Moved.

Moved Out.

I can't believe we did it. I can't believe we moved TO New York, and I can't believe we are already moved OUT. In the blink of an eye, you can do some really wild stuff. And we are tired. So many of you were incredibly encouraging and supportive when we shared about why we chose to leave the big city for a quieter, suburban year - thanks for all the loving comments and support!

I thought it was time to give you an update on our moving status: IT IS FINISHED. Well, sort of. We have moved, but we are most certainly not settled. This past week has been a whirlwind. Emotionally and physically. Moving across the country at 8 months pregnant is no small feat, and my husband has been the BOMB. He took care of every detail, hiring people to pack us and move us and then unpack us, just so that I wouldn't have to deal with the leaning over/bending/lifting shenanigans. He's the best. However, we were still completely exhausted when our plane touched down at Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta, slightly dumbfounded at our willingness to leave the greatest city on Earth. How could we do this? Are we insane? We have LOVED our time in New York, and yet, here we are, toting all our belongings and moving back to where we started? LITERALLY?! We were both born in this town. We are such homebodies, its silly.

I could gloriously elaborate paragraph upon paragraph about the emotional processing that we've both experienced, but that would be insanely boring. I like you too much to do that. Just know that we are processing, adjusting, unpacking, tearing up every now and then, and joyous to be here, all at once. We are at peace with this decision. And yet baffled, too.

One good thing that Stevie pointed out: Everywhere we've lived, we've been sad to leave. And that's a good sign because it means we have a valued investment in that place. When we left northern California to move back to Atlanta for school/work, we were sad. And when we moved from Atlanta to Boston for Stevie to go to grad school, we were suuuuuper nervous/excited but sad to leave our loving world. Moving from Boston to New York? WE WERE SO SAD. Although it was a little easier because all our friends were moving on, too. And now? Leaving NYC to go back to Atlanta? While we are extremely happy about coming home and getting to spend time with our loved ones, we are just sad. NYC has been such a dreamy experience for us. And I mean, Atlanta is just not New York. It's just NOT. But I love my husband's positivity, because he's right: it's good to leave a place and be sad about it, because that means its been an enriching, positive experience. And I know this won't be our last move, either, so... we have to start getting good at processing these kinds of transitions. Oh life.

// I got to sip my coffee while my belongings were packed. THANK YOU JESUS. //

// A few snapshots of the last day in our beloved apartment. Isn't he cute? I think I'll marry him. And have his baby. Oh wait. //

// Moved out! Waiting on our UberX to take us to the airport. Trying not to get too teary. The struggle. //

Because Moving Wasn't Crazy Enough...

After arriving in Atlanta and getting our stuff moved in 24 hours later, we jumped in our bro/sis-in-law's car (thanks, guys!!) and road tripped down to Florida where all Stevie's family was vacationing. The trip? Marvelous. The drive? Ridiculous. No more road trips for me until this baby is done being inside of me. Although the quiet comfort of the beach was a really relaxing reward after all the transitioning/shifting/relocating. We took practically no photos at the beach, just detoxed from the move and slept our little hearts out. But I found a few of these gems on my phone:

I'm just gonna go ahead and say "you're welcome" for that delicious eye candy I just served you. If you're feeling at all insecure about your summer bathing suit bod, keep in mind that I will only keep expanding for the next two months. So if you think you're not looking hot, just keep in mind that my personal summer uniform consists of a stretched-out bathing suit and chunky tennis shoes. Because that is what is most refreshing and comfortable. Yeah.

That's the update for now! I still have lots of NYC funsies to share with you. Our last 6 weeks in the city were partylicious - we visited a ton of new restaurants and explored the town with gusto. So look forward to more additions to the 50 NYC Adventures. And think of us as we, ya know, wear our bathing suits and unpack and car shop. Summertime in the 'burbs!

Moving.

Moving.

I hesitate to even type the words.

We are moving out of New York City.

Cue the saddest violins.

There are a myriad of reasons that contribute to this decision. Most of them revolve around the fact that Stevie & I want to give our first son Everett, due in August, the best possible first year of his life. After a harrowing winter here in NYC... I just can't imagine being cooped up in such a tight space with a baby next winter. And with the husband's job taking him on the road a bit more over the course of this next year, we decided that it makes the most sense to go back to our roots and embrace the loving support of our family. Our incredibly large, overly affectionate, wonderful, goofy delicious family that makes my heart pound with pride.

Selfishly, I don't want to leave New York. This is the city of dreams, especially mine, and it's been an absolute adventure exploring this town with Stevie over the past year. I relish the fact that he's fallen in love with this place that I've always held dear in my heart. He's found a job that he loves walking to, a wonderful group of work friends that encourage and empower him, and a rhythm of "his own" here. I love that we've made such to-die-for friends for LIFE that are really, far too good for us. I love that I've attempted to GO for a life-long dream and actually experienced the pain, challenge and euphoria of walking out that dream. It's a funny thing. Dreams in your head certainly manifest differently in real life. And yet I'm thrilled that I've had the opportunity to pursue that dream. This has been the city for it. And my husband has been my #1 supporter. How lucky am I?

However, when I try to think unselfishly (it's HARD), and consider what would be best for my little boy-to-be, I ask myself, "What would be the best possible environment for him?" Being exclusively in my care for the first year of his life? Well, that's a given. But anchored to a tiny apartment with limited ability to take the subway (no elevators for strollers), take a cab (no carseat bases), and potentially just us for days on end while daddy travels? Or... would it be best to be surrounded by 4 incredibly invested, loving, healthy grandparents? Along with a bevy of jolly aunts and uncles and a gaggle of precocious, precious, passionate little cousins? Not to mention the wondrous community of friends we have that are also having their first, second, and third children in Atlanta. The easy access to big box stores, quick ability to hop in the car to run by the grocery store, and SPACE for a baby room just adds oomph to the case for the move.

I know that millions of people have children in the city. I'm not saying that I won't have kids in an urban city one day. We are already dreaming of possibly moving back to New York, or another exciting metropolitan hub, at some point. The point is, I know it can be done. And I don't judge anyone for doing it! New York City must be an incredible place to grow up, with so much culture and opportunity for young children. But when faced with my own personal decision on the matter, my conviction stands strong. Stevie & I have such a peace about relocating back to our hometown, and soaking up the warmth and comfort of our family's embrace for this next year as we welcome our first son into the world.

So it is with bittersweet sentiment that I begin to pack my belongings (again!) and prepare for a relocation back to Atlanta for the year. With Stevie's job, we will be faced with another move in July of 2015, and at that point, our little man will be close to a year old. Perhaps then, we will be ready for another city adventure. If you've been following our New York journey from the very beginning, I thank you for discovering this city with me! Over the next several weeks I will be amping up our 50 NYC Adventures as we attempt to see/do/taste everything in sight before we leave! We are open to suggestions on any must-see recommendations before we fly this coop!

How to Make Moving A Little Easier.

// Photo: Museum of Natural History //

It's Ongoing.

We moved into our Upper West Side New York City apartment almost two weeks ago. And it's still a wreck. Why is that? I'll tell you why. Because moving is HARD WORK. I'm beginning to understand why people don't do this very often.

Our backs hurt. From building stuff.

My husband and I have been married for 6 years. In that time frame, we have moved 5 times, with 4 of those moves taking us to different states. We haven't had the chance to get too comfortable anywhere yet. However, we always feel at home, no matter where we live. We purposefully take the time with each move to create "home" where we are. It takes a lot of time, building shelves and arranging photos and measuring every inch of our tiny abode (we have only lived in apartments), but the extra effort is worth it. Though we haven't finished unpacking quite yet, I am beginning to see a pattern of how to make moving easier.

// Left to Right: // Forgot the key to the storage unit. This is how the door was opened. //

Anthropologie trinkets and  Black & Decker tools. // Brown boxes and Blue Moon. //

1. Set up your TV. 

This should be almost the first thing you do. I'm not kidding. Because at the end of a long day of unpacking, you just want to kick back with a beverage and watch a re-run of Friends. Do not underestimate the importance of zoning out for just a bit. Because the next morning, it's back to the boxes. And those boxes? They are practically never-ending.

2. Visit Starbucks. Home Away from Home.

The Starbucks tip is two-fold. Not only do they brew the happy stimulants that make the day go round, you can get online well before the Internet is up at your new apartment. There is always a reason to need Internet, which becomes blazing-ly clear when you don't have it. Where is the local hardware store to buy the extra drill bits you need? How to clean the strange bathroom scum left by the previous tenant? What is the amount of weight that IKEA shelf can hold? All of these answers can be found on the World Wide Web. At Starbucks. With the happy coffee in hand.

3. Get IKEA Delivered.

IKEA has made a pretty penny off of us over the past several years. I don't mind. Being car-less in the city is wonderful, but it makes bringing home furniture from my beloved IKEA a bit more challenging. This is the first time we have ever gotten furniture delivered, but wow. It was well worth it. We trekked out to the Brooklyn IKEA, picked everything out, paid for it, and then paid a mere $99 extra for everything to be delivered directly inside our apartment. We couldn't have rented a truck for cheaper than that, let alone attempted to move all those heavy furniture packages up and down the stairs by ourselves.

4. Visualize Your Goal.

One of the fun parts of moving (for me), has been the opportunity to try out different types of decor. We always sell most of our stuff before each move so that we can buy specifically for the new space, which gives us the opportunity to try out a new aesthetic. Trying out new styles is an exciting part of the move. For me, I visualize exactly what I want the "feel" to be, and I build the rooms around that. I have taken risks, made quite a few trendy mistakes, and slowly learned the patterns within my own preferred style. I am becoming more confident in what I know I like and don't like. Visualizing the goal helps overcome those "stuck" moments.

5. Grant Yourself Permission.

There is a lot of hard work that goes into moving, but one of the most important keys is having grace. Give myself permission to take time, think about where I want everything to go, and reorganize the last's apartment's mess. If you're in the midst of a move, take your time. Take breaks. Make sure to laugh, even if you feel like crying. Being surrounded by an endless amount of "We don't need ANY OF THIS!!!"-stuff can be overwhelming. It's okay. Just take a deep breath, maybe take a re-run break, and then get back to it.

These few elements have helped with this particular move. It doesn't make the art of moving a stroll in the park, but it certainly helps. And this move has been particularly special, because this time, it's NEW YORK. This stellar marvelous city. I'll take it.

Last Week in Boston

View from the Top of the Hub, Boston's Prudential Center

Celebrate. Graduate. Move. 

Whew, what a week. I've been a bit tardy on the blog this week, but for a slew of excessively good reasons. We've been partying. Packing. Sometimes weeping. Laughing a good lot. Sleeping not a pinch. Eating and drinking with friends and family and taking in the last wonderful moments of our time here in Cambridge.

HBS Prom. For 30-year olds.

Dreams Come True, People.

This week something wondrous happened. My husband graduated from Harvard Business School with his MBA. I can brag on him because this is no small feat. I've been there to witness his journey every step of the way, watching his determination and discipline in utter amazement. Stevie spent years dreaming of going to Harvard for business. When we were dating, we would lay under the sun-soaked trees by the Sacramento River in Redding and dream about what it would be like if he actually got the chance to go to such a school; who we would meet, where we would live, and how we could possibly survive the cold winters in such a shivery, unknown city. It was a big dream. Some might think, "near impossible!" And yet this week, after two years of studying, learning about new industries, reflecting on societal conundrums, expanding his world view and rearranging his life, he walked across that stage at Baker Lawn, shook Dean Nitin Nhoria's hand and received that piece of paper he worked so hard for. Dream: Accomplished.

Our wonderful families came to visit, including my extra-special Auntie Shirley. She's an academic queen, she actually went to speak at another graduation the following day! She's too legit.

Ceremonies in Harvard Yard. You can't park you car in here. Too many fancy tufts of grass.

Congrats, Grad.

Stevie is a living example that dreams can absolutely come true. A dream just has to be paired with an enormous amount of self discipline, a drive to learn and a really encouraging support system. He is my absolute hero, because he didn't just show me that he can do something amazing. He taught me how I can do something equally as amazing, too, because when you work hard and keep a positive attitude, the world awaits your victory. There is much more I could share about his experience, about our time here in Boston, our love for this community and our fierce loyalty to this wonderful school that has changed our lives, but I'll stop short of becoming emotional and move on. Because with his graduation comes the other part: we are moving.

Last View out of our 4-story Window // Me: "Where did all our stuff go? And how did we fit it into this 9x9 space?? // Stevie: "I can fit inside our closet now... cool!" // Goodbye to 923 Mass Ave.

Move If You Wanna.

We spent yesterday moving out of our beloved TINY Boston abode. We loved our little place, where we often made late night cups of tea while he studied and watched TONS of movies during snow storms. We can only hope wherever we live next feels just as cozy and delicious to our homebody hearts. We moved everything we own (haha, it's not much) into a storage space for the summer because we are spending the next two months essentially goofing off and enjoying our last hurrah before the real world (read: WORK) starts. Most of you know what that means: On Tuesday, we leave this country for a month-long backpacking trip throughout Europe! Oh my we have bitten off more than we may be able to chew.

All I've got for the next 35 days. Is on my front and on my back. Gonna have to work on that posture under pressure.

Backpackers, On Balet!

So now, dear friends, I am writing to you from a very nice seat on a Greyhound bus, bound for New York City. Stevie is next to me, headphones in, and finally resting after our insane week. I hope he's dreaming of gelato. We will spend the next few days in the New York, meeting with brokers and checking out different potential neighborhoods to live. Fingers crossed that we are able to find an apartment, though all conventional wisdom has told us that is it too early to secure a rental for August. We shall see. August 1 is our move date. Did I mention to you that we are living out of our backpacks? For the next two months I have like, 7 shirts. I feel sort of like a hippie vagabond, homeless, void of stuff and armed with an insatiable travel bug. Ready to learn about the world's testimonial history of classical culture.

Thanks for being a boss reader! This adventure is about to heat up!

Love love love.