girlonahalfshill

Yesterday’s push paid off. We’re in California again, with only five hours and change between us and friends – the community that has embraced us for the last five years. I’ll have less than a week to set ducks in a row for the relocation and scoop up a few more visits with loved ones before the moving van needs to be underway.

It has been quite the year, quite the summer. Incredible highs, hard lows and so much left to do. But, the lease is signed on our apartment in Berwyn, I have a part time job lined up and have been in contact with my dean and the head of the Political Science department at Bryn Mawr. Things are falling into place and the future, as they say, is bright.

My sons and I have shared seven amazing, brilliant, challenging weeks and have seen so, so much. We’ve found new podcasts to love, listened to the Beatles and Billy Joel, Stephen Sondheim and Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. We talked about puberty, love and relationships, college and future plans. We bonded over paddle boats and kettle corn.

And, as we approach the tail end of this particular journey and the cusp of the next, I am so grateful… and nervous and relieved and exhausted. But mostly, grateful.