A Bittersweet Goodbye

Four years ago, Tommy and I came out to San Diego for the first time.  Tommy had just taken an oath to join the Navy as an officer in the Dental Battalion and we found out that he would be stationed at Camp Pendleton.  We left Mason and Elizabeth in Philadelphia with my mom and came out to search for a place to live. I remember being in such shock of California.  As we drove around from San Diego to Carlsbad, I saw that it really was just like it is in the movies. There were beautiful homes on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and surfers walking barefoot from their cars to the beach.  Friends and bonfires lined the shores every evening.  Was this real?  Were we really about to move our crew out here so far away from our family?

Now four years later I find myself thinking back to that couple who came out here and I can barely recognize them.  So much has changed since the time when we took that leap and moved our little family across the country, far away from everything that we had ever known.  I have grown and changed in ways that I never thought possible.  Tommy and my marriage has strengthened and we feel closer than ever. We have created our own family traditions and learned how to parent on our own.  I have truly envisioned us living here forever and raising our children in this amazing environment.  We have had serious conversations about buying a place and settling here.  But then at the beginning of this year, Tommy was accepted into the Oral Surgery program at Temple University.  He has always dreamed of becoming a surgeon so he decided to apply for residency.  When I found out that he was accepted, I was thrilled for him.  What an amazing opportunity and a chance for us to be back near our family.  As much as I was excited for him, I was also so disappointed for us.  We have created a life out here and its been a wonderful one.  We have grown and strengthened.  We have added to our family (Yay Addie Girl!!). We have so many wonderful and amazing friends who have become like family to us.  We are involved in school, baseball, music, theatre. If we leave all of what we have valued does that mean that we leave some of us behind?

As much as I am scared to start over, and as sad as I am to leave our life here, I find myself feeling so grateful that we were given the opportunity to live here.  I am so thankful to all of our friends here who have taken us in and made us family.  Your friendship has made our time here that much more amazing.  As we close our this chapter and prepare for our next adventure I ask God for guidance through our move.  We can do this Bris Family!
Thanks Cali.  You are like no one else.

xo
K