Welcome to Charlottesville!

So, we've enjoyed our first week living here in Charlottesville! Our realtor found us a furnished apartment for us to live in month-to-month until we find a home. It's just right for what we need right now; it even has air conditioning, a washer/dryer, dishwasher, and a pool we can use - such luxuries! The best part is that it is really close to our dear friends, Mike and Lisa Ryan - their son Gray and Noah are destined to be good buddies too. We've already had a couple play-dates at some of the awesome parks here.

We visited and really enjoyed visiting Trinity Presbyterian Church here on Sunday. Noah will likely be attending preschool there this year. We visited the library and got our library cards (another luxury!!).

We are finding new doctors. In fact our first night here, Noah woke-up crying at 3am. Michael went in to find him sitting on the floor and unable to put weight on his right leg - we checked to see if it was just asleep, but the pain continued. So, we decided to take him to the UVA emergency room. Michael prepared himself to go straight to work (for his first day of orientation) in case we were there for a while. We all went (Ethan stayed asleep mostly) and stayed long enough for Noah to get lots of x-rays, lots of attention from the fabulous pediatric care staff, and some early morning kids shows while we waited for the results - which all returned negative. Noah still refused to put weight on his leg, demanding to be carried, so we left the hospital just in time to get Michael to his first day of work, deciding to follow-up with another doctor if nothing changed over the course of the day. Later that afternoon, after Noah had slept most of the day, a doctor called from the hospital, and she helped us get an appointment with a pediatriac orthopedist the next day. After getting off the phone, Noah asked "What did the doctor say, mommy?" "That if you don't walk you'll have to go back to the hospital, " I said. "Oooh, going back to the hospital! That would be good," he said with a big smile. Soon after that Michael took him to a park, where he was easily enticed to put some weight on the leg and play! He did have a little limp the next two days or so, but now he's totally fine. Must have been a pulled muscle or something? We're glad he had such a good first experience at the ER, and glad that such good care is so close-by.

Thus, begins the newest chapter of our adventure called "Life."

The fountains at Greenleaf Park