Getting Around...Be Impressed!

So, we've lived here just over a year, and I still feel lost almost all of the time.

The roads are twisty, the trees are tall and thick, and it's all rather disorienting. 

Part of the reason I'm always lost is that we sold our second car in preparation for moving, and I spent a lot of time in the past year at home with Oliver while Jesse went to school.

Now that we have a new car (oh yeah, I forgot to tell you...WE GOT A NEW CAR) and I can go and do things at my leisure, I've been feeling more and more comfortable on the road. 

I'm even picking up on the roadway language and no longer stare at people like a deer in headlights as they talk about one or more of the 8 million freeway routes when giving me directions.  

OK, that still happens all of the time, but I DO have a much better grasp of what's going on out there. 

AND, yesterday I met a milestone, which I wanted to share. 

So, without further ado, I present:

THE SHORT LIST OF PLACES I CAN DRIVE MYSELF (without the help of my mostly helpful GPS):

Arundel Mills (Mall, Costco, Safeway)

The Post Office

The Library

Walmart

Sam's Club

Kohl's

Church (I know three routes to get myself there!)

Most of my friends' homes

Greenbelt Metro Station

And newly added to this list: Ikea

My funny friend said, "Probably one of the most important places other than church," and, personally, I couldn't agree more!

Except I can't quite trust myself to get home from Ikea yet...I'll have to practice. And the practice is going to be GREAT!