Transition Reflections - When Things Don't Go As Planned

Recently, my wife and I decided to move to New York State where we both grew up. We spent the last eight years of our lives in the great state of Kentucky. While I definitely enjoyed our time there (and will miss it!), something gnawed at me over the years - will we ever return to our home state?

Our family is there in NY, familiarity is there, I miss the winters (no, really!), and the like. But there was always the other side of the coin - I like Kentucky, the taxes (comparatively speaking - who "likes" taxes?), the (felt) freedoms, the home school laws (yay!), our friendships, our church family, etc.

But when the comfort of old friends and church family changed in the last couple of years due to us moving out of the county and the church dissolving and ceasing to gather, we were at a pretty serious crossroad. So the discussion of moving to our home state grew more real and serious than ever before.

So fast forward a bit and here we are... in New York, jobless and homeless! Just like we pictured... ha. Actually that makes it sound worse than it really is. We purposely moved up to stay with family for a time while we found a place of our own. However we moved up with me having the promise of a job, only to find out the company was using a deceitful sales scheme to sell their product. No thanks.

Point is, as we step toward something we feel is potentially good for us, that doesn't mean that everything is going to go just peachy. [The problem is that I thought this time it WAS going to go peachy!] Good or well intentioned changes doesn't equate to everything just falling into place, unfortunately. The reality is sometimes you're left feeling things are worse than before as you internally question your decision to change course.

So, this is partly why I find myself writing tonight when I haven't blogged in quite some time.

Maybe it will be good for me. Maybe for someone else to.

So, if it seems good, I plan to write some as my family and I journey through this transition. Maybe even more after. Assuming there is an "after" to the transition!

Thawing Out

After spending winter break in western New York with over a foot of snow, I sure am enjoying being back home in Kentucky winters.

70. In January? That ain't to bad for this feller from the frozen north!

Home

This is how our trip back home to Kentucky started this morning. We thought we might be in for another long trip home. While it was a long trip (about 12.5 total hours) the weather wasn't nearly as bad as the way up to New York.

For the first few hours things looked like the pic, or at least with wintry slushy conditions, but once we hit Erie and headed south things started to clear.

It's good to be home.

Praise the Lord for a great trip and great Christmas vacation with family. We loved seeing everyone, and even got to see much of our extended family too this time.

We are so blessed!

You might be from Western New York if...

After living outside of Western New York for several years now, some distinct qualities of the area come to mind when we visit.

So here is my brief list of "You might be from/in Western New York if...."

Oldies or classic rock are your go to radio stations.

"Wide Right" reminds you of what could've been.

You're Italian.

Blizzard conditions means you still go to school. And walk. Uphill. Both ways.

Snowmobiles have their own street signs.

You call the interstate the thruway.

"Garbage" reminds you of a delicious plate of food.

Your tax rate is highest in the nation (New York state quality)

If you have an apple orchard in your back yard.

Your truck rusts out faster than you can pay it off. And you're proud of it.

:)

So there you have it, my quick list to help you determine if you're truly from, or in, Western New York.

Shout!