In my last post I mentioned that whenever life presents a new story then I take to the keyboard and write.
Here I am.
Life is presenting a new story.
On April 22nd, we moved into our new cottage in Albany. Three of the four of us left Rochester and began a new life in Albany. (One of us still had six weeks of college classes left and took up with our neighbors to finish the semester out.)
Can I just be transparent with you? Rochester never felt like home to us. We met some amazing folks that we absolutely love and miss terribly, please don't get me wrong! But Rochester (Pittsford) was harsh for our family on so many levels. The initial move there was traumatic. Andy's job experience with the company we moved there for...also VERY traumatic. Two of the five years there were spent under a pandemic! We just never truly felt endeared to the place. We tried! But it was evident that we were there for life lessons and relationships so when the opportunity literally fell into Andy's lap to move us, we took it! And here we are!
Ben started a new high school last week. Yes, with less than two months to go in his junior year we transplanted him. Learning from his past (11 different schools growing up), Andy shared that he truly believed it was better to start with a couple of months to go than to wait an entire summer in anxiety with no friends. Oh wise Andy! He was right! Ben has a great first impression of his high school, of the culinary program he entered at the local vo-tech school, and of ALL of his teachers! (If you know Ben, then you know!)
Andy moved over the end of January to begin his new job which he truly enjoys. He lived in an AirBnB apartment for three months and it was a little oasis. While being apart was so very difficult, the apartment came with extra bedrooms so the kids and I would often alternate jumping on the train to visit Dad for the weekend and house-hunt. (The house-hunt is a total blog post in and of itself! OOF!)
I left my job at Sutherland High School and am back to full-time wife and mothering. For those of you who know me well, you know this is my favorite career and I love it! Actually, I'm more of a full-time unpacked right now...but HEY! It comes with its own set of rewards! Just yesterday I found my bedding! WINNING!
Now I've caught you up on the beginning of our new story. There's so much to see unfold...will Abby move to Albany or stay in Rochester? Does Ben pass the baking test with muffins that didn't rise? How will Marla and Andy celebrate 26? And what do they NAME THAT HOUSE???? Hmmm....maybe I should try writing a "Choose Your Own Adventure" blog...
(Thanks, Jaime, for encouraging me to write our new story.)