A little over four years ago The Finn and I packed up our house, two kids and two dogs and moved to the Seattle area. We moved to a place I’d only visited twice. Both times were house hunting trips. Seattle proved to be a difficult place for me to make friends and start over. I learned my overly-friendly Midwesterner attitude didn’t always fit here. My extroverted self quieted down and settled in.
I eventually found a great group of friends and explored the area. Mount Rainier, downtown Seattle, museums, zoos, amazing restaurants, and so much more. It’s been four years and we’ve barely put a dent in the list of activities Washington has to offer, but we’re running out of time.
The Finn accepted a job that will take us back to Cincinnati. We’ll be moving in a few months.
This will be our third cross-country move, but the first time the kids are old enough to understand. They took the news fairly well. The lure of being a two hours from grandparents, aunts and uncles and nephews is appealing. The idea of snow every winter and more sunshine made them smile. Having a large backyard in our new house caused them to erupt in cheer.
The Finn and I are excited for our new adventure. A lower cost of living, a great job opportunity for him, and connecting with old friends and being near family are all welcome changes. It’s a bittersweet goodbye, but one that we know was the right choice for our family.