So... 6-7 months in, we are all adjusting. We are starting to find our place in this area. The kids have each had a birthday party where we have met a lot of parents. We have joined soccer and Odyssey of the Mind. It has been good, and it continues to be good. We have met a couple of really nice families. Mr. T. even has a buddy to text every now and again. That makes me happy. I think of all of us, it has been a harder adjustment for Mr. T. He works on his own, and his job is pretty solitary. The kids and I have luxury of school and an office. Mr. T. works for himself by himself.
The thing that strikes me about this area is that everyone is so transient. Almost everyone is from someplace else. I fee like we are the new kids, but since there are so many military families, a lot of families have only been here a year or so. The upside of that is that everyone is very interested in meeting new people. In Arkansas, almost no one I knew had moved there 10 or 15 years ago. We just all knew one another. Or knew someone who knew someone.... "How's your momma and them?" is a real phrase in small southern cities. If my friend had a mother that was alive, I knew her, even though I never knew my friends when they lived their mother. I just don't know if those kinds of bonds are possible here. I am sure they are, but I think it will be hard.
The new house is good. It is coming along. There are numerous projects to be completed, but I think that there always will be. At least we always have something to dream about, right? I honestly miss my old kitchen and living space, but also always knew that is likely the nicest house I will ever live in.
Work is different. I work in a much more supportive environment. There are still issues, but there is no getting away from that. The stress in my job now is not as all encompassing as it was in my last job. There are more people to share the workload, and not everyone turns to me for product creation. My job now is more idea driven. Overall, I feel like I have grown and learned a lot in the last few months. I am also a lot healthier and have been able to get off the anti-acids I was taking to deal with my last position.
We have done a lot of neat things since we have been here. As we learn more about the area, we will continue to do more. There are parades, car shows, museums, and festivals to attend. There is just something awesome going on every weekend. Then there are the amusement parks, regular parks, beaches, and camping to do! I think I could take a few weeks off and never travel more than a few hours from home.
Overall, we are all having a good time. There are a lot of things we miss about Arkansas, but there are also things we do not. I think we have grown as a family through this move. We are definitely closer and doing more together, which I am really glad about. Also, I think I am likely a much nicer person to my family now that I am not under the strain of my old job. Mr. T.'s job is better too, so in that regards we are winning. However, we miss our close friends. But, as we tell the kids, we they are still our friends, but we get the opportunity to make new ones.
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