and pray that we'd be wise. We'd like to be into a house by early June.
• Now more than ever we both want kids so badly that it hurts (check out Nate's blog for his thoughts). Pray that God would settle our hearts and cause us to seek shelter in His love and promises. Pray that we'd not be controlled by this anxiety. The agency we're working with has a website with photos and descriptions of kids who are available for adoption, and I look at it every day...I'm starting to get attached to certain kids, so pray we'd keep our hearts guarded. The other night before we drifted to sleep, I whispered to Nate that I was scared we'd have another failed placement. My heart is still fragile from our last one; I know I couldn't handle another. 

Home

After parent-teacher conferences on Thursday night, another teacher and I chatted about our weekend plans. "I'm headed back home this weekend," I told her--referencing Ogallala as home. We've lived in Omaha now for ten months, but it still doesn't feel like home. We like Omaha, and it's nice to be so much closer to family, but it doesn't have the same comforting feeling like Ogallala does. Anyway, we made the trek back "home" on Friday morning and came home this evening.

On Friday we got to spend time with some of our former students as we celebrated the life of a beautiful young woman (one of our former students) who was killed in a car accident last weekend. It was tough to see these kids so broken up, but it was great to be able to tell stories about the fun memories we all have of Emma. I'm so glad we were able to be there to hug our kids, let them cry on our shoulders, and tell them we love them. Seeing these kids made my heart heavy because I miss many of them so much more than I ever thought I would. 

We also got to spend time with our friends this weekend. We stayed with the Josjors, so of course we ate and drank well and had great conversation. Kristin and I ran six miles on Saturday morning, which doesn't seem like a lot, but if you had seen the weather that day, you'd be proud of us! It was cold, windy, snowy, and the roads grew slicker with every mile. It's always great to catch up with Kristin. She's a true woman of God who inspires me to live better. On Saturday evening we helped our friend Ryan celebrate his birthday by eating way too much food and playing a raucous game of spoons. After we left Ryan and Tracy's, Nate and I stayed up late talking with Bob and Shannon. It reminded me of our first dinner with them. A few years ago they invited us over for dinner on a Sunday night, and we ended up staying well past our bedtime. We were hooked on the Josjors after that! For the next few years they fed us, cried with us during tough times, and laughed with us. They were our first real friends in Ogallala and are part of what made Ogallala feel like home. 

While this weekend was a great time spent catching up with people who are important to us, part of me wishes we hadn't gone back because I find myself longing to be back there. I couldn't keep track of the number of kids and parents who asked us to move back (Nate's replacement will not be returning next year, so his old job is open again). After this weekend, it is so tempting to move back. We still have a house there, and we have so many great friends to come back to. The logical part of me knows that God has put us in Omaha for a reason, and it might take some time for us to figure out what the reason is. While Ogallala still feels like home, our home is here, in Omaha. Nate mentioned this on his blog earlier this weekend, but I am ready for Omaha to start feeling like home for us. 

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Over the weekend we ventured west. Saturday Nate directed the Singing Youth of Nebraska festival choir in North Platte. I don't know how many concerts I've watched Nate conduct, but every time I'm proud of all he's accomplished. It's incredible how talented of a teacher he is. It's evident in the way kids watch and respond to him on stage--even kids who have only known him for 7 hours like the ones pictured in the photo.

While Nate was busy working, I was busy catching up with friends in Ogallala. I got to run with Kristin and spend time at Lou Kraus music visiting with our friend Shannon (Bob was in India). After the concert, Nate and I both got to eat at our favorite restaurant, Open Range, with some of our favorite people from Ogallala. Then we spent time at McDonald's with about 15 of our former OHS students. It was so great to be able to catch up with these kids again. We've missed them so much. I never thought it would be so hard to leave a group of kids.

We headed back to Omaha on Sunday, so it was a quick trip. It was much-needed though. I think Nate and I both needed to go back to see that our kids are doing okay without us. I carried a lot of guilt for leaving (still do, actually). I did cry as we pulled out of Ogallala and headed east down I-80 towards our home that doesn't quite feel like a home yet.

When we moved, I honestly thought things would get better. I had frustrations from my job due to a lack of administrative support, and I felt isolated. I knew that my new job would be difficult because the expectations for teachers and students was higher. But I never assumed the job would be as hard as its been. Honestly, this year has been rough for me. My job has been more time consuming than I thought it would be, and I haven't been able to build relationships with kids like I have in the past. I feel like my entire life has been swallowed by my job. Even today on my snow day, I tried to go back to sleep and couldn't stop the list of things I need to do for work from running through my mind. I had to get up. I sat down to read the Bible like I do most mornings, and again, I couldn't stop thinking about work. I tried to write to shake off the thoughts, and they kept gnawing. I think about work when I drive home, when I pray, when I read, when I write, when I run, when I'm eating dinner with friends, when I'm spending time with family. I feel guilty when I'm doing something other than working. Then I feel guilty for working too much. I can't shut it off this year, and it's maddening. It's to the point where my fire for teaching seems to be a fading blue flame. Honestly, I'm not sure what to do about it. When I look at the kids in the picture, it makes me want to keep teaching so I can build those relationships and be a positive role model (kids can never have too many positive adults in their lives). I truly love education, but I don't love that I've let it take over my life. Most of the teachers I know seem to have their lives together and in balance and don't seem to be such a big mess like I am; I always wonder how they do it. I don't know if it's this job in particular that is leaving me anxiety-ridden, if it's the fact that it's a new job, or a combination of both. Whatever it is, I need to figure out a solution soon before I (and my relationships with others) combust.

Branching out

Currently I'm trying to warm up after a fairly chilly 7.5 mile run. Luckily the temps were double digits and much of the snow is melted here from yesterday's 50 degree weather, but the wind was biting and made for a frozen, fat-feeling mouth. Today's run was a bit different; instead of heading out solo, I met about 10 strangers at a lake here in town. A few weeks ago I joined Facebook again after a year hiatus so I could try and re-connect with some old friends and find some new running chums. Omaha has a great running community, so it was easy to connect with some runners through Facebook. After swapping a few private messages, I found a group to run with this morning.

The runners were varied in paces, distances, experience, but they were all encouraging. I fell into a group with two other women who definitely pushed me today. I'm used to my own running routine where I set the pace, I dictate when I stop (typically halfway through my intended mileage for the run, I stop for about a minute to re-gather myself), I dictate the mileage. At about mile 5.4 I found myself peeking at my Garmin, wishing for a break. The other runners didn't seem bothered, so I didn't say anything and just kept running. Soon a group of three ultra-marathoners caught up to us and we chatted about local trails, races, etc. They were running 20+ miles this morning, and I immediately felt inadequate. Eventually the ultras took a different route...I was a bit thankful because the feelings of inferiority were beginning to make my legs hurt!

By mile 7 I was chasing my new running partners who, it seemed, had kicked up the pace to finish the last half mile strong. I couldn't keep up. This is the first time I haven't been able to keep up with adult runners (I definitely couldn't keep up with some of our XC runners). Immediately the mental self-assault began. When did you get so slow? Why can't I maintain steady breathing? Are my legs frozen? You should not have had that beer this week! I let them sprint out the last quarter mile while I trudged towards my car. We walked a bit to cool down, made plans again to run another time, and parted ways.

After I climbed with stiff legs in my car to drive home, I looked through my Garmin to evaluate my distance, pace, etc. A smile crept across my face. I ran an 8:33 pace for nearly 7.5 miles, non-stop. I haven't pulled that kind of pace on a long run since June. Though I couldn't maintain the pace that my running partners kept, I managed to reach a new level of fitness, I didn't take my usual half way break, and I met a few new people who weren't bothered by the snot frozen to my face (because everyone had snot frozen to their face).

Our move has been tough, but today I felt like I had a small victory. When I arrived home, I celebrated a bit and treated myself to breakfast, coffee, and Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, and some computer time. I keep reminding myself that small milestones are better than no milestones...

Another brief update

It's been awhile since my last post. In fact, it's been awhile since I sat down at our computer desk to do something other than grade papers! Life has been crazier than ever as we scramble to keep up in our jobs--we both feel like first year teachers again. Last week we ran into more problems with our Jeep, so after spending nearly 10 hours at a dealership here in Omaha and trying to survive with only one car, we finally broke down and traded in our Liberty for a 2011 Honda Civic. Buying cars always makes me nervous, but I think this little car will serve us well.

Last week we also moved into our new apartment. It's great to have our own space again. It's a spacious two bedroom in a decent location (walking distance from a TCBY and a Starbucks). We're all settled and unpacked, but as we unpacked we realized we are missing a few boxes. Who loses boxes when they move?!?

Last night we finally had a chance to enjoy some downtime with friends. We trekked to 50th and Leavenworth (close to my favorite part of Omaha...Dundee!) to enjoy Gerda's Oktoberfest. Gerda runs a little German restaurant and bakery and each fall and spring she puts on these great outdoor celebrations with authentic German food, beer (bring your own stein!), and live music. It was a fantastic time. I got this sweet shirt, and even talked Gerda herself into signing my shirt and posing for a quick photo op.

Though our schedules are nuts right now, I'm digging Omaha. It's great to be close to some of our friends and family, and I love having entertainment options at my fingertips. We miss our students in Ogallala; we've had several "remember when..." chats as we talked about all the great kids we watched grow in the four years we were there, and we miss the friends we left behind. Despite this, methinks this was a good move for us.

Quick update

It's been a long time since I've posted...I'm a bad blogger lately.

So, here are a few quick updates:

• School is in full swing...I've learned all my kids' names now, and the essays are rolling in. This weekend I'll be neck-deep in grading Literacy Narratives and Honoring our Ancestors essays....I'm not sure how I feel about grading essays yet!
• We're moving into an apartment this Friday! We have someone renting our home in Ogallala with the intent to buy. Our friends (the Yosts) have been so gracious to us, and have let us live in their house since June...I'm sure they're ready to have their home back. We are excited to get into our own space as well and we're hoping it will help us fall into a better routine.
• I'm trying to maintain a running schedule despite my crazy work schedule...in the next few months I'll be running the Dirty Girl Mud Run in Lincoln and the Market to Market Relay that goes from Omaha to Lincoln. Though it's been tough to fit running into my day, I'm working hard to log miles because I feel like it's the only time I get to think...and I'm just addicted the feeling of tired legs.
• We've found two churches that we both seem to like, so we're getting close to picking our church home. They are both small churches that seem to have a great community feel to them.

I am ready to settle into a routine that has some sense of predictability. Tonight I'm really homesick for Ogallala. I'm missing all of our great friends and our students. Moving has been a lot tougher on me than I thought it would be, but day by day it's getting easier, and Omaha is really starting to grow on me.

Sorry for the fragmented thoughts. I'm hoping to have a little more time to write something more substantial next week after we get moved and I get all those essays graded!

A new year

This week marked the end of summer for us, which is good because this summer seemed to be long and trying. We both started meetings at our new schools---Nate will teach high school choir at Omaha Burke and I will teach English 11 College Prep, English 12 College Prep, and Dual Credit Composition at Gretna High School to a little over 100 kids (my biggest load yet!). I also have the great privilege this year of helping facilitate some staff development for middle school teachers in my new district through the Nebraska Writing Project. I think it will be a great way to get to know more people.

I'll admit though, I was not particularly excited to start a new school year. All of the junk that's gone on in our lives in the past two months has overshadowed the excitement of starting a great, new job. But after a few days of learning about my new district, my excitement is growing. Of course, I'm anxious. I always worry that I won't "fit in" to my new environment---that my teaching colleagues will find me incompetent or that I won't know how to connect with my new students. And though it was time to leave Ogallala Public Schools, I miss my kids. I always loved the first day of school because it was fun to reconnect with kids and see how they changed over the summer. I feel like Nate and I had some great relationships with kids and families in Ogallala that took a few years to build. While it's cool to have the chance to start fresh again, I do miss the familiarity of Ogallala. I'm sure with time we'll build that familiarity in our new schools. For know it's just a bit uncomfortable. But at the start of each year, I always tell my students that if they remain in their comfort zones, then there is no room for growth...I guess it's time to put my words in action.

Today I have a break from meetings. It is my last day of summer. I slept in until 6 and took advantage of the 55 degree weather by squeezing in a morning run before I drove Nate to work (one of our vehicles broke down yesterday). I plan to spend my last day of summer cleaning, responding to emails that have been neglected all week, working on course documents, and I might squeeze in a trip to Barnes and Noble to spend a gift a card I won at our new teacher meetings. Tonight we're headed back to Ogallala to spend time with some of the greatest people we've ever known. I'm looking forward to a bit of downtime with the familiar before we run full force into the unfamiliar.

Finding a place to call home

When I think of a dream home, I picture an old craftsman style abode with stucco instead of vinyl siding. I want a large, covered front porch from where I could sip my coffee from a swing early in the morning while I watch the neighborhood come to life. I picture built in bookshelves, bay windows, and original 1920s woodwork. Of course, this home would sit on a quaint street in a small town located outside an urban area. Our neighbors would be a mix of cultures and backgrounds and would be the type of people from whom you could “borrow” a cup of sugar. And of course, our kids would be able to walk to school by themselves and play catch in the streets with the other neighbor kids.

It’s funny how our dreams take shape; I’m not really sure when I concocted this romantic world. But as my husband and I transition from small town living to urban dwelling and begin searching for a home, I find myself struggling with more than simply sacrificing a bit on my dream home decor.

The issue of where to land and grow a family is a contentious one. Omaha is a much bigger city than what I’m acclimated to--and it seems there are more issues affiliated with living here. I talked with one Omaha native about looking in the west Omaha area for a home simply because it would be a manageable drive for both me and my husband. “Oh,” she stated. “Well, just know that people will think certain things about you if you live out there.” While the comment might seem rude on the surface, I believe she said it simply to let me know of the realities of living in a suburban and largely affluent portion of Omaha.

A significant part of me wants to live and raise kids in an area rich with diversity and easy access to arts, culture, and local flavor--somewhere that seems quite the opposite of west Omaha. At times I feel uncomfortable in suburban areas because I feel sorely out of place. I don’t have the clothes, the vehicles, or even the furniture to fit in. However, living in suburbia has its draw: proximity to jobs, the familiarity of a primarily homogeneous area (a quality similar to where we both grew up), and homes that are more than move in ready. Familiarity seems alluring because in my mind, familiar equals safe. Who doesn’t want to feel safe--especially if kids are added in the equation?

It seems crazy, but I’ve really been struggling with these issues this week. It’s hard not to assume that a diverse area is isn’t safe. It’s also hard not to assume that suburban areas are filled with white middle class folk who don’t want to interact with much diversity. I’m trying to dismiss my preconceived notions about each segment of Omaha and search instead for the “right” place to call home. For me, it’s important to be intentional about this decision so we can live well in our new place. I’m confident this will be a difficult decision for us. When it’s all said and done, I hope I can look back and be thankful that we were so deliberate.

Lessons on big city living

Sorry for the blogging hiatus! It's been a CRAZY few weeks. I'm actually typing this from our new temporary home in Omaha. On Wednesday we brought down the last of our stuff and worked on putting it in storage Wednesday and Thursday. For the past few days we've been busy unpacking and preparing for our LAST summer of classes! Nate is taking six hours to finish up his MA, and I'm wrapping up my thesis and co-facilitating a Nebraska Writing Project course at UNL that starts on Monday. By the end of the first week of July, we will be DONE with our Master's Degrees! We've been hard at work on these for the past four years....needless to say, we're ready for a break. Anyway...despite the chaos of moving, I've managed to learn a few lessons about big city living.

Lesson number one of big city living: always bring your phone. I never thought I'd live here because it's such a big city. I've preferred living in smaller cities/towns mainly because I have no sense of direction in order to navigate my way through these places. Prime example to illustrate this point: On Thursday I set out for a three mile run in our neighborhood. I didn't take my phone with me because I was confident I knew where I was going. My goal was to find the Papio Trail, and then head back. Like a small child, once on the trail I became distracted by all the pretty houses, flowers, and trees. Before I knew it, I was in an unfamiliar neighborhood with incredibly windy roads. I found my way back to 156th street thinking I could find my way back from there....that was ambitious thinking on my part. After running in circles for two additional miles realizing I had no idea how to get back to our new home, I finally swallowed my pride and headed into a nearby Walgreens to call Nate. He was sleeping when I left, and because we recently changed our phone numbers, I wasn't even sure I knew Nate's number. An irritated looking woman handed me a phone receiver and dialed the number for me (since the phone was behind the counter) and waited. The phone rang four or five times, but luckily my husband sleepily answered, obviously confused by the random number that just came across his screen. "Uh...can you come pick me up? I'm at Walgreens on 156th and Maple. I'm lost," I muttered. Of course, he laughed. For the past few runs, I've taken my phone and stuck to trails that don't require me to turn. I can't get lost if I'm running straight ahead, right?

Lesson number two: pace yourself...and drink decaf after five. With a coffee shop on nearly every corner in Omaha, I've consumed massive amounts of caffeine in the past three days....this explains why it's after midnight and I'm still going strong. I haven't slept much in the past three days, but I have been productive!

I'm sure I'll have more lessons to write about as we continue transitioning from small town living to urban dwelling!