"At a certain part in your life, probably when too much of it has gone by, you will open your eyes and see yourself for who you are. Especially for everything that made you so different from all the awful normals. And you will say to yourself: but I am this person. And in that statement, that correction, there will be a kind of love."
-from the film Phoebe in Wonderland

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

MOVIN' ON UP....






So I've lived in metro Atlanta my whole life. I have a very comfortable, suburban life here: friends, family, and a job I love (most days). I like having the city close enough to me so that I don't miss out on anything, but I like coming home to "the country". I like going into work super early so that I can have the afternoon to my leisure. I like going to my friends house at night and hanging out. I like going to "my" movie theater - the same one I basically lived at when I was a teenager. I like my big family dinners. I like that my brothers live no more than 15 minutes away. I like the close relationship I share with my nieces because I have always been here at home with my parents to be apart of their daily lives. I like that the church I go to is made up of many of the same people I've been going to church with since I was 5 years old. I even like this old house that I have lived in since I was 11.

I always thought, as a teenager, that when I turned 18 I would hit the road and never look back. But that didn't happen. I started working full-time after high school and eventually started college. My parents went from 2 of my worst enemies to 2 of my best friends. My nieces were here every day and I loved, loved, loved watching them grow up. All of the sudden, I couldn't image not living close by my family. So I stayed in my little garage apartment and got very comfortable - always with a tinge of guilt that I never "left the nest".

A couple of weeks ago, I started the process of interviewing for an amazing early childhood facility in Buckhead. Monday I will begin work there fulltime. And the last week of this month, I will be taking a huge step and moving out on my own. About time, right?!

I am so excited to be taking on this new adventure. I will be moving into the ATL. Although it has always been home to me, I have never lived IN the city. I can't wait.

And yet there is a very big part of me that will miss this life I love sooo much. Almost every aspect of my life will change in some way. I know it's whats best for me. I know I am doing the right thing. I know that this is what God wants for me. That is the biggest thing for me. I prayed and prayed that God would show me what I was suppose to do - stay at home or spread my wings. I even got a little discouraged wondering how he would answer me. And even though I can't really explain it, He made it known to me that my time has FINALLY come.