In Review

A year ago today, I left Iowa for California. Becky took the day off work, and we went for breakfast at the Bluebird Diner. She helped me make all my last minute preparations, pack up my car, and strap my bike on back. We cried.

I picked up Christy, my travel buddy, and we set out across the country. I still have great memories from our trip, getting to see Erin P in Des Moines, my family, and my friend Cari and her family as we traveled west. Touring the Kearney Arch, Boulder Colorado, seeing Mike the Headless Chicken, Hoover Dam, Zion National Park, and looking for geocaches along the way. The beauty of Colorado and Utah. The feeling of strangeness upon entering California and realizing that it wasn't just vacation and I wasn't going home. That this was the end of the trip for me. It felt so foreign. I felt homeless - so in between places. No longer belonging in Iowa, but not yet belonging in California.

The last year hasn't exactly been an easy one for me. I think the hardest part is that I found it to be a very lonely place for quite some time, even though I had a couple of people that I already knew here (for whom I am very thankful). I know it takes time to build new relationships, but it was so much harder to leave behind all the friendships I had built in Nebraska and Iowa  than I thought it would be. I felt so lonely having to suddenly do most of life by myself when I had such a great group of people that I did all of life with for years. I didn't realize how extremely blessed I was by those friendships until I left. And I'm so thankful for the blessings those friends have continued to be by how many have worked to keep in contact and who have come to visit! It just felt like I spent months explaining to strangers (and everywhere I went, there were only strangers) who I was. Although it was okay at first, it became rather exhausting. I think it took until March for me to feel like myself again in general. It also seems to have taken me some time to get the hang of being a postdoc. If I've even found it yet! But it's getting better.  

I did get used to San Diego and the bigness of the city and the number of people more quickly than I initially anticipated. Although I'm still not so sure about parking lots sometimes! It doesn't feel as big and packed in here as in other larger cities. That has helped. I certainly have gotten used to the weather, and love that there are things blooming here year round! 

Things have not all been sad and lonely though! I have now established more friendships that I'm so grateful for. I've found a church home where I have been able to get involved and find some great supportive people. I've had the opportunity to do a lot of fun things in the area, which I've posted about over the last year, and some things I haven't managed to get on the blog too! And even when things are lonely and hard, I know that God has been with me all the way, increasing my trust in Him. And that He has been so good to give me all the good things I have here to be thankful for!

I don't feel homeless anymore. I now feel like I belong. And I'm excited to see what the next year brings.