A Reflection on SC

Hi Garrett followers. It's Christina stopping by to share the latest happenings.

A lot has happened since the last check in, so hang in there. I was offered a job at Bank of America at the end of April so Zach and I are currently packing our home and getting ready for a long drive north. We are moving to the small town of Randolph 15 miles south of Boston, MA and are very excited! The location is perfect because we will be very close to the city, just under 1.5 hours to our family in CT and 3.5 hours from NYC. Lots of exciting new adventures await. While Zach is still looking for work, he will be busy getting us settled in and will certainly find something soon. I hope!

It's hard to believe that our final days in SC are here. I've been reflecting on all the things that have happened since we moved here from CT in 1992. It's been great. I moved here at age 11 and since then, have met many wonderful people, lived in Charleston, traveled to Mexico and Europe (Europe isn't really a new trip but still important), visited Orlando and met Zach. Not too shabby.

I didn't know what to expect when we moved here. I was just finishing elementary school and starting middle was hard. Everyone already new one another and I was the new girl, and a Yankee at that! It was obvious that I came from somewhere else. While I didn't know the term, I quickly learned it. ;) It was sort of a culture shock here and I had to get used to the accent. I still have a hard time sometimes!!

I continued playing clarinet from when I started in 5th grade and played through high school, giving me 8 full years of music. The summers were tough and the marching season was busy, but I wouldn't change any of it. It was a great experience. In 1999, I started at College of Charleston and met a bunch of fabulous ladies in Phi Mu. For a super homesick type like me, this was what I needed to keep busy. I'm thankful for joining because I have met two of my best friends there. I'm happy that after 10 years, I still have their friendship and they have been with me through good and bad. I probably would have made Zach more crazy during unemployment if it weren't for these two. Ha! Thanks guys for your support. I love you both.

I met Zach right after I graduated, thanks to my boss Pam at BofA. After we married, we moved upstate so Zach could finish his degree at Clemson. Even though it felt like it would never end, he finished on May 8 and I am so proud of his accomplishments. I also finished my MBA, so we are all educated and finally have a place to go.

We are sad about moving because we have thoroughly enjoyed having the family so close by for the last (almost) 3 years. However, we are very excited about the move and hope to have a lot of visitors. I'm looking forward to starting my new job and getting settled in and living close to my other brother and getting to know him better and being with the family there.

Just a note of thanks to family, especially parentals and siblings, for supporting our decisions. It's been hard finding work the last 6 months, so being flexible has paid off. I'm sure I will cry a lot before, during and after the move, but it will be a great experience for us. I especially appreciate everyone's support during my worklessness. It was tough, but a very eye opening experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. I have learned a lot about myself, what is really important and who my friends are. I absolutely do not regret having lost my job at all. It was great and I hope I can apply my cheapskate skills in the future. Ha!

We love and will miss you all!