happy one year anniversary to us!!!!!

a year ago today we boarded a plane in kansas, leaving everything we had ever known - the comforts of home- and landing in a place of unknown---the wonderful pacific northwest! a year ago today, we were excited to say the least, but i would be lying if i said we weren't scared out of our minds! shawn was starting a job he was completely unsure of - he was leaving the comforts of being a sheetmetal mechanic, something he was completely confident in and by the way, the best at! - to start something he knew nothing about! (of course, i knew he would be great at this too!!;) me, i had just left my job of 10 years - i was ready to leave but my biggest question, was i ready to be at home full time? i had never pictured myself as the stay-at-home soccer mom, but look at me now! i could never dream of a better job! gabe had just finished his kindergarten year and was in his first month as a first grader - he had a ton of friends, doing wonderfully in school, and had just started on a new soccer team -and now he would have to leave all of that behind to a frest start! and grady, well as long as there was food and toys, he was along for the adventure! needless to say, 3 of the 4 of us had a lot of uncertainty ahead of us! looking back a year later, i say with full confidence---we made the right decision! it hasn't been a year of smooth sailing, but it has definitely been a growing experience! one of the hardest parts of leaving was being away from all of our family, missing holidays and birthdays, but on that same note, the four of us have had the time to grow as our own family. we hate the idea of not being an hour from all of our family, but i would never give up this time i've had learning more about the 3 most important men in my life! this year has flown....we have had the opportunity to see and do so many awesome things - we love this touristy lifestyle, but all good things must come to an end - this can't and won't last forever! so when the time comes, rest assured we'll be ready to come home, but until then.....let the adventure continue!!! watch out year number 2...here we come!