this is why I could never live in the other Manhattan

Just a few miles behind our house is a large area of prairie that is a sort of nature preserve/ecology research tract. All the new KSU faculty and their families were invited on a special tour of the Konza Prairie to see it and especially the herds of bison that live there.

You think Kansas and you think flat- but not the part where we live, in the Flint Hills.

It's incredibly lovely. I'm tempted to go on and on about it but I don't want the whole world wanting to move over here. So you are welcome to your big cities and fabulous snooty restaurants and cultural events which I go to bed too early to attend anyway. I'm thrilled to live up on a hill in a neighborhood with trees everywhere and a jaw dropping view for miles and miles over the city and even beyond it.

where to begin, where to begin

I don't think I'll even attempt a full update. summary of the last two and a half months as follows:

packpackpackpackitypack.

eek, scary mortgage crisis, we might be homeless when we move!

no- it's fine.

no it's not fine! no house for us!!

ok, well, actually it's probably fine.

packpackpack.

successfully rent out unsellable house in Michigan! hooray!

sad farewells. load up truck (FINALLY the packing is DONE!). drive away for a month with family in wisconsin.

early on in the 'relaxing' month of 'vacation' I learn that one of the psychologists at my future practice was asked to resign, and so instead of starting my job in Nov-Dec I need to start something like the day after we arrive in Kansas. commence enormous effort getting necessary paperwork faxed in twelve different directions. climax of my epic, ultimately five month struggle with the licensing board to get my license approved.

Thomas goes on strike from sleeping somewhere in here. for weeks he alternates nights of waking hourly with nights of sleeping til 1 am, then staying awake until 4, going down for a refreshing nap and up for the day at 5:30-6. if it weren't for grandma I would not have come out of this with sanity (marginally) intact.

5 days of driving

4 hours of sleep nightly

3 overtired children

2 tummy bugs

and a partridge in a pear tree.

we moved in on sep 26, and are ever so gradually starting to make this place home. tim and I have started work, the boxes are nearly all unpacked, we're checking out churches and grocery stores. we still live this kind of floating existence where I never know what day it is, or the best way to clean my kitchen, or what aisle has the chicken stock... but I think we'll get there.