Thursday, September 5, 2013

rocklin to pasadena

In July, I began looking into making THE move—the move after college which propels you into the next stage of life, the move that makes you more excited and terrified than anything else so far.

It's not just a geographic relocation, it's a relocation of your friends, jobs, favorite coffee shops, and, well, everything. 

After infinite online job searches, some interviews, lots of cover letters, and a few perfectly timed circumstances, I got a job as a nanny for a baby girl with an awesome family.

During the last couple days, my friend (and future roommate) Bre and I made the trek down South to try and find a home. 

And I am elated to finally, officially announce that in exactly one week from today, we will make the move to Pasadena, CA.
Bre is getting ready for the Marriage Family and Therapy program at Fuller Theological Seminary, and we found a lovely little unit only a couple miles away. We're within walking distance to Old Town Pasadena (pretty awesome), and (sigh of relief), we can't believe this is happening! Truly, it's all come together rather flawlessly, so we are giving our thanks and feeling more assured than ever that yes, this is exactly where we are supposed to be.
As I sit in my hermit-crab-window-seat at a Starbucks in Old Town, I'm watching the people around me and glaring at the fancy cars and imagining how in a week, my entire life will change.

We will drive home after we sign our lease this afternoon, and then I will work my last three shifts at The Fresh Market from Friday-Sunday. I will say goodbye to the co-workers who have become so much more than that, I will say goodbye to those customers who have also become so much more than that, and I will probably be sad.

I will say see you later to all my lovely friends, and forgive me now if I don't get to say see you later in person. I'll be back during the holidays ;)

But amidst the very bittersweet goodbyes come a lot of hellos.

I will say hello to an adorable home and a new roommate, I will say hello to being 4 miles away from Mack rather than 400. I will start a new job that will feel less like a job and more like a privilege, more like a beautiful way of getting to know a family and consequently becoming an extension of the family.

I will say hello to church after 10 months without one, and welcome a scattered group of already established friendships in a new area. (I don't know what it is about LA right now, but a good chunk of my friends are making their way here or are already here)!

I will taste my favorite foods at new restaurants and drink coffee at Starbucks and Intelligentsia and everywhere in-between. I will walk new streets in the same shoes and wake up under a new roof in the same bed.

I am more grateful than I can express for the help Bre and I have both individually and collectively received from those around us, and totally humbled by how God has directed this entire process. It's insane.

I will miss you, Fresh Market, and you, piano students. I will miss you, grandma's house, and all the lessons and memories that go with that apartment. I will miss you, Rocklin, for your weirdly safe environment. I will miss you, Lodi, for being so close, and miss you, mom and dad. I will miss you, friends, miss your proximity and coffee dates and endless trips to the Fountains because there was nothing else to do.

But I welcome you, Pasadena, I welcome you, change, and I welcome you, adventure. May it always be nothing less than that.

6 comments:

  1. Praise Jesus! I am so excited for you my friend! We will definitely have to meet halfway when we are both down there. I have just under 3 more weeks until I get to move. :)

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  2. YES I am so, so excited for you, girl!

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  3. Alyssa, you practically described my life right now too! However I'm leaving to the East Coast with my nanny family. As a nanny you will be great! I pray that you would have the privileges and opportunities to grow with that family and love that little girl as if she is your own. May God allow you to be a light in any darkness they may encounter. I may not know you very well, but God gave you the words to express what I couldn't express in my own life. Thanks for posting this to facebook. It really inspired me. Good luck in Pasadena!

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    1. Thanks for commenting Laurie!! It sounds like you have some awesome things coming up, too, and I hope you take advantage of every moment :) Have fun on the East coast!! Don't be a stranger :)

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  4. I cannot tell you how excited I am for you. Cannot wait to be SoCal friends. I love you so much.

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  5. I miss you already!! COME BAAACCCCKKKKK. But if you can't come back... I'm excited for you :) So I guess you can stay. I guess.

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