Our next chapter

It is so hard to believe that we move in three days. Between now and then, there is still so much for us to do -- finish painting, finish packing, say our goodbyes to friends, and wrap up our current jobs. It feels like we have hardly had time to breathe since we made our plans to move, and although we are incredibly excited for our newest adventure, we're still overwhelmed by what it is taking to get us there!

As I write this, I am thinking about how bittersweet this move will be for both me and my husband. Although we are thrilled to live closer to family, start our new jobs, etc., we are also sad to leave Rhode Island - the place that we've called home for the past 3 1/2 years.

Someone once provided me with this analogy: life is like a novel. It is comprised of various chapters, and even if you move from one to the next, each is a valuable part of your story and greatly affects what comes before & after. For me, living in Rhode Island has been a very important chapter of my life. When I moved here for graduate school, I knew absolutely no one. I was fearful of being "alone," and I remember sitting in my apartment at night and (I will admit) crying because I felt so lonely. But shortly thereafter, I started making friends at work and in my graduate program. I started taking classes, which I loved, and had some amazing experiences at my internships and my first professional job. 

Since I moved to Rhode Island, a LOT has happened in my life. I lost my grandmother (one of the most important people in my life). I got engaged and married. I adopted a cat and, a year later, a dog (both of whom brighten my days). I started my newlywed life with my husband. I met some of my very best friends in the world. And even though I will no longer be living in this small state, I know that I will always take a little piece of Rhode Island with me wherever I go.