So it's been a while since I've posted anything. That's mainly due to the fact that life became even more bonkers than it was before. I was finishing a PR class, I'm working two jobs, and I'm also trying to pack our entire home. Oh, and taking care of our crazy (but adorable) dog at the same time.
We are in the process of moving to Santa Barbara, and are in the last two weeks of life in our current home. I'm tremendously excited to move back to Santa Barbara, as it has always been a special place for us. For me, it has always felt like home in a different way than other places I've lived. We have friends and a church in Santa Barbara, so it's not like we're going into completely unknown, unfamiliar territory. But at the same time, change is hard, and when it comes to things like, oh, finances, it can be downright scary.
We've been praying about this move and thinking and talking and assessing things for several months now, and enough things finally lined up where we said, "Okay, God, we're taking a leap of faith." Not long after my husband put in his notice at work last month, we found an apartment that was within our means, recently remodeled, and accepts dogs (all of which are hard enough to find individually in Santa Barbara, let alone as a combo deal). My husband is working so hard to find a job while he lives in our minimally furnished apartment. Meanwhile, I'm trying to work as many hours as I can and simultaneously pack our belongings here. It's tough in a lot of ways, and it's easy to feel helpless or for fear to creep in.
It's moments like that when I need to remind myself how God has always taken care of us and will always continue to do so. Not because we've done anything to deserve it, but because he's good and he loves us. So we're trusting him to work things out, even while a part of me is going, "man, things are getting kind of crazy here..."
These next couple weeks will probably be the hardest. I thought once I was done with my PR class, and therefore had one less thing to focus on amid the myriad of logistical concerns, that things would get slightly easier. HAHAHA, NOPE. Because now it's hitting me that we're leaving in less than two weeks. And I'm not talking about my brain going, "OH MAN, so much stuff to pack! How will we get it done?!" No, no, no. Now the emotions are kicking in.
We've always wanted to go back to Santa Barbara, but that doesn't make saying goodbye to all the friends we have here any easier. It doesn't stop thoughts like "I wish I had hung out with this person more while I was living here" and "I'm going to miss playing with so-and-so's kids" and others from popping into my head. And yeah, there's only a three to three-and-a-half hour car ride between San Diego and Santa Barbara, but visiting is not the same as doing life together on a regular basis. And I am going to miss my friends here something fierce...
In a way I'm both looking forward to the last weekend of May (our moving weekend) and dreading it, because of everything that it entails. It's like I want to hit the fast-forward button and the pause button at the same time.
Not sure if I will have time for another update between now and the big move, but I'll be sure to post about life in Santa Barbara once we're up there. In the meantime, keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Much love,
Alyssa
