Enjoying the sunshine

After the hecticness and pollution of Bangladesh, just a walk down the street in Atlanta feels like a peaceful hike in the wilderness.  Life gets that much better when we take the time to get a bit out of Atlanta for a hike.  On this one day we went to Sweetwater Creek Park with our friends who just moved here from Bangladesh as well.  As you'll see from the backdrop for the photos, we lingered at the access point to the river.

Lieutenant Merrill at your service

In conjunction with my current fellowship at CDC, I joined the US Public Health Service, one of the 7 uniformed services along with the Marines, Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and serve in the Ready Reserve of the Commissioned Corps during these two training years.  The Public Health Service (along with the last two of the others listed) is an unarmed service.  At the end of a training month for my fellowship, those of use who joined the PHS had a "pinning" ceremony to which the Surgeon General came to perform the actual pinning (act of putting our military rank pin on our lapel).

Our group of newly PHS commissioned corps officers saying our oath, led by the Surgeon General:

My moment - initially the Surgeon General ceremonially salutes me to which I respond with a salute

Then he "pins" me:

Then I, as a junior officer, formally salute him 

 In this group picture at the end, I'm standing with three other people in my EIS class who are Emory alumni - the two women from 2003 and the man from 2005.  One of the women even took a course from my dad!

Dada and Gigi

About 2 weeks after we got to Atlanta Scott's parents came to stay with us as they passed through when they drove back to Houston from vacation.  We had such a great time having them here!  Beyond the basic happiness to have family visit, we were so thankful they were energizer bunnies when it came to helping us set up the new place.

Although it was a little late in the season, we planted jalapeños, tomatoes, basil, rosemary, and mint.  Henry routinely runs right outside to the plants after getting home from school to check on their health and water them when needed.

Making Bob's famous oatmeal cookies

Reading

We hope Phyllis and Bob can come to Atlanta all the time! We were already lucky enough to have them back at the end of August.

Exploring Atlanta

In Elliot updates...about a month ago he started saying a few district words!  He started with "bubble" and even blew one of his own bubbles!  He also picked up how to sign "more" and practices that one a lot when he's hungry.  Henry has been as sweet as ever with his brother. He actually told me the other day "Elliot's my best friend. When Elliot is upset I will 'nuggle' (his word for snuggle) him and when I'm upset he'll nuggle me." I've been recording some of his quotes which I'll have to post one of these days soon.

Here are some photos from our Atlanta explorations:

We spent one rainy afternoon at the Fernbank Science Center. I think we spent 1.5 hours on one 50 yard hallway - Henry was having such a good time! Henry paid close attention to what I told him about bumble bees and showed off his new knowledge when he told Elliot about how the bees collect pollen from flower and fly in to their home to make honey.

And we spent time at the nearby park

We had a great time at a butterfly festival.  A man drove up ~300 butterflies from his butterfly farm in Gainesville, FL.  In the butterfly tent we were able to "catch" butterflies by luring them in with nectar covered mallets.  By the way Henry is wearing a coat because on the day of this festival it was 65 degrees in Atlanta!

Also at the festival was face painting - (Henry determinedly wanted a pink butterfly with purple spots)

 And a tattoo station

And a little fishing stall - that returned a candy catch

First weeks in Atlanta

In our first month back in America we had a fun, but too short, visit at my sister's, a brief stay at my dads, and reunions with great friends.  I was so thankful that despite the ~24 hour trip from Bangladesh, the 12 hour time difference, sleeping in four houses in 2 weeks, and all the other changes, the boys handled the transition quite well.
Cousins reunion with our newly developed ice cream cake tradition

Important lessons at Tad's by Charlotte - oh how I have missed corn on the cob

Time with old friends

Elliot learning about some great technology

The first nap at our new place when it was still empty

And some of the basics