We landed in Houston on August 18, 2011 & I found myself full of very few emotions except for uncertainty & fear. We closed on our home just a few hours later & walked into an echoing, empty house with just our suitcases & an air mattress. My mom swooped in to save the day shortly after & spent a solid week reminding me that everything will be okay every time she'd see my eyes start to get extra-shiny.
Of course she was right.
Our movers delivered 8 pieces of furniture & 50 or so boxes of all of our earthly possessions (into a space that was approximately seven times larger than what we were used to for 6+ years). One year later, my house is still fairly empty, despite money invested + hours & hours of carefully picking out things that I love & hope to be unique & special to us. Everything has taken a little bit longer than planned, furniture is always back ordered (or broken upon delivery) or moved to a buy later list, & I still have a zillion things on my to-do list, but that's okay. We've made a huge amount of progress & we're settled. It probably happened faster than I thought that it would.
I can get around Houston without a GPS, I have an OB / Pediatrician / Doctor / Neurologist (thank you, stressful first few months) / Dentist / Hairdresser / etc, but more importantly I have good people around me in my neighborhood & ward that I can count on & who have been really good to us. At the end of the day, that has probably made all of the difference.
(And being able to go to the pool in November & March. And filling up my entire trunk with groceries from Trader Joe's. Those things, too.)
Q has now spent as much of his life in Texas as he has in New York, & while this makes me a little bit sad, I also know that there is life after New York City. Not better, & not worse - just different. And good, still! And the further away from our city I get, the more I appreciate the years we lived there, the people we met & the experiences we took away - while still being able to really enjoy where I am now. It's a nice feeling.
August 18, 2011. I'm fairly certain it was at least 108˚. Also, friend Suzi had clearly not yet given me her sharp warning about fire ants (!!).
Left: This is Q doing I'm going to get you, I'm going to get you!! And then when he gets me, I attack him with tickles.
8 comments:
A year! I can't believe it. Seeing the pictures of Q really hit home how much changes in a year. It is lovely to hear where you are just one year later - settled is a good place to be.
Wow a year! I'm
Happy you are feeling good where you are now
Happy Texaversary!
One year!! Isn't it comforting to know that you can thrive anywhere?
Congrats on one year! That is a huge milestone. There is life after New York City! So, so true.
What a happy post! Loved it. Not better, not worse - just different :)
those pictures--baby quinn and big boy quinn--seriously can't believe the difference. was he really so little when you arrived?? and has it really been a year?! i'm glad you and texas are friends. i really miss it and y'all.
You have made more progress in one year than I made in probably my 3 1/2 in San Clemente when I moved there. Certainly more than my one year where I am now. You are amazing Kathryn. And Q looks like Texas is his friend too:)
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