Goodbye, Colorful Colorado; Hello, Golden State

The last week or so has been a little chaotic and dramatic in our household, and it doesn't look to be shaping up any time in the near future. As noted a couple of days ago, Sam went for an interview in San Francisco last week. All went well, and the company offered him the position before he'd even left the building. We had lengthy discussions about the pros and cons of accepting the offer, and after a lot of tears and talking, late Monday evening, the decision was made to let the offer go. I think we both felt relieved in some sense, but also a bit disappointed that Sam wouldn't be pursuing such a wonderful career opportunity. However, the company wasn't going to give up on Sam without a fight, and as they continued to pursue Sam, they sweetened the deal even more. At this point, it would have been incredibly difficult to continue to decline... and so, he accepted a very exciting opportunity on the west coast.

*Image found here

What does this mean for us? Well, for starters we are going to have a very quick reminder of just how expensive housing is in California (as well as the high cost of many other necessities), but it also means we'll be renting out our "forever house" here in Colorado and attempting to get an entire household packed up and moved in about two weeks. My mind is reeling, spinning out of control. There are so many unfinished projects around the house that I honestly don't even have time to be typing this out, but it's also the quickest way I know to tell as many people as possible without having to restate the story a hundred times.

As with any change, there is good and bad with this move. I am sad to be leaving a community that I have grown fond of. I will miss the ease of bicycling in this area as well. Oh, we'll adjust to a busier atmosphere, and I'm sure it will become old hat in no time at all, but I've realized just how easy it is to get around in this area by bike - even in the winter, as I've just recently ventured out on a snow ride. I will miss the happy bird that whistles every morning, looking for its partner. I'll miss the people we've had the opportunity to get to know, and even some of the ones we don't know very well, but who still made an impact on our (my) life. I'll miss attempting to get some kind of garden going in the yard, the squirrels that heckle the dogs each morning,  the train honking its horn several times a day, and many, many other things.

This photo was taken almost 20 years ago on a trip to visit a friend living in Sonoma, CA - who would've thought I'd be living in this area nearly two decades later?

With the downside though, comes good and positive change. For instance, I will no longer worry about snow in the winter and spring. So, we may be in for more rain than we get here, but I'll take that as a positive. We will be closer to family (though I haven't quite determined yet if this is a positive or not :O)). We will be close to good public transportation... and perhaps even more exciting to me, we will be extremely close to the beach again (even though I am aware that this part of the state isn't as sunny as other regions). In addition, Sam's career is in for a definite, and much-needed shake up, and I will find my way in the slew of artists in that part of the country... I'm actually looking forward to it.

As for the blog here, I am supposing posts may end up being a bit sporadic until we are settled in to a new spot. For the time being, when Sam arrives in California, he will be staying in an extended stay location in SF, while I will be a couple hundred miles south at my moms home with our dogs, until we secure an actual place to live.  I'm sure that is going to bring its own challenges, but we know what we are in for and are embracing the experience. I know our relationship is strong, and while we will miss being together every day, the ultimate outcome will be a great one. I continue to remind myself that we just cannot know where life is going to take us, and we could end up back here in Colorado quite easily. This is just one of those opportunities that has to be acted on to see what might be possible.  I truly believe it is going to be a wonderful, positive experience. I look forward to the road ahead and the adventures that await us.

"Change. It happens every day, every moment, everywhere. To live fully, we must learn to embrace change and honor it, even when change arrives with the companions of fear and uncertainty." - Unknown