The Beginning

Once upon a time there was a little girl born in the big city of San Francisco. A place so magical that people come from every place in the world to catch a glimpse of its Golden Gate and, as Tony Bennett says, “ride a cable car halfway to the stars”.

But one day, like in all stories, that little girl grew into a big girl and fell in love. And suddenly, the happy ever after story began to change. The ride off into the sunset scene no longer included the Sunset (District), the Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street in 65 degree weather, even in the month of February. No, the little girl from San Francisco fell in love and agreed to marry a man who hailed from another part of the world, this far away state called Michigan. And after three years of discussions, agreed to move to Chicago, Illinois.

And this is where our story begins…

Five years ago, while working at the Container Store, I met Jason. This blog isn’t so much about our love story (though I would be more than happy to share it with anyone who would care to listen….) as it is about this City Girl’s decision to pack her life into boxes, onto a truck and eastward to the great unknown… THE MIDWEST.

I have lived in San Francisco my entire life. I grew up here. My friends are here. My family is here. My job (though I can’t say I’ve loved every day of it) is here. Moving over 2,000 miles away from what has been, until now, my entire life scares the S-H-I-T out of me. But here we are. The Friday before the big day (which is Monday). The truck has arrived, ready for us to load up everything we have deemed important enough to carry with us, and move me away from everything I know.

Don’t get me wrong. I am beyond myself excited to move to Chicago. This is something that I have been talking about doing, wanting to do, dreaming about doing since the first time we talked about it. Just now that the day has come, the bittersweet feelings have started to sink in.

This California girl has never lived through a Midwestern winter. This will be a brand new, eye
opening experience for someone that is used to 60 degrees year round, summer to winter and back, minus the two weeks of Indian Summer we usually get here every September. Let’s just say I have begun to stock up on sweaters, jackets, scarves and face masks.

I am going to miss my friends. I am going to sorely miss my family. Leaving is the hard part, but I have to  just keep reminding myself of our journey and the life ahead of us waiting there in Chicago.