Once upon a time, there was a boy named Menta*. He fell in love with a girl named Mendall* and got married. Shortly after they were married, Menta was promised great riches if he and his lovely wife would move to the far-ish away desert land of Tucson for a summer. Off to the desert they went. It was a great adventure and both Menta and Mendall became enamored with the kind people and curious landscape of the American southwest. They became acquainted with the dangers of the desert flora (SEE JUMPING CHOLLA) and learned that they could tolerate near drought conditions and 100+ degree weather. New friends were made and old friendships were rekindled . The football team at the local university was coached by one of the Brothers Stoops, immediately helping them to feel right at home. A trip to nearby California to visit Menta's Grand Pa and Mendall's brother, along with a visit from Menta's sister from Utah, assured them that family was still not too far away. As their summer adventure in Tucson came to an end, they were again promised even more riches if they would return after two years and permanently live there. Menta and Mendall were eager to return and establish themselves in the desert. They would live the American dream of owning a faux-dobe house with a lava rock yard less than 100 miles from the Mexican border. Yes, life would be grand for them in the desert.
Over a year into Menta's studies, Mendall gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Vhomas*. Mendall dreamed of raising her baby boy in the desert. As she shopped JBF sales, she thought, "I will never have to by my darling child a heavy winter coat!" So she didn't. Instead she stocked up on 6-12 month t-shirts and swim trunks. Yes, life would be quite simple raising a child in the desert, as they would probably be naked or shirtless at the swimming pool nine months out of the year.
One day near the end of the two years of studies, Menta came home from work and mentioned that he had sent his resume to MIT Lincoln Labs near the far away land of Boston. Mendall, thinking that he was talking about lincoln logs, gave it no further thought. A short time later, a man from Lincoln Labs contacted Menta and asked him if he would be interested in flying out to Boston for an interview. Seeing this as an opportunity to travel east of the Mississippi River for the first time in almost 28 years of life, Menta enthusiastically accepted the invitation. Mendall said good-bye to her husband and was grateful for the opportunity and experience for him to be interviewed by such a prestigious company. Then she proceeded to continue looking online for the perfect faux-dobe house, nestled in a patch of cacti, for their sweet little family.
After Menta returned from the far away land of Boston, the couple waited to hear back from the company that had offered them great riches in the desert land Tucson and the hard-to-pass-up-shot-in-the-dark job in the far away land of Boston. When both companies contacted Menta with their final offers, it became obvious to the young couple that they were going to have to make an agonizing decision.
West or east?
Far away or really far away?
Sort of near family or nowhere near family?
Long, hot summers or long, cold winters?
Suns or Celtics?
After much deliberation and a poll on Facebook, it was decided that the young family would establish themselves near the far away land of Boston. Menta was very excited for the opportunity to work at MIT Lincoln Lab. Mendall was excited about being able to make sweaters and scarves. They soon realized, though, that moving to the far away land of Boston would be far different from their previous plans of moving back to the far-ish away land of Tucson:
Average high temperature in Tucson in January: 66 degrees
Average high temperature in Boston in January: 33 degrees
Proximity to closest family member from Tucson: 600 miles
Proximity to closest family member from Boston: 1,000 miles
Proximity to closest Stoops brother from Tucson: 0 miles
Proximity to closest Stoops brother from Boston: 600 miles
Average age of houses for sale in Tucson: 2 years
Average age of houses for sale in Boston: 200 years
Number of friends in Tucson: at least five
Number of friends in Boston: zero
Distance to Mexico from Tucson: < 100 miles
Distance to Mexico from Boston: 2,000 miles
Menta and Mendall quietly kissed their dreams of owning a lava rock-yarded, faux-dobe house good-bye and began to embrace the reality of a few more years of scrimping and saving and apartment renting . They would not be making great fortunes in the far away land of Boston, but they knew that that was where they were supposed to go. Yes, little Vhomas would grow up a Northeasterner.
As Menta and Mendall began their preparations to journey to the far away land of Boston, they realized what tremendous blessings they had received in the land of their youth: Oklahoma. Though most outsiders found this land to be particularly desolate and boring, both Menta and Mendall had sad and heavy hearts as they thought about leaving friends and family behind. What wonderful memories they had made there! They vowed to themselves that as long as friends and family remained in Oklahoma, they would return to visit and share tales of their adventures in the far away land of Boston. Between visits they would document the happenings of their lives on a blog (ahem...the one you are reading) and keep anyone and everyone who cared informed about their semi-exciting lives. Yes, they decided after all, moving away to the far away land of Boston was just the adventure that they needed.
What will happen to Menta and Mendall and baby Vhomas as they haul a harp cross country in a minivan? Will they find a place to live? Will Menta enjoy his new job? Will they be able to endure their first New England winter? Will they faint when they see the price of milk? Stay tuned for the exciting continuation......
*names have been changed to protect the innocent
And did you guys honestly think I was going to make you read that without rewarding you with some cute Thomas pictures? Puh-leez! You guys know me better than that:
Our li'l Santa Baby. Seriously. So. Cute.
