Sad to Say, We're on our Way...

I know this is really supposed to be Mazie's blog, but Mazie's mom's got something to say....

After months of preparation, the move is upon us! Caleb, the dogs and cat, and all of our stuff have safely arrived at our new home in Madison, so all that's missing is me and Mazie! We fly up tomorrow. As excited as I am to start our new adventure, it finally hit me today how sad I am to be leaving here. This has been an absolutely wonderful place to spend our last five years....

I was thinking back today to that August day in 2004.... I was on my way from school back to our new house when Caleb called to tell me that he had just gotten home to discover the kitchen on fire. As I drove up Pennsylvania Ave., many concerned neighbors were out in the street-- faces I didn't know well then but ones that have become so familiar by now. I got to the house and got a debriefing from Caleb and the head firefighter-- everyone was okay, but the house was in pretty bad shape. What I remember most about that moment was that one of the first questions the firefighter asked us was whether we had anywhere to stay that night. "There's a Red Cross shelter if you need it," she told us. Amidst all the heartbreak over the loss of our new house, her question was wonderfully laughable. Yes, of course we had a place to stay. Andrew and Elizabeth took us in, and if they hadn't, we could have stayed with any number of the friends we'd made over our first year in Durham, or, as I know now, any one of those new neighbors. Even in the moment, I recognized how lucky we were. Our "stuff" may have burned up, but everything we really needed was solidly intact.

That was four years ago, and our ties to this community have only grown deeper since then. We are so grateful for all of the amazing friends we've shared this time with. Thanks for the nights of conversation and laughter. Thanks for the ridiculous stories involving male anatomy and hysterical mothers. Thanks for the rides to the airport. Thanks for feeding our animals. Thanks for sharing birthdays and baby showers, Thanksgivings (American and Canadian) and New Years and Fourths of July. Thanks for the block parties, organized and spontaneous. Thanks for the ribs and beers and cocktails. Thanks for opening your homes and your hearts. Thanks for making these past five years some of the happiest, most relaxed and fulfilling, fun, exciting, and peaceful, years of my life.

Goodbye Durham.