New Chapter

Summer and Fall of 2012 were lonely and empty months. October came around and I realized, it was my turn to leave. To start a new chapter of my life, a new and exciting chapter of change. I realized the week before we left, I was terrified. All I have ever known was the west coast. However, as we pulled out of the driveway with a packed car & packed moving truck, it all became so real. It was dark out, and raining. What a perfect night to leave Oregon. Leaving all my sad memories, and the people who made my heart hurt. Taking with me all the happy memories, the times I shared with my best of friends. I watched through the window as the grass outside coarsened and yellowed with the passing miles, watched the trees suddenly erupt into enormous redwoods as we crossed into California, then twist and shrink into leafy oaks. I watched the sun come over the mountains,and got to see all of the beautiful windmills of So. California. Suddenly, that morning in that moment while I was driving I was overwhelmed by peace and excitement. This new chapter has officially begun 10/16/2012.

I looked at my new home state with equal parts excitement and anticipation. This was no longer just a vacation. We arrived in Florida 10/19/2012. One year ago today. I cannot believe we have lived in this paradise for a whole year already. It has been everything we dreamed and more. We had a lot of people not wanting us to leave Oregon, some thinking we were crazy for wanting to leave such a beautiful state. I think people are crazy that someone would want to live in the same place their whole life and not experience anything new and exciting. Where is the adventure in that?

This last year my family has become a whole. I have a husband who is home and gets to eat dinner with his kids (at least a few times a week!). My kids get to see their mom and dad every single day - we are finally a family "unit" and no longer just a family. The sheer happiness that surrounds us in our every day life is more than I could've ever asked for. My kids get to play outside every single day, and have a new-found love for playing in the rain! We have new special people in our lives that I don't believe I would've ever made the connection with otherwise. "Soul friends". We have a beautiful house with a list of changes/improvements longer than I could type of things we want to do. Our future is exciting. Every day, life is exciting.

All that to say, Happy 1 year anniversary to my family and this new chapter of our life. So enjoying every minute of every day, looking forward to the future but not rushing this happy place of life where we are. There hasn't been many times that I wasn't anxious for "the next" chapter or season of my life. Or grateful when one was over, until now. Sometimes a HUGE life change is what you need to find true happiness.

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/10/14/2837288/saying-goodbye-and-entering-a.html#storylink=cpy