It's been a long time since my last post. We have had a wonderful holiday season with lots of family visits. Dylan is growing up fast and is talking, talking and talking. And did I mention Dylan is talking?
Summer was super busy for us because we were deciding what was best for our family. Bill and I love the Bay Area and had never seriously considered moving anywhere else. Bill settled down here after being a rolling stone for many years. Growing up, I have always thought I belonged somewhere else that is not Los Angeles. I have always wanted to move to the Bay Area and got the chance to do so 8 years ago and haven't ever regretted doing so.
That was B.C. (Before Child). After Dylan (A.D.) entered our lives, there was sort of this slow emotional migration to the idea of moving closer to family. For one, he seems to love the time he gets to spend with them. Second, he won't grow up an island, only to see family during special occassions and holidays. We envision a life growing up with cousins some day and we want him to feel as comfortable around the entire family as each and every child yet to come.
Specifically, I am referring to my family in the Los Angeles area. Sure, we have Bill's family in the east coast and in the midwest. And let's not forget Auntie Kay and Uncle Tom right here in the Bay Area. However, everyone sort of has their busy lives around them. And while we love everyone equally, the consideration, if we were to move, was to move closer to my family in Southern California, where we will celebrate each family birthday together, where Aunties and Uncles will come and play on the weekends (and maybe some weeknights too), where Mommy and Daddy may some day be able to schedule a weekend off together sans Dylan.
So, after much soul searching (mostly from me I think as it took me several months to get on board with the idea), and frustration with house hunting and deciding where we really want to build a home, we found a house in Simi Valley, California. It's not fancy or new, nor in a ritzy neighborhood, but it does have room for the three of us, 2 offices, and some guests who don't have to sleep on the sofa or the floor. It also has a small backyard (super important for Dylan) and a large jacuzzi (we didn't care really for this but it was there). There is a local pool and tennis club that we will end up belonging to as part of being in that particular neighborhood (again nothing fancy but probably a good place to meet new friends). My parents are about 20 minutes away so that my mom can have her Fridays with Dylan. And technically, we are not in Los Angeles county, but Ventura, so that makes me feel better.
As with all major decisions, there are pluses and minuses. Obviously, the pluses outnumbered the minuses. Nevertheless, there are a few things that break my heart when I think of this move. We will dearly miss our time with Bill's sister Mary Kay and her husband Tom. They have made living here all the more awesome. While we will come up and see them and they will come down to see us, it's not like calling each other the night before and saying, "what are you doing tomorrow?" Dylan will miss Aunt KK and Uncle, and even Max. Then, there are our friends. We don't see them super often (most of them live about an hour away), but we are in each others peripherals and will often think of each other and plan get-togethers with each other. Especially now that most everyone has kids, it's the idea that we are leaving that community that saddens me. The idea that we have to find new friends is a little daunting as neither Bill nor I love to make new friends. We are picky that way I guess. Plus, how many people are we going to meet in So Cal who love rafting as much as we do? For Dylan, I am sad to take him away from his daycare/preschool. We were fortunate to have found Lil Sunflowers over a year ago when I went back to work. We will be sad to say goodbye to all the caring teachers and Dylan's buddies. He has blossomed there so much and I am nervous of how he will adjust to the new school. Then, there is the SF Bay Area in general. I don't hate Simi Valley. Actually, I think it is nice and the schools are great, and it is the perfect place to raise kids. But, I also can't imagine that I would one day be heard saying I love it there, and that there is no place on the planet like it, etc etc.
So here we are in the eve of the biggest move we have yet to make as a family. We are moving mid February and starting brand new in Southern California. We are excited, we are sad, yet we are happy all at the same time. I hope to post again before the move but if I don't get the chance, next post will likely be from Simi Valley.
1 comment:
Hi, it's great to hear that Dylan is doing so well. Sounds like a very good decision to move south, especially having so much family support there. Best wishes for an easy move!
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