Dayton

From Nebraska we continued east to our previous home, Dayton, Ohio. It surprises me sometimes that we only lived in Dayton for two years. We made several close friends there and it feels good and familiar to go back. We took too few photos.

• We spent one fun afternoon at Orchardly Park, an exceptional playground and splash park. It is located in the swanky (kind of) Oakwood neighborhood where we thought we were going to live when we moved to Dayton but didn't actually live, and it is interesting to revisit how our lives might have been different if we had lived there, and if we would still want to live there now. It isn't as clear to me. 
• One morning we spent at the Air Force Museum, and since we were on vacation we went a little crazy and said yes when the boys asked to see the D-Day 3D IMAX movie. It was very touching. I often feel so conflicted about military history that it is hard for me to feel anything other than conflicted. But D-Day is different. Those boys died trying to, and in fact actually, saving the world. So much courage and sacrifice and heroism, and so much death. I was glad we watched it. 
• One evening I got to attend a book club meeting of the book group I started when I lived there. The group has survived, and we talked about Piketty's Capital, which is a tome and I was actually the only one who had read the whole thing, but it was an excellent discussion about income inequality and I loved seeing my friend Jocelyn again. 
• One afternoon Jocelyn and her kids met us at the swimming pool/water park that used to be in our backyard and has since been renovated and made even snazzier, and we had a good time together until a very impressive thunderstorm moved in. 
• One evening we had a bbq with our old neighbors. We were lucky to live among these good people and it is nice to catch up with them. And the kids! They are all getting so big! 



• The most wonderful part of the time in Dayton was having lots of time to spend with our friends the Muratores, who hosted us at their home. We met them before we even moved to Dayton when we were visiting looking for a place to live, knew right away that we wanted to get to know them, and have loved them ever since. There are things that can't be shared on Facebook or even in emails. Spending time with people in real life really matters. It felt so good to be with them, and so totally comfortable in their home. I am a guarded person, and it is hard for me to really open up with people. Often I wonder if it is just a bad habit I have sunk into irrevocably. But being with Melani I feel like I can be so open and real, and it is a blessing. They are one of the things I miss very most about Dayton. 

They have three boys that are about eight years older than our three oldest, and we have always looked to them to see what our lives will look like in a few years. When we lived there their boys were about the ages that ours are now, and now their oldest is heading off to college. They are the greatest group of boys - almost larger than life in their quirks and talents and intelligence. I really loved being with them, and they were so kind and patient with our boys.

It really was a wonderful few days. Dayton has always been good to us.