“I haven’t gotten to bed at a reasonable hour in at least a week,” my sister, Lori, said, sliding into the driver’s seat of my car.
She pressed the “2” button on the armrest of my car door. After picking her up and explaining the floppiness of my sandals, she offered to drive the rest of the way to dinner where we were meeting a couple of friends.
My certified preowned Acura had proved worth its weight in gold over the past four years. Lori enjoyed the extra leg room her button press provided, using my car’s pre-programable driver’s seat position feature. It only allowed for two pre-programmed seat positions, and, well, I haven’t dated anyone in over two years shut up she was my number two.
Earlier in the week, one of Lori’s two indoor cats had taken off on an impromptu rumspringa, and between that, raising teenage twins, working as a 6th grade teacher, and recently cutting sugar from her diet, things were looking bleak.
“Well…I still don’t have anything to blog about for tomorrow…,” I offered meekly. “I was thinking about doing something about gratitude… Mostly since Grayson [your spoiled, jerk, OMG-I-love-him-so-much cat] is back!”
I’ve been thinking a lot about all that I’m thankful for because many of those things I’m about to leave behind. I haven’t made any splashy announcements, but in two weeks, I leave the only state I’ve ever really called home.
At first, signing a lease on an apartment 3,000 miles away felt amazing. I knew that feeling wouldn’t last. Because I love my life. I love my friends. I love my family. I love stupid New Jersey property taxes and stupid good bagels and the stupid feeling that I’m only ever seconds away from SOMETHING.
Yet at the same time I know -in that way you just DO- that moving cross-country is perfectly, exactly right. Goodbye a-hole adorable cats, goodbye #2 seat, goodbye everything bagels.
Except not really.
If quitting my corporate job in March and traveling for the past three months has taught me anything, it’s this: the world is a small place. And you’ll always have a home in it.
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Have you ever made a big move? How did it go?
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Go Jules Go 
If you get homesick, I’ll be happy to send you some pork roll.
If they come up with vegan pork roll while I’m out west, I might have to move back.
I’ll be moving to the PNW as soon as I retire in a few more years. I’ve already met one blogging friend while visiting out there, dare I hope for a second?! Of course, we both lived in Jersey for all this time and never (knowingly )crossed paths, so I’m not holding my breath. As for vegan pork roll, you’d be wise to pass on it.
I left Jersey for Maine when I was young and it was a total culture shock. Then I married and left the north for the south… another culture shock. But change is good, and I still hold little pieces of both within me.
If you’re moving 3,000 miles, are we talkin’ Cali?
It’s on my (is the husband ever retiring) bucket list.
Please get your spare bedroom ready!
I have definitely gotten to a place where I relish change, even if the unknown still gives me butterflies. I have two spare beds in a loft! In Oregon! …This is not sounding as appealing, is it?
Oregon?
Let me check the bucket list and get back to you…
😉
Just make sure you don’t make the Pacific Northwest your new home, like I did. Unless you like not seeing the sky for 6 months of winter, when sunrise is at 8 am. And everything outside never dries until June. But seriously, you’ll experience culture shock and weather pattern shock, and you’ll miss your family and friends. And then you’ll get used to your new home so much so that it will feel more like home than where you live now.
Thankfully I’ve got some amazing friends waiting for me on the other side of the country, which is definitely helping ease my nerves! That and the fact that it’s a high desert town, which I’m hoping means less humidity than New Jersey DEAR GOD LET THERE BE LESS HUMIDITY.
First, I’m very happy that you will be moving closer to me!! But I know that feeling of excitement turning into sadness. I’ve moved from Texas to Maryland to Massachusetts back to Texas and then to Oregon & Washington – two of the moves leaving my family 2,000+ miles behind. The moves away from my family were the hardest, but in the end I don’t regret them. I’ve seen so much of the country now and grown so much as a person.
I think you will love where you are moving to and find it easier than you expect to get back “home.”
You have definitely inspired me, Kristy! I can’t wait to visit!!
Oh my GOSSSHHHH!! I am so excited for you. The only crapola part is Jersey is close to Scotia….. now you won’t be.
I moved from the lower peninsula to the UP for college, first culture shock. Then time in Wisconsin, next to Chicago, then off to Japan. Lived there for 2 years, had a job and support but it was quite the culture shock. I returned to my family home before venturing off again. Now have been in the same place for 25 years, not likely to move again, unless I win the lottery and can buy a little place on the lakes here in MI. Good luck on this next adventure!
What’s dragging… I mean taking you to Oregon? Other than a kidnapping?
I have never lived outside my State, In fact, my farthest move was less than 70 miles. That being said, I have moved 14 times through 2 divorces.
Scott
I was born in a different country and then moved to the U.S. when I was but a wee lil one. Then, I hit 20 and moved to a different country, apparently trying to make my way around the world. Then, I missed tv, so I moved back to the U.S. I almost moved to NYC or Portland Oregon, but got married and stayed in Texas instead. If you really just feel the need to go, then go, Jules, go!
So flipping excited for you!! And once you get settled, I can start planning a trip next year back to my old haunts in Olympia, maybe take Julia to LA (she is obsessed with living in California) and we can meet up at some point. Can’t wait to hear all about your new adventures!