Choices

Yesterday we traveled to Morioka Zoological Park, about two hours from our house. The trip was lovely, through the rolling hills, farms, and mountains. The zoo was nice as well. Lily was even well behaved the entire day, shocking. It was nice to spend time together. At home we tend to do our own thing, but stuck together for the entire day we interact a bit more. I like my family and the interaction is just what we all needed. The next few months are going to be so busy, and we each have our own things we have going, so once in awhile to be stuck together in a small vehicle for several hours is nice.

I think that we have all been ruined for life for the whole zoo experience. After what we saw in Kenya, it is hard to see elephants in captivity, very hard. To read the story of the baby elephant in Kenya click here.

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Mississippi vs. California is a hard choice. Do we get a choice? We at least get the illusion of a choice, there are two assignments and there are two people, if we each choose the same the choice will not be ours, if we each choose differently then the choice is ours. So which do we choose and does it matter? At first I wanted LA. I lived in California from the age of 12 until the age of 26. The longest I have ever lived anywhere and I love California, I love the culture, the people, it is me. I want to take Jeff, Mandy and Lilyto see the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, Yosemite and all the other lovely places from my childhood. I want to live in a place where we have access to everything that America has to offer, sports, theater, good schools, museums, gluten-free stores and restaraunts, used book stores, thrift shops, and Disneyland. What could be better than LA? A dream come true.

After a little research I am discovering what you all probably know, I could never afford a house in LA, not in an area I would want to live. And how do I know which area is good and which is bad? There are 80 school districts in LA county - not schools, school districts. Can you imagine how much research that is going to be? I started making charts, with school districts, test scores, zip codes, ect and four hours later I had just scratched the surface. There is just so much there, so much.

Gulfport and Biloxi Mississippi were devestated by hurricane Katrina. Living there would give us the opportunity to infuse that area with our money, buying a house, paying taxes, grocery shopping, it would all help the community to rebuild. We would have the opportunity to do volunteer work and really make a difference in our country, something very important to Jeff and I. In Mississippi we would be comfortable financially, we would be able to afford a nice house, and live at a higher standard of living, we would be able to afford a comfortable life and we would be closer to Jeff's family.

I still have a lot to research, but I am pretty sure that my mind is made up. Maybe tomorrow I will have another thought. Not that what I think matters at all, so why worry. I really should just do my homework and clean the closets. Concentrate on the things I can control and let the other things work themselves out. Ya, right!