Pennsylvania and the Moon

When driving from New York to Ohio, you must first spend about 30 minutes driving through the corner of Pennsylvania. Since Joe left New York to begin our new life in Ohio 2 months ago, I've felt perpetually lost in the corner of Pennsylvania...not able to move forward to Ohio, and not yet finished in New York. This has left me a lot of time to reflect on our life & the growth inspired by our move here.

We've been exposed to and a part of so many amazing things in the 3 years we've spent here. We've seen New York City, Niagara Falls, Canada, Cooperstown, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. We've seen the homes of Harriet Tubman, Betsy Ross and various Presidents of the United States, including the White House. We've taken carriage rides over the original cobblestone streets through some of the most historical neighborhoods in our country, and eaten philly cheese steaks right from one of the originals-Gino's in Philadelphia. We've experienced the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery and we've seen a dolphin show at the Baltimore Aquarium. We've gazed at the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Now, as Mykah grows up and learns more about the documents & events that set our nation apart from others, she'll be able to access them in her mind's eye, having seen them in reality, instead of just in history books. We saw Mount Rushmore and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along the way, have since seen the National Mall and all the monuments that make up our nation's capital. We've seen stunning national parks from Wyoming to Ithaca and in between. We've been on amazing wine tours (several times) right up the beautiful Finger Lakes of NY. Joe & Mykah got to go watch the Patriots play the Bills in Buffalo and went skiing on the local mountain, Greek Peak. We've seen the Yale Bowl, one of the country's first football stadiums...now one of the many which will feel like home to my family every Saturday from September through November.

We've known the loneliness of missing extended family functions~graduations, birthdays, births, weddings and deaths. We've missed having those same families take part in our celebrations and mourning, as well, but now Joe & I have experienced the security that comes with knowing that we can fully rely on each other for everything we need~emotionally, physically and spiritually. When surrounded by extended family, we had the luxury of spreading our needs across our families' webs, choosing carefully which need could be met best by whom. Moving away from that web forced us to rely on each other for everything and it's been such a wonderful part of our marriage to realize that we can!! Contrary to that statement, we learned that our parents, even from across the country, are never far from us and can still help get us out of some pretty sticky situations, if we lay aside our pride and ask.

We've learned that true friendship knows no boundaries, and no difference in time zones can create problems, but should only inspire creativity! We've known the rewards of befriending the most impossible and unlikely friends, and the anguish of losing some (perceived as) iron-clad friendships. In fact, the friendships that took some time to cultivate here have been the most rewarding, and those that were formed quickly, seemed to dissipate just as fast. We have even been blessed here by technology-inspired friendships that seem meant-to-be right from the very beginning. I've been blessed by friends I've not yet met, except through my facebook inbox, that have words of wisdom or encouragement with regards to this crazy coach's wife life that I mostly love, but sometimes hate.

Our immediate family grew by one while in New York and now we struggle to find balance between looking forward to the future with excitement, and looking back to the memories that were created here with a sense of loss. Again, it seems we've been stuck in Pennsylvania.

Our house began as a home owner's nightmare in the summer of 2007. After housing 4 veterinary students, who each had at least a dog and a cat each, and another previous owner who loved wallpaper, some changes needed to be made to make this house our home. Every strand of pet hair-infested, blue & salmon-colored carpet needed replacing. Every strip of awful wallpaper needed removing, and every wall, ceiling and piece of trim needed new paint. It took some time~ less than it should've when the paper came down, thanks to my parents~ but we watched this house at 3 Pebble Drive turn into our home. The powder blue (w/flowers) porcelain tile that framed the fireplace was next to go, and while the blue disappeared along with the side of Joe's finger, we've loved the result and will miss the memories attached to it. Last to go was the dark brown paneling that framed Maxie's basement~painted over thanks to the generosity of the previous owner's never used paneling-primer that we found in the garage. The bare bones of our house were always in good shape, it just needed some love to get it where we wanted. Our "young" marriage has kind of gone through a similar growth pattern~the foundation has always been solid, but we needed a few storms to ensure the windows & doors were firmly attached. Joe & I celebrate 5 years of marriage in July and we are the perfect team, though neither of us is even close to perfect alone.

From our deck that first summer, I saw my first lightning bugs and I remember my child-like squeals of delight like it was yesterday~from that same deck that same summer, I remember my tears of loneliness when I couldn't be there for my sister's college graduation or in the hospital waiting room during the birth of my brothers' children. Through the windows of my new home, I got to see real-life cardinals, as opposed to the ones painted all over Soda Springs High School~ but through those same windows, I remember looking out during times of grief-when the Boriches lost Mike, when my dad was severely poisoned and, most recently, when Joe's dad had a heart attack. I remember how helpless and far away we felt, and how time slowed to a snail's pace during the times between our family's phone calls with updates. I remember spending the majority of my 20-minute commutes home from my job sobbing, knowing that I wasn't going to get both kids picked up on time, but not knowing a soul that could help me. Those roads seemingly caused so much pain in the beginning, but as time passed, we could settle all of our issues as a family during long walks along those same streets. We loathed all the wildlife that was so abundant in our backyard, and had to step lightly for fear of stepping on the snake that still takes up residence under our hot tub. But in time, Joe & I solved all the world's problems from that hot tub with a bottle of wine or 2. From the serenity of our screened-in porch over family dinners, which we cooked all together, we marveled at the climate differences, from humidity to ice storms, while beginning to fully comprehend that we are so truly blessed. To have experienced all these new and scary and wonderful things as a family, a family who loves and trusts each other completely and without reservation, is truly priceless.

So, we'll miss New York. We'll miss our newest friends and the activities that we shared with them, but we know the friendships that are meant to last, will and that we'll form new friendships in Ohio. We'll miss this home, but we'll talk often of the memories created in & around it, while striving to create new ones from our next home. We'll miss the beauty this land of Central New York holds, so different from the beauty we knew in Idaho & Utah, but because of it will strive to appreciate the differences that Ohio scenery will bring, so we never take for granted what each of our adventures has to offer.

Every summer since we've moved here, we've had to send Mykah to visit Idaho for 6 weeks. Before she leaves, she & I go outside at night and we look at the moon. That first year, she didn't know why, but I pointed to the moon and told her that when she's missing us, all she has to do is go outside and look at the moon. When she does, she'll know that we're looking at the same moon, missing her, too, and we won't seem so far apart. We don't need words anymore, we just hold hands and gaze at that moon. It seems fitting, as we leave our New York friends behind, that we say to you~remember the moon. When you're thinking of us, look at the moon and know that we are thinking of and missing you, too. That moon can be a constant reminder of how small the world is, how quickly time passes, that and we're never more than a phone call, a text or an inbox message away.

We pray that we make the most out of every opportunity that is presented to us in Ohio and beyond. We pray the same for you wherever your journey takes you. Goodbye, New York. Ohio, here we come!