New Year, New Word, New Town

The new year is here.  2015.  Last year we spent a lot of time looking at our life, praying about where we were headed as a family, and making the big decision to move back to central NY.  Now it's 2015 and it feels like GO TIME.  The count down is on, the checklists are being made and the children are daily asking questions about what will come with us.  Toys, yes; toilet, no.

I know that packing up and driving across country will be a lot of work, but the actual decision to go was harder. We love Colorado and the friends we have made here.  When we looked at our life here, we could totally see ourselves being very happy for a long time in Colorado.  However, when we looked at some long standing essentials we wanted for our kids and for our marriage, we knew we had to at least go back home and give small town living a try again.

I feel SO incredibly blessed to have lived in two places that I love so much.  This is very much a decision between my favorite cake and a second helping of my favorite cake!  One place isn't better, the people aren't better in one town over the other, opportunities aren't superior here or there.
This is a decision made with the hopes that some things we have talked about for years can come to fruition in our new surroundings.  Yes, we are moving to my home town, but the town has changed since I have lived there.  Many people I knew have moved away...including my family.  The stores have changed, some of the people have changed, and I'm positive I can't even imagine the amount of change I will encounter.  In my heart I know that the general feel of the town won't have changed.

I'm sure I will blog a lot this year.  It's mostly going to be a jumble of emotions as I make my way through this journey.  Honestly, I am split right in half of wanting to be in NY today and also never wanting to leave Colorado.

Some people choose a word for the year.  My word this year is Breathe.  During the hard parts of packing, I need to just keep breathing.  Each time I enter my kid's school and fall more in love, I need to remember that their new school might be great...breathe.  When I have a great time with my friends out here and fear loneliness in the year to come; I need to breathe.  After we make our move and I'm standing in my home town once more;  I will need the strength to breathe and remember this was my choice and I'm excited about it.  Once I get settled into our new home...I hope to be able to breathe more easily on a regular basis.