I intentionally pushed
this post off for two months. The new year started at the end of February for us. I couldn't even tell you the date we hit the road. The week leading up was desperately difficult. It was a struggle to get going, but we made it. And really, that's the lesson that this year produced.
Last February, the winter days seemed few and far in between, and that seemed like a good enough sign for me that we should go.
Travel West. Make the big move. See what else the world had to offer us. I winced when we crossed the PA border. I'm sure we didn't say much when we knew we were now in Ohio. I felt guilty but hopeful. He felt guilty but trusted me. Married just four months. Two dogs in the backseat, one who loved the car, another who would
never trust it again. Each morning we reset the GPS to a new destination, checked for the possibility of snow, and drove. Not letting go of the world we grew in our old home, and yet almost at the point where we could dream about the new life.
I did feel what I thought I would feel
once the mountains came into view. My car had driven the same path in the opposite direction four years before, a girl in love, so sure about the future with her passenger. When we saw the welcome sign, I was grateful. Not because I didn't want to live in Pennsylvania, but because I accomplished something so great. My husband with me now. I knew that this would work too.
That first night, the lights flickered, snow fell, and the power went out. I don't know if that's a metaphor for anything. We moved to Washington in the most miserable of season. The rainiest, the dampest, the coldest. We're in it again as I type and already its not as bad. Its familiar again.
I know that K was heartbroken. But he never showed it. He hit the ground running. Made connections, looked for new opportunities, and really tried. I was never that brave. He spent afternoons driving and learning his way around. Found the back roads that would take him where he needed to go. I made the most of the room that we shared at my parents house. Tried to find Pennsylvania where I could.
The dogs transitioned amazingly. They were just happy that there was more love to go around.
Slowly the days got longer and dried up a bit. Flowers pushed through the soil and we formed new identities here. We knew that we needed to do similar things here that we did back East. It was important to find a bar. That may seem silly, but I hold dear the late nights we found ourselves there, sharing a pitcher of beer, and talking deeply about how this move has effected us. That booth was our therapist.
Moving is so hard and its all so worth it, but there is a lengthy transition period that's required. I was successful with the
Spring List, though not so with gardening. I'll learn to do better this year.
It did get easier. We knew we missed PA, but also knew
we could be happy here. April rolled in and K returned to PA with his mom for a couple of weeks, the day after
Easter. He came back in time for my
birthday, which was one of the best birthdays to date. Things seemed to take off from there. I got a job, K was busy working on campaigns. Nights were just right for backyard fires. We made it a point to go to the city often.
Life was starting to become full.
In May,
I had a hot date with my city. If you've never done that with yours, what are you waiting for?
Later that month, we just needed to get away. Get out of the house and find someplace new. Itching for our first home together, but fully aware that other things needed to happen first, we knew two days away would tie us over. We found
Alderbrook. Its almost as if the universe was giving us a sneak peak. We now live twenty minutes away.
Our
first Summer in Washington lived up to expectations. Busy with work, we made the most of the moments in between. I can't recall much from the Summer, but I can tell you I went to bed each night happy. We didn't travel like the year before. We didn't see the ocean, but could visit the Sound anytime we wanted. I watched my husband excel. I watched him make this place his own. We
checked in often.
Really, we survived. Thrived. Made due. And I'm proud of all of that.
Then, I almost killed someone. But I didn't, kill anyone, that is.
We decided to be safer for the rest of the Summer. I threw a
Bloom Party. Let the
dogs have their day. And found ourselves so wrapped up in our new life here that we forgot how
fast time was passing.
Like a
whole year, marked at the most
magical time of the year. And I can only say now, what a difference a year makes. What a difference a year makes for relationships. Ours, others, ours with others; that's how we mark our strides with each passing year. We grew from October to October, but really grew into our own February to February. Some grew with us, some stayed where they needed to stay, but all helped make it work. I didn't blog much after October, which is really a shame because that's when we took off. Our plans started falling into place. We found a home, filled it with our love, and started to form our roots.
I think the most important moment was when we went back to PA in the Fall. We indulged in our old hang-outs, soaked up each moment with our friends, and spent quality time with family. Of course we miss it there. And absolutely was this move awful at times. But, I think we stood united and proud of the fact that we now live in Washington. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, but still going strong here.
I loved living there. I loved our friends and the strong community that the East Coast promotes. I miss Gettysburg. I miss fireflies. I miss bars with really good wings (or mediocre wings, I mean, god, they are just awful here). I miss how men make fun of sports teams. I miss our Italian restaurant where K took me on our first date. I miss the covered bridges. I miss how the grocery stores have turkey stock on the shelves in November. I miss that buzz that the locust make in the Summer. I miss our drives around the towns late at night. I miss the boys who always make fun of the way I talk. I miss all of it.
I hope he knows that I miss it too. I hope he knows that I will never forget that those things are important. They're just as important as Mt. Rainier.
I've known that we've needed to move for awhile. I've believed in Washington and what it has to offer. I've experienced its beauty and need to
explore more. This voice in the back of my skull has told me for a long time that something great is waiting here for us. It wouldn't have been right for him to just move here in the first place. I needed to bring Pennsylvania with me. Not just sitting next to me in that same car, but in the form of memories, swagger, a hint of an accent, an appreciation for hockey, multiple Steeler tshirts (when did I get so many?), the understanding of heritage, two PA born Labradors, and a love of where he came from.
We're here. We've been on this path for awhile. We will get to where we're going soon.
