Allergies and Estates and Charlotte

The Florida vacation was great. My family rocks. While I was there, though, I pretty much paid no attention to the foods I'm allergic to. As in, I ate them. A lot of wheat and, while not lots, more sugar than I'm used to. Some dairy. The day after I got home I had a dance class (I'm taking clogging) and my ability to focus and concentrate and even just think was frighteningly bad. One more reason (aside from better sleep, less congestion, fewer illnesses, and improved energy) I need to be very mindful of what i'm putting into my body! If any of you see me eating something I shouldn't, please ask me if I'm being mindful of what I'm eating.
We had a humongous yard sale of Mom's stuff yesterday. For about 12 hours (ending at midnight) on Friday we priced things and then loaded up a 14 foot UHaul truck. Then got up at 5am on Saturday to get stuff set up by 7. Seven to 2pm was the sale, and then we had to pack up everything left. Made one run to Salvation Army to donate the leftovers, dropped off the UHaul, and filled my brother's van with boxes that we are keeping. Today (Sunday) there are 3 or maybe 4 more vanloads to go to Salvation Army. Thursday I'm back in town to get the furniture to a consignment store and collect one small load of boxes we are keeping. So... I'm tired. Its good to be getting rid of all this stuff we've had stored in a relative's basement for 6 months now. Its kind of nice to be moving on from Mom being materially here; its good to settle further into her living totally in the spiritual reality now. But its also a little sad to take steps further away from her being in this world with us. I got a little teary a couple of times at the yardsale as items that I had strong memory associations to were sold. But we've kept everything important to us and the rest we just don't need any more.
So. Exhausted but getting lots done.
Also thinking of moving back to Charlotte. I'd like to be able to do more with my niece and nephew; spend-the-nights, maybe a regular time each week to hang out with each of them. Charlotte also has a bigger population, with generally more money. Career-wise, in terms of working with autistic kids, that can be a good thing. The only advantage Asheville has over Charlotte there is that Asheville residents tend to be more alternative so might be more open to alternative methods of working with autism. But I can commute to Asheville, too, if that's the only place I can find clients. I would miss the beauty of the mountains, but again, thats not a long drive. I think my biggest yearning for Charlotte (vying with being more involved with family) comes from wanting to be part of a thriving, spirited Baha'i community. I think I want time to rest and heal in the spiritual environment of a community like Charlotte. In Asheville I've bene thinking of starting a Children's Class and a Devotional Gathering, but I just don't feel like the support is there and I'm too tired (in the deep down sense, not in the taking-a-nap sense) to pull anything off entirely on my own. II i'm in Charlotte I get to relax some in my personal life (lots of support from Baha'is, family, and friends) while I work on my business life. I think that if I choose a kind of self-contained neighborhood or live in a smaller suburb of Charlotte I will be OK with living in The Big City. Not forever, I don't think, but for a time. I'm still a small town mountains girl at heart, I believe.
I'm enjoying being a bigger aprt of my niece and nephew's life, and there's another niece due at the end of the month. I want to be a mother, but I don't know if that will happen. So to have a hand in raising my niece and nephew (no, not like another parent, but still, teaching skills and values and et cetera) is, I think, fulfilling that kind of need in my life to pass things on to another generation. My sister-in-law and I talk quite a bit about parenting and discipline and such, and we have very very similar ideas, so its nice for be to be able to help out. It's fun for me to be with the kids, and fun for their parents to get a break!
So maybe Charlotte. Dunno. Need to pray on that one and research the autism program market in Charlotte.
I think that's all for now.
I hope to have a new computer and be able to post more regularly again in the next few weeks!