Getting Around

So, we've spent a lot of the last week, on the days when we weren't heading to the beach or out to parks, just getting oriented with Charleston. We've been spoiled since Sean has only had half days so far (classes officially start Monday, ironically the upcoming week is supposed to be filled with nasty thunderstorms. Apparently Mother Nature sympathizes with the power school students).

That being said, we usually hang around here getting chores done or go out to run errands, but on a few days Aiden and I have taken off to just explore. We drove out to Palmetto county park on Monday, and it was an amazing jungle-like park filled with elevated boardwalks over the massive swamp and out into the coastal marsh. Aiden was absolutely petrified of the shadowy forest part, so I ended up lugging him around in the humid 90 degree weather, but oh well, it was gorgeous and we'll definitly be going back there (it's also close to a Starbucks which made the drive worth it!!!).




Today we went out on a different mission: buy Sean a birthday present while he was at school. I remembered that there was an outlet shopping center nearby and I figured I'd buy him some brand name stuff on sale (he has shockingly expensive taste for someone who's usually so frugal) and I figured I didn't need the GPS to get there. Well, we drove around for a half hour before giving in and using the GPS, which ended up not being able to find the stores, so we went to the local, less awesome mall. Nevertheless, we got him a few great presents (at least I think they're great, since everytime I ask him what he wants he says 'oh nothing').

Basically, this weekend is going to be Sean's Big Birthday Blowout, which really only consists of a special breakfast, presents, and cake later on. Also, his coworkers are out to surprise him but I can't share that until later!

These two weeks that we've been here have already been a complete 180 change from our time in New York. In New York it was difficult to go anywhere because it meant carrying a baby and a stroller and navigating subways, which tons of moms do everyday but it somehow escaped me. I couldn't wrangle everything together and get out of the neighborhood the way I wanted to. Here, we hop in the car and go. Anywhere. Everywhere. Also, in New York, Sean worked with a shadowy group of people I never met, who all lived in Manhatten and had no children and went out for lunch everyday and out to the bars every weekend. If there were going to be a group dinner, it just meant Sean and Sean only was invited, and he'd end up spending a fortune on a fancy dinner and then trying to catch trains back to Brooklyn afterhours which meant cutting out early anyway and missing the networking opportunities.

Here, I've met his immediate group of co-workers. We've gone to the beach. We've gone to the park. I've met the baby and the dog and the spouse. I feel like even though this is Sean's job and Sean's co-workers, I'm still apart of it and not totally out of the loop like before. It really makes it feel like this is something he could do for his whole life because so far there has been nothing but nice people and frankly, a lot of pampering from the company. I know the classes will be hard and I won't get to spend a whole lot of free time with Sean, but I feel like we're going into it with our eyes open this time and that they do their best to compensate for the hard work. It just feels...better.