Feeding the Ducks

We're moving next week to a small town (neighborhood, really) that borders St. Louis. We will be still be close enough to downtown for Jon to ride his bike, but the kids will be in a much MUCH better school system.

Oh St. Louis we tried so hard. And if it weren't for Gregory's therapy needs we might have convinced ourselves that we could make it work in the city. But now that we are moving, I am looking forward to living within a functioning municipality and friendly community. We will miss walking to the world-famous Missouri Botanical Gardens and beautiful, historical Tower Grove Park. I love the turn-of-the-century architecture in our historic neighborhood. But the terrible racial and social tension of living in a transitional neighborhood? I can leave that behind. I'll be glad to live in the solidly middle- and working- class neighborhood of our new house, away from the rantings of wealthy people whose neighborhood is "blighted" by their desperately poor neighbors. So desperately poor. The city has failed them in so many ways. And the occasional gunshots? Yeah, I won't miss them either. I hope that I will still be part of the solution for this troubled city, even though I am retreating to a place with an accredited school system.

In the meantime, we're taking advantage of the best parts of our neighborhood while we can. Emelia, Stephen, and I have been taking breaks from packing to feed the ducks. (Gregory is at school during the week so he misses out -- although feeding ducks isn't all that exciting for him anyway.) Emmie thinks the ducks (well, all animals, really) are her close friends and that she is taking a vital role in their well being by offering them a few bread crumbs. She loves feeding the ducks. Stephen loves it too, although as you can see in one of the pictures that he is just as likely to eat the bread as to share it.