Mrs. Gray: So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Good Night

Today is my last day and night in my home in Chesterfield, MO.

Most of our belongings are packed up in boxes except for some clothes, toiletries, and a few dishes.

I woke up with such a bittersweet feeling in my heart this morning as I am ready for the next chapter, but I am also very sad to say goodbye to the life we have created here in Missouri.

I was reminded of the song, "So Long, Farewell" from the Sound of Music and how fitting the words of the first verse and chorus are to my feelings today.

There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple too
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say, "Cuckoo" (Cuckoo, cuckoo)
Regretfully they tell us but firmly they compel us
To say goodbye to you

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu
Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu

I have really enjoyed St. Louis.

As a city, it has brought some really great memories from City Museum to the Arch to Cardinals, Blues, and Rams games. There's the Art Museum, the Botanical Gardens, and Forest Park.

Kyle would maybe say that trying all of the food was his favorite part. When you come from a tiny town in Southeastern New Mexico your choices are Mexican, Mexican, Mexican, Chinese, Mexican, Chili's. Some of Kyle's favorites have included Pappy's, Bogart's, and the Shaved Duck. (All BBQ joints)

St. Louis as a city provided a ton of fun, but it also allowed me to meet some really great people; people that I will miss very dearly.

St. Louis was our first home as a newly married couple, so I will always have a special place in my heart for it.

St. Louis was where we got our precious puppy, Mr. Tumnus, and the trailer was his first home too.

I will miss St. Louis, the people, the food, and the sights; but I am also looking forward to our next chapter in Norman, Oklahoma (home of James Garner).

We've been talking for the last month or so about all the things we will not miss about Missouri/our trailer and all the things we will miss about Missouri/our trailer.

Here's a peek into the things we will not miss:

1. We both will not miss Missouri driving. Spend just one day driving in this city and it's surrounding suburbs and you will know exactly what I mean. It's fascinating how bad they really are and how they all do the same things. Freaky.

2. I will not miss the humidity in the summer and how long the winter feels. Walking outside in the summer and immediately sweating is not my cup of tea. This desert rat is not made for the humidity. And in the winter, I feel as though I imagine the Narnians felt when the White Witch made it winter for ages, (but at least I got Christmas).

3. I will not miss the way my oven is not level and how I can only use two burners on my stove.

4. Kyle will not miss hand washing dishes. He is looking forward to a dishwasher. He has mentioned it several times. I told him it would be super funny if we got to our new home and the dishwasher was broken.

5. I will not miss the trailer park and parking on the street and nearly running over people/kids all the time because the street is so small.

6. We will both not miss the sound our air conditioner makes when it's on. It's a high-pitched whistle that truly you don't notice after a while, but when visitors come over and mention it, you can't help but notice all over again.

7. We will not miss how when the littlest amount of smoke is in the house all of the alarms go off immediately and do not quit until we cover them with a jacket.

8. I truly will not miss Missouri accents. For example, forty = farty, short = shart, Lord = Lard, etc. One time my former boss said, "It makes the patients fell like I sharted them," and that was really the only time that I was glad for a Missouri accent because even though I knew he meant shorted, it's way funnier to think of the boss I didn't like sharting on someone.

And now onto the more positive side, the things we will miss:

1. We will most definitely, without a doubt miss our home. It's our first home. It's tiny, it makes weird noises, the kitchen is not level, it smells musty when we get back from a trip; but it was ours and we have had so many wonderful memories in this tiny, little home.

2. We will miss the people. This is something I never get used to. I wish everyone I loved lived in the same place because I always miss the people that I meet in all the places I have lived.

3. We will miss the city. It's a great city. There's so much to see, do, taste, and explore. It's a wonderful city.

4. We will miss the proximity of the necessities around us. We live smack dab in the middle of the mall and another shopping/dining area. We rarely have to go outside of a 2 mile radius to get anything.

5. We will miss Trader Joe's!!!!! Oh my, this one hurts. There are NO Trader Joe's in the state of Oklahoma. You better know I will be e-mailing some TJ higher ups to get on the ball about this.

6. We will miss our favorite restaurants. There really is a lot of great food in STL.

7. I will miss the library. It's seriously right around the corner from my house; so close, I could walk. I'm glad I will still have a library in Norman though.

8. I will miss the family that I work for. Seriously, they are great people, and have been such a blessing to me the last two years.

I'm very sad to go and leave this little home we created, but I'm looking forward to being settled finally and knowing that I am not going to have to move any time soon.