"Where are you from?" .........."Dade City, FL"

Today marks the 75th day since we closed on our new house in Dade City, FL.  As the Holidays are fast approaching I always find this is a time of reflection on the past year, gratefullness for all of the wonderful things in my life, and excitement of what is to come in the next year.  2010 has truly been the best year of my life.  It has been a year filled with change, excitement, stress, anxiety, and just about every emotion in the book.  But one thing I have realized especially over the past few weeks as I am on the tail end of decorating our house (until I want something else :) that we are SETTLED.  To me this is the best feeling in the world.  In 2009 when I made the huge leap for love to move from the Boston area (where I had lived all my life) to Augusta, GA to be with John it was a big deal.  I realized shortly after the move that I loved being in my own little world with John.  Mind you I miss my family very, very much but this step in my life has truly made me appreciate the relationships I have with both family and friends that much more.  Lots of people move away, has anyone else had a similar feeling out there?

Moving to two new areas being both Augusta  and Tampa, John and I have met a lot of wonderful people and one of the first questions they ask are "Where are you from".  For John and I it is usually a long drawn out answer "I am from the Boston area"  John: "I grew up in Paducah, KY but my family lives in Nashville"  Simulatenously: "We just moved from Augusta".  The other night while driving home late from the Florida/ SC game John and I were talking and I decided that from now on when people ask us "Where we live/from"  we are just going to say "Dade City, FL outside of Tampa."  why because that is where our home is.  My home is with John, and Palin and I am in love with where we are at in our lives right now.  With that said I will always be a "Boston girl" at our heart, but I have entered a new chapter in my life with the love of my life....and now I am from North of Tampa:)....and no matter what (MOM, I know you are reading this)  in the words of Carrie Bradshaw "People come into your life and people go. But it's comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you're very lucky, a plane ride away."