Not So New Anymore

This week I have been reflecting on how Austin doesn't feel so new any more. It's been interesting to go through this transition over the past year, and then to really notice that things are different this past week. I didn't write much about how much I disliked Austin when we first moved here. I thought it would be good to pretend like it was awesome and then it would eventually be awesome. And then in about July I changed my mind on that and wrote about how much I disliked it, but eventually... it did become great. In the year since we have moved here things have improved. I think part of it is just that the boys have grown up. I went from being home all day with two tiny ones, to being home all day with two little kids, but not tiny kids. Life has become more structured and slightly (not very) more predictable. And, we have made friends. This has been huge. In Dallas we had friends, but like any new place you move, the friends were missing when we arrived. This was a huge deal for both me and Michael. And slowly but surely we have started to get involved in stuff and make friends. Sure, they aren't the kind of friends that you would call if you were in say labor to take your kids, but as I don't anticipate needing that kind of friend for a good long while I think this is a great step. Michael has found a fun bunch of boys in the MOMS group we belong to, he loves preschool, and he is starting baseball (this week).

Moving to Austin has been a challenge. It's always tough to start over, but it has been such a blessing. At first I thought the blessing was that we would get to spend more time with Brian because he wouldn't be commuting so long (or really commuting) but over time I have seen that it is more than that. Moving to Austin has given us the chance to get to know a lot of really great people, it has given us the chance to get involved in things we never would have in Dallas. In Dallas our circle of friends extended to church and work, but here we have gotten to know preschool people, moms group people, our neighbors, etc. It has been so fun to get involved in these activities and expand our circle beyond what we would naturally want to do.

So Austin, I guess you win. I love that things are close to us. I love that the food options are better, I love that everything is new by us, I like the hills, the more mild weather... you win.