thoughts on moving

Maybe it is a start over or maybe because I feel at home back here in Jacksonville, but moving for me has been a new start. Maybe moving back to my home turf has allowed me to feel like life is a little easier and the pressures of the conformity of Utah are gone. It is fun to be ME out here. I am unique out here in this little town of Jacksonville. The typical mom stuff is fun. Going to take my kids to school and to be there when they are done is fun. Creating a strict schedule that the kids have never had before is working well, even though it is a lot of work every day. I now understand why my Mom would get up early in the morning before us kids: To enjoy a quiet moment before life started for the day. Eating a bowl of cereal and catching up on the news for a few moments before that schedule starts is refreshing to me.

The house is amazing and I have never been "in love" with a house before this one. Every little nook and cranny is even better than the last. The space is amazing and I just have to sit in amazement that it is mine for now. The yard is HUGE and I feel safe to let my kids go outside and play. Be kids and explore without the fear of a busy street. Heck we don't even have sidewalks. Taking a stroll down the middle of the street barefoot is just fine here and all the neighbors either stop and say hi or wave as they go by. The Southern comforts...maybe that is what I have been missing in my life.

I love knowing that dinner is at 5 pm every night and that I don't feel overwhelmed by a kitchen. Sure I still have boxes around, but they are slowly getting put away. We have the internet after a fun day of trying to get it. To take a break from the TV and the web was nice. It sure does make for more family time and evening walks. For instance Katy and I took a walk yesterday morning just to get out of the house. We needed a break from the house since it is just her and I in the mornings now. We took a stroll over to where my mom used to live. Only 3 blocks away from our house now. Katy got all mad because her grandma wasn't there. She even called and said "Hi Grandma. I'm at your old house. Where are you?" Sure it is hard being away from my mom, but in many ways it is like my mom is here. We drive the same streets. Hannah is with old teachers of my brothers and well....it is Jacksonville. Changed but still the same.

I just take a deep breath and realize that I have come home. Home to my neighborhood that I wanna raise my children in. Home to where the life is a little bit slower. It's okay to sit on your porch and watch the fireflies dance in the night. Slow to take your time to notice the sounds of nature that are all around you. Slow to know that life can go at a little slower pace. I will catch up eventually, but right now I am taking it all in. Yes, moving has been good to me. I just hope it lasts through all of nursing school.