Our 4th Cross Country Drive

You would think we just can get enough of that drive huh?  Every single time we've done it Charlie says "I'm never doing this again."  Sure enough it happened again!  This time we would be shipping my car out and driving out the Kia.  Also, we were bringing a little extra luggage with us..our friend Kyle!   He was going to be going to CA for vacation for a few weeks so for some unknown reason he volunteered to come with us.  It was nice to have the extra company and driver but as you can imagine it was a little tight...

Leaving NYC

But we managed to squeeze everything and everyone in with a little bit of breathing space left.  Our journey began on February 1st which happened to be SuperBowl Sunday. Our plan was to drive to West Virginia where Kyle has a cousin and stay the night and watch the game.  WV was not our ideal spot to stop because it was only about 7 hours away from NYC but it turned out to be great.  His family was super hospitable and they had 3 kids who were really fun.  Not to mention a free bed!  From West Virginia was needed to make up for miles on that first day so we ended up driving all the way to Missouri.  It was about a 15 hour drive.  Again, because we had an extra driver it really never felt like it was too unbearable.  Missouri was kind of a trip, pretty middle of the country kind of state but we actually liked it more then our stop in New Mexico.  In Missouri we posted up in a hotel, had some drinks and ordered some pizza.  Kyle offered to buy dinner so he called an ordered saying, "Can i get a sausage and pepperoni pie?"  Pretty sure the guy on the other end had NO CLUE what Kyle was talking about, he had to ask a few times before Kyle just said pizza...not pie.  Pretty funny.

Needless to say there were moments (hours) of sheer boredom.

St. Louis Gateway Arch.

What do you do on a cross country drive besides listen to every CD a few times? Take selfies.

As you can see the back was a little snug. 

But we all rotated shifts..

After Missouri we went to New Mexico. Until end of TX the drive isn't too scenic.  I was surprised at the areas where we were seeing snow though.  We saw all the way to AZ.  Leaving New Mexico we got to see some pretty neat looking terrain.

The picture below was actually Arizona!

I liked this shot with the train going by.

Don't remember where "Two Guns" was, most likely NM or AZ.  After a while it all starts to blend.

On the evening of February 4th we arrive in San Diego.  We came in at like 9pm and dropped of Kyle at a friends place in Encinitas.  It always seems like the last 2 or 3 hours is the longest.  I don't know why it hits us that way but maybe because we know how close we are.

My goal was to spend my 28th birthday with my family and we were able to achieve that :)  

Hopefully there won't be a next time but who the heck knows!

 I have to say that one of the hardest parts about leaving NY was leaving Johnson.  The last few days when we were packing up he knew something was going on.  He has seen suitcases enough to associate it with separation.  The last day he was following Charlie and I around constantly.  My heart broke when we had to actually leave him.  When Charlie and I went to Puerto Rico, Kathy said he didn't move, eat, or go to the bathroom for 2 days.  He was just laying under the kitchen table, she actually thought she might have to put him down.  Because he is getting up there (already up there) in age there was a likelihood that when we leave for San Diego it was the last time we would get to see him.  I still can't talk about it too much because i get chocked up.

Going to Puerto Rico and saying goodbye to Long Island

Well whats new other then me going a wall on my blogging and totally neglecting it for the first few months of 2015?  I do have good reasons, like going to the Caribbean, packing up all of our stuff (yet again) and driving it across country, looking for an apartment, getting rejected from grad school and coming up with another plan to go to graduate school.  Things have been all over the place but finally starting to feel established again.

This post I just want to talk a little bit about our trip to one of our favorite spots, Rincon, Puerto Rico.  We decided that right before we would embark on this mayhem of moving again we would go on a little vacation.  I found a an apartment for us right on the water in Rincon.  We had a pool with a view of the ocean and private beach access.  In hindsight, we planned this trip way too short.  We were there only four nights, but I am not complaining!

Since have done this trip numerous times my picture taking is becoming more and more limited. I am actually happily surprised that I took what I did! (ha..)

Our first few days there Charlie got to surf after a long absence.  But unfortunately we miss timed the swell and the last few days we were there it was pretty flat.  With that, we did a lot of snorkeling, swimming, eating and lounging.

We had taken a red eye and got into Aguadilla before sunrise and we were greeted with a beautiful day. 

So much blue. 

I regretfully have to say these were the only pictures of Charlie surfing I got! 

This was the view from our rental.  

Another view from our patio.  I used this to kind of...dig in...to the ladies at my work :D

And this was one of the many gorgeous sunsets we saw.  This one was from our bedroom window. 

This guy came a visited us on the patio. 

Even with storms rolling in the beaches in PR are one of my "happy places"

Although our trip was short it was extremely sweet.   Our time to go back to NY came and went.  When we were on the flight home we were scrolling through the channels and on the weather channel , I kid you not, the following day after our landing the Northeast was expecting a "crippling snow storm."

Not only was it time to go home but we were also getting ready to make a big move, a 3,000 mile move to the West Coast. 

But not before we got just a little bit more snow...

In actuality it wasn't too bad.  This storm did bring about a foot or so but since I wasn't working it made a huge difference! I wasn't having to commute so I could kind of just focus on packing up and getting us going.

We came back from Puerto Rico January 25th and were scheduled to leave exactly one week later on February 1st.  Happened to fall on Super Bowl Sunday.

More to come..

Cross Country Drive

&

Pacific Beach Living

Reflections on the year

 I find it important and beneficial to think about what I have been through this last year.  I am all about learning and to me if you don't see the purpose or understanding in an event, an experience, an incident, then it can be a wasted opportunity to grasp something new about yourself and the life your living.  This exercise helps me appreciate and remember, to practice graciousness even in times of frustration and melancholy.

There were times when being at my job here in New York were extremely defeating and depressing.  After too long of being surrounded by negativity and aggression it wears on you, at least it did me! Don't get me wrong, it was my choice to stay there, I did meet some great people and saved a decent amount of money which was my goal, but man oh man certain days were just very hard.  But, I imagine a lot of work environments are like that.  I decided one of my reasons for going to grad school is not to avoid days of difficulty or frustration but to at least feel my work was more purposeful and having some impact, oh ya and at least like what I am doing ! For the most part that is.. :)  I look back at my year there now and I understand how much I have grown, how I have developed a totally new skill and learned how to speak up for what I want. Living here has thickened my skin and in ways made me more confident and competent for my future jobs.

Being who I am, my life is definitely not all work, I find it a necessity of life to always make time for play!

                                                    Last year in January I went from this..

To this :)

PR

Doing this.

and this..

But shortly after our little island turned to an icicle

But then again, there were those who enjoyed it..

I also had the joy of seeing this a lot and actually learning my way around the city and subway.

I spent a lot of times and walks with two of my favorite guys.

I even had a sleepovers..

And then there were the PA trips.

Days of fishing.

Hunting treasures at the Poconos swap meet.

Taking it all in,

with this handsome man.

But then it would be back to work..

With the Princess of the Pipe

Don't be mistaken, there were some beach days.

Another great moment of the year was surprising my brother for his graduation.

It feels like not so long ago this was me.  It was surreal to see my kid brother graduate.

And so wonderful to celebrate with my family.

But again it was back to work..

We were also blessed with some visitors this year.

Like my cousin Ryan.

And a bunch of rugrats.

We also saw some monumental concerts I will never forget. Sixto Rodriguez, Mason Jennings and Wild Child (amazing Doors tribute band)

The year was also full of sporting events, specifically Islanders games and even a Yankee game (go METS & PADRES)

Also had my first Philly Cheese Steak

Thanks Bri!!

Then it was time to go fishing again...

With all of these DOOODES

Oh and time for another beach day.

Long Beach, NY

But it never failed, had to go back to work.

Thats how i felt about it..

Pretty (&) Bored

I also attended a few weddings this year, coast to coast.

I even got a little taste of my heritage this year

And celebrated our 8 year anniversary.

The beast and I looking at the changing leaves.

But then..

Well let me just say I wasn't the only one that wanted to leave work.

Finally Halloween came, and it was a time to be something different and play dress up.

Sometimes all of the playing made us tired 

and do silly things..

Then Thanksgiving flew in, and brought more happiness and good food.

Charlie and I even stuck in some educational things this year, like a trip to the Natural History Museum in NYC.

But it was kind of like playing..

Then it was time to celebrate Charlies 27th Birthday.

Some were more into the "dessert" then others..

And then in the blink of an eye it was Christmas.

Just looking through these pictures makes me appreciate the year I have had, through the ups and downs I have a lot of thanks to give, especially to Charlie's family for helping us prepare for the next part of our life.  But, I am not sad to say that moving back to San Diego in the end of January is very exciting news to me and feels very meant to be.  I have been fortunate in my life to consistently feel like, "this is where I am suppose to be."  Sometimes it took me time to see it and understand it but I find myself thinking that more often then not.

Of course I have to say I am also gracious for these folks..

And have missed them very much this last year!

In this upcoming year make sure that you make time for happiness, yourself, and telling/showing those who are important to you just how much you cherish them!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!