Back at home

To my wonderful summer hosts,
It seems like ages since we stayed with you or visited but I just wanted to let everyone know that we are back at home in Atlanta as of last night. It was wonderful to visit everyone, meet new family members and catch up. Sometimes I think about how fantastic it would be if I could take all my favorite people from places and times in my past and assemble them in one place so we could be a part of each other's lives in a more consistent way. But alas I realize that will never happen so I content myself knowing that you are out there doing incredible things with your lives, having your own life experiences so we can learn from each other and appreciate each other all that much more when we have those brief visits, phone calls or emails.

In case you are interested, here are the final tallies
Kids visited-17 including Anne's friends also in town, 13 boys and 4 girls (thanks for the extra x chromosomes, Craig and Kathryn)
Gas fill ups-10
Money spent on gas - $540 (thanks Dad for the NJ fill up)
Movies watched-4 in car, 1 in theater
Movies Bram watched-4 in car, .5 of Journey to Center of Earth, .5 of Mama Mia
Toilets clogged-2 (problem resolved after first two stops, sorry Pam and Anne)
Ice cream eaten- uncountable, priceless

On a serious note, you are all wonderful spouses and parents and I'm awed by all those beautiful children I saw along the way. In a day of too much acquisition and commercialism, it was heartening to see how we are all trying hard to fight it off and raise polite and appreciative children. It didn't escape me that this is a value that we all share, despite how we have geographically dispersed since we met in high school, college, or thereafter.

Off to get kids (and myself) ready for school tomorrow. Yes, it's true. Kids in Georgia really do go to school on August 11. Please stay in touch and let us know if your work or travels take you to Atlanta. Or plan a road trip that includes Atlanta one summer. It's great to be home but part of me is already missing the adventure of a new day, a new place.