Marshmallow Mondays

In case you haven’t heard, the Buffingtons are moving to Kentucky!

Just before the holiday season began, Ryan was contacted by a headhunter about a potential job opportunity.  Two interviews later, along with a weekend visit to Lexington, we found ourselves seriously considering the offer.  We took a lot of time weighing the pros and cons of a possible relocation and finally realized that this is one of those rare opportunities in life that if we don’t take, we will always wonder “what if…”

As a family, this was by far the toughest decision that we’ve ever had to make.  Our biggest concern was the fact that we would be nine hours away from what we’ve grown to call “home.”  Nine hours from the family and friends who have watched us grow together into our own family, and who have shared all of the specials moments in our lives, big and small.  Nine hours from the comfort of just knowing that our parents were only an hour’s drive away.  There is no doubt about it -  we are going to miss all of you like crazy.  But please know that leaving does not make us love you any less.  If anything, we love you even more for supporting and understanding our decision.

For me, this experience thus far has been exciting, exhausting and very emotional.  As a mother, nothing makes me happier than being able to spend time with my children, so knowing that Ryan’s new job will allow me to continue to stay home with Lily is a huge plus.  As nervous as I am about being so far away, I have confidence in myself, confidence in my husband, and confidence in our abilities as parents to make this a positive experience for Rydan and Lily.  I don’t want my children to be afraid of change, or afraid of meeting new people and trying new things.  Rydan is already such a fun-loving kid who makes friends wherever he goes, so I have no doubt that he will adapt to his new school in no time at all.  And Lily, well, as Ryan put it – “what could possibly be wrong with our little girl growing up a Southern Belle?”

Lexington itself is very beautiful, which Ryan and I discovered as we drove around and explored for an entire weekend just over a month ago.  There are huge, gorgeous horse farms, which Ryan will be able to admire on his drive to work every day.  Downtown Lexington is very clean and filled with lots of cute Victorian shops.  It didn’t seem like an overwhelming city, and definitely somewhere I could see us visiting as a family on a warm Saturday morning.  The overall pace of living is much more laid back than what we’re used to in Pennsylvania, but that may be good for us.  Everyone we spoke to, whether it was at the airport, in a restaurant or at our hotel, was extremely friendly and very welcoming.  And when we needed to cross four lanes on the highway to get to the right exit, no one beeped their horn at us in rage.  In fact, cars actually slowed down to allow us to get over.  One of my favorite places that we visited was a bookstore called Joseph-Beth Booksellers.  It’s a huge bookstore, complete with a nice-sized bistro, and lots of really cool kid events.  We took a quick ride down the escalator to find that the entire lower level was filled with childrens’ books and all sorts of other kid-friendly activities.  I think Ryan saw my eyes light up a bit at the sight of this store, and I must say I felt the sense of calmness that bookstores have always given me.  This one was exceptional.

Speaking of Ryan, I can’t finish this post without saying a few words about him.  From the moment he came home from work and told me that he was contacted by a headhunter, I had a strong gut feeling about how all of this was going to turn out, and I was right.  There are certain things that a wife and a mother “just know”, and this was one of them.  I am a firm believer that opportunities come to not only those who wait, but to those who to deserve them.  Ryan, you are so very deserving of this opportunity, and I am extremely excited for your new venture.  Your patience, your expertise and knowledge, and your reliability have not only brought you professional success, but it’s made you a role model for your children, and because of that, I couldn’t be more proud to stand by your side as your wife.  Here’s to Lexington and 2012, a new chapter for our family and a new opportunity to teach Rydan and Lily the importance of embracing change.

To my readers, think of us on January 4th as we depart on our journey to our new home, which, by the way is just a rental home until we sell our house in Elizabethtown.  Speaking of houses, they are GORGEOUS in Lexington!  We are very much looking forward to house-hunting, when the time comes.  For now, we’re focused on getting all of these boxes out of our current home and making sure we have everything we need for a comfortable, safe trip.  With two kids and a twenty-pound cat to transport, I’m sure I’ll have a lot to write about next week.

Stay tuned for next Monday’s post, which will feature a complete recap of our venture to Lexington!