A little over a year ago, we moved to New Albany. It's an affluent suburb of Columbus, OH. We sold our little Vicorian-era duplex downtown and moved to be 1.7 miles from Bryan's office. The house we're renting is set on 17 acres--our driveway is 1/3 of a mile through the woods, with a large hay field that our management company bales twice a year to maintain the farmland tax benefit. The girls love it when the baler comes--it scoops up the hay and "poops out" bales, as they say. Giggles ensue.
Bordered on two sides by a meandering creek, the neighbors are hidden by thick woods. We occasionally hear gunshots during hunting season, but rarely see anyone. Last summer the girls decided to take off their clothes while playing outside with the hose while I showered. I came out in a towel to check on them and then dropped it for a round of "naked girls playing outside!!!!!" with them. Don't worry, I did a quick mental calculation and made sure I wasn't expecting any FedEx package deliveries first. Delivery drivers are generally the only strangers we see at the house.
So in addition to the naked family, we have deer, wild turkeys, red foxes and an assortment of less-desirable wildlife (possums, raccoons, skunks) here in the woods. We fill the bird feeder during home school lessons and watch the red-headed woodpecker preferentially pick out the sunflower seeds, brushing the rest to the ground with his beak. We take nature walks in our backyard and get lost.
All this pastoral bliss (well water, no gas service, no cable) is to be found 2 miles from "downtown" New Albany with its two grocery stores, burgeoning fast food joints (we just got a Chipotle a month ago), nice library and drug store. Our tiny post office is full of mildly charming Federal workers. Our Urgent Care is rarely busy.
The house is 8 miles from Easton--one of the premier "Lifestyle Centers" in the country--a mixed-use indoor/outdoor retail complex with adjacent big box retailers. So while I breakfast watching the deer graze in the field, I can swing by Target 15 minutes later. It makes for a pretty easy life.
But when I got to toddler story time at our library, I noticed all the moms have Louis Vuitton bags. My outlet store Coach purse seemed so "yesterday." The toddlers were wearing genuine Uggs. I don't even bother with knockoffs! We have everything so well laid out here--the dance school is 1.3 miles from the house. Ice skating lessons are at Easton 8 miles away. Gymnastics, soccer, swim lessons--all my "outside socialization" and physical education needs to supplement the home schooling are met conveniently and easily.
But do I want my girls wearing Uggs before they're out of the Barbie infatuation phase?
I see how it would be so easy to stay. I'd continue to home school. We'd meet some local kids, the girls would make friends, I'd make friends with their moms. We'd join Girl Scouts for a year and then I'd volunteer to take over a troop. I'd sell cookies, ferry the girls around and have a wonderfully full life. But someday I'd look back and wonder, "What would have happened if we'd jumped at the chance to move overseas?
So no, my girls won't wear the Uggs. I want just a little more for them than the ease of a comfortable, suburban American life. Or so I think right now. Check in again in six months, I'll post an update!
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