Experiences for learning.....

So in honor of our three month (almost) mark of living in South Carolina I figured I would update my blog with some things I have learned, observed, or realized about South Carolina since moving away from home state of Virginia for the first time.

1. People in SC don't like to drive in rain. Traffic slows so much it is like people driving in snow in Virginia. A discussion with a friend here resulted in wondering if people like to focus on the windshield wipers rather than the road when it is raining and that is the problem....

2. People in SC run to the stores on threat of hurricane just like people run to the stores with threat of ice or snow in Virignia. Same things are the "hot items"....toilet paper, bread, water, etc.

3. People don't really use an acceleration lane to accelerate in SC. It is more of a meandering into the streaming traffic going 65 miles plus.

4. Traffic laws that I never really appreciated in Virginia make lots of sense now...like mandating helmets for motorcyclists and not allowing passengers in the back of a pick up truck bed. SC car insurance is about four to five times more than Virginia and maybe it is in part to the lack of traffic laws in place.

I've learned a lot of other things too....like Ian will try to catch the enormous bugs with his snack bowl (emptied to catch the bugs), that there is no good time to try to go to the park when it is cool during the months of June-September, and that Ian and I will still go to the pool when people here are sporting sweaters outside thinking it is cold.

The things I learn.......

Time Passes

So the count down for baby arrival is truly on at this point. 18 days left before "Baby Pat" arrives. I am scheduled for a c-section again on Oct 9th so instead of a baby pool for when she will arrive, etc. I think my family is taking "bets" on how long Ian calls the baby "baby pat" instead of her real name that is yet to be decided upon.

I have everything ready that I can think of--I'm sure there is more. Ian has been helping me fold onesies, etc. He and I went to a big brother/big sister class at our hospital here to gear him up even more. It was very cute and informative. We plan to have the baby give Ian a few gifts when she arrives based on recommendations of friends.

I've been cataloging pictures on our home computer trying to ready it for the anticipated deluge of photos of baby. Seeing Ian in the hospital and grow up before my eyes has been hard and made me realize how quickly time has past for Ian. The day to day time passing is slow but three years flashed before my eyes. It will be even more of a reality when I see a very very newborn baby and see Ian I'm sure. Amazing how time passes......

Tropical Storm Hannah

Living on the coast certainly has its advantages and disadvantages....one of the latter is hurricanes and tropical storms. Tropical Storm Hanna just came through the Charleston area last week and it was much much much milder than I thought we would see. It helped that it didn't restrengthen to a hurricane, that landfall was north of here, and that higher winds were to the east. We got rain and a little wind and that was it. I've been through worse thunderstorms here and in Virginia. We didn't loose power here and only had one palm frond come off so we feel very blessed.

Wal-Mart, etc. were bustling with water, paper towel and toilet paper sales earlier in the week. It was crazy. I found myself in the moment and bought some of all three even though we had plenty. It really made me think of the scripture, "if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."

Ian did great during the ordeal--we talked to him about the wind, etc. He was more concerned about it getting dark outside before night time. He did love (and is still loving) having his slide inside as we moved all of our patio stuff indoors or to the garage.

We are hoping that we manage to avoid other encounters with tropical storms and hurricanes this season. When we were looking to move here, I actually researched the likelihood of a landfall in the Charleston area even :)

More on the next post......