I Run Like A Girl

And just like that, we are leaving Texas and moving back to San Francisco! After getting the news of Joe’s new job in SF, things moved pretty quickly, and I can’t believe we are already leaving our home for the last 3 months. Our final days were spent getting ready for the move, shopping/errands, eating at our favorite restaurants one last time, and quality time with friends and family.

Our plan is to drive from Dallas to San Francisco over 2 weeks and stop in different cities in the southwestern USA. We’ll have our RV home with us, so there wasn’t that much packing involved. I’m super excited about this road trip as it we haven’t taken a trip since our big RV trip last fall. I’m so ready to get into vacation mode and see new places.

Some more good news…I also signed a job offer in San Francisco this week! I am beyond excited about the opportunity and happy about its timing as well, as I’ll get to fully enjoy the road trip and start my new job when we move back. I didn’t talk much about job hunting on the blog because I try to focus on positive things here, but now that it’s over, I admit it was super stressful! The stress came not so much from the interviews themselves, but from the time in between: the waiting, the uncertainty, and trying to stay positive and hopeful. I definitely struggled with anxiety over the last 3 months, but when this job opportunity came up, everything felt right and I knew in my gut this was the right step for me.

I feel super energized and relieved. And the best part: Joe and I can start planning our lives again. Ever since my gap year travels ended in December, I felt like my life was in limbo until I found a job. It’s so good to feel excited about the future for the first time in a while.

Our time in Texas was short, but I truly loved it here and it feels like a second home now. Here are some things I’m going to miss about Texas:

1. Sam and Christina. The highlight of our time in Texas was living with Sam and Christina on their beautiful land. I will always think fondly about memories of chilling by the fire, walking around the property, playing frisbee with Mordecai, cooking dinner, watching reality shows in the evenings, going to the gym with Christina, and having long talks together. In a short amount of time, two of Joe’s oldest friends have become my closest friends as well. ❤
2. Joe’s family. On a similar note, the quality time with Joe’s family was so precious. Knowing they were close by and having that support system meant the world to me. After living my entire adult life far from my own family, I’m at a point in life where I would really appreciate being close to family.
3. Our truck. This is kind of a silly one, but I have dreamed of having a pickup truck since I was a little girl, and I was SO excited when Joe purchased one to tow the trailer. I absolutely loved driving our pickup truck around as we fit right in with the other Texans. It will be difficult to park a full-sized truck in SF, but fingers crossed we can find a way to keep it.
4. The space. After living in New York City and San Francisco for the last 10 years, the space in Texas was a breath of fresh air. Maybe it’s a phase of life thing, but I quickly adjusted to having lots of living space that it feels a little daunting returning to claustrophobic city life.
5. Texas pride. I’ve never seen any U.S. state have as much pride as Texas. It’s admirable and contagious, and I will certainly carry some Texas pride with me when we leave. 😉
6. Food. I LOVED the food here and we quickly became regulars at a few spots. The DFW area is also pretty diverse, and the Asian food and Mexican food were some of the best I’ve had in the country.

Next time I blog will be from the road!