Sunday, October 18, 2015

Starting the Journey

So, here we go. Officially.
Officially, I've started the process of packing my entire life and traveling across the country to a place I've never even been to.
People ask me why. The truth is, I'm not really sure.
I guess for awhile I have felt a need for a change. I feel like I've been struggling to find my happy place. My day to day, I very much enjoy and love. I love my kids. I love my husband. I love that life we have. Overall, that's what it's important and that's what I will continue to have.
Something further than that... I've found a lot of friendships here in Knoxville, TN. I've met some amazing people. Gotten to know some beautiful families. I'm surrounded by smart, strong, beautiful women. The birth community here is glorious.
While here I have done so many things I will always remember: (with help of course!)
- Helping in many different ways at a local natural patenting store from retail to training to education to event coordinator
- Leading the Holistic Moms Network for several years which really cemented my current life and path
- Founding the Real Diaper Association Circle here even though it didn't take off so much
- Helping and being involved in Attachment Parenting International which is close to my heart
- Starting the Great Cloth Diaper Change here and hosting every year and turning it into the amazing Natural Patenting Expo
- Participating in and organizing so many fun social movements, protests, marches etc big or small
- Helping to found and lead Babywearing International and working from Volunteer Educator to Advanced to Master Babywearing Educator which there's less than 50 of out of around 1,000 Educators! Within that, helping on the national level with the Mentor Committee, the Education Committee, co chair on the International Babywearing Week committee and our new VBE in training program
- Finally taking the step to become a Doula and having the opportunity to work with so many amazing women in my community and of course be there for such a special time felt so many women
These, and more, are the things that I will look back on my time spent in Knoxville and remember. I'll remember those moments spent with new moms either seconds after becoming a mom or a year after trying to find a little bit of support for whatever struggle they are having.

I'll remember the amazing homeschool community. How they supported me and my family in so many different ways.

I'll remember the amazing local community. The huge farmers markets and abundance of local options.

I'll remember the tiny apartment we first moved into... Then the small house. Then this house my children ran to the ground lol and all the repairs all be making to get rid of it ;-)


So all of this, I'll remember. But I've felt it was time to leave. I'm not sure. Maybe I feel like I've accomplished what I can here. Maybe I feel like I'm at a job with only bilateral moves... I am not sure but once the serious idea of packing up and moving set in it became almost an obsession.

My husband is graduating with his Master's degree this spring. This is something I can barely wrap my head around. To come from where I met him to that... I'm so proud and feel so very blessed to have someone in my life who not only feels a strong drive to constantly better himself but to better himself for the sake of his family.

It's nerve wracking to him to do this move. I know. It's not easy to feel the weight of the responsibility of four children, a wife and your mother all on your shoulders. But I know I'll be here beside him also doing whatever necessary to support him and our family also.

Here is my journey.
We're traveling from Knoxville TN to near the Seattle WA area.

Yesterday we had our first garage sale to start purging things we don't want to take across the country. While I'm excited... It was the first big, reality setting in step.

The process itself suddenly gave me so much anxiety. My friend suggested I start writing it out. Here we are.

Day One
Garage sale - get rid of this stuff! What is all this stuff?


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