Note: I just realized yesterday that this was supposed to start on October 1. Oh, well, it gives me extra time, I guess. 🙂

When the reality hits

Don made such a big deal about getting his Tennessee drivers license. He waited forever – like about 4 or 5 months, but that had something to do with the fact that if he didn’t have a Wisconsin DL, he wasn’t a Wisconsin resident and, therefore, couldn’t have a Wisconsin nursing license. I’m not sure why that mattered, since I’m pretty sure he has a TN RN license now. At any rate, it was a big deal to him. I didn’t get it at first, because I’d gotten my TN driver’s license months prior to that, and didn’t remember it being a very big deal.

But then I realized that doing this made the move REAL. We were REALLY Tennessee residents and not Wisconsin residents. We are, of course, still in that transition stage where people always ask “Where are you from?” But we are on the road to the time when no one will ask and we will think of ourselves as being from Tennessee, but originally from Wisconsin.

I had two moments that made the move REAL. The first was when Erica had her baby. My first thought was “When will I be able to go over and see her and the new baby?” This was followed, a couple seconds later, by, “Oh, yeah. I live in Tennessee. I won’t be popping over to Shakopee any time soon. Bummer.”

The second was kind of weird, and actually harder. It was the day I realized it was Red Cedar Choir rehearsal day and I wasn’t there. I really hadn’t realized what an important part of my life playing piano for that choir had become.  I really never got close to any of the people in all the years I was there – I hardly knew anyone’s name, even. But it was a big part of my identity and being without that brought home the seriousness of the decision to make the move to Tennessee, maybe more than anything else.

I’m still wrestling with this. I joined a similar choir here in the Tri-cities area – an adult choir associated with the Tri-cities symphony. But I’m singing, so it is a lot different than being the accompanist.

Anyway, I guess my point is that the reality of the move hits now and then. And the rest of the time, I just enjoy the good things and ignore the rest!