As the summer comes to a close, so does our life in the Pacific Palisades. We recently entered escrow on a home in Studio City and while I'll definitely be sad to leave the ocean breeze and very close friends behind, I'm extremely excited about our new adventure. Obviously our friends (and the ocean breeze for that matter) won't be gone, they'll just be 30 minutes away instead of 5. We've been on a long journey through plenty of different homes and locations in order to find the place we really want to settle, and now that we're almost there, I feel anxious about all the physical obstacles we need to surmount in the next 30 days (inspection, appraisal, packing), but very confident in our decision to move to the valley.
With any move comes challenges: new schools, new commutes, new local doctors, babysitters, dentists. But with this specific move also comes an opportunity to really establish roots and start a new chapter in our lives. This is a house where we can watch our young family grow. I can already imagine looking out the window and seeing the kids playing in the yard and swimming in the pool. We're excited at the thought of teaching them how to ride bikes on the flat, shaded street. Although I have zero skill in decorating, I'm determined to really put my own personal stamp on this house by slowly furnishing it in a way that makes me proud. There are common milestones we all share, and owning a home is high on the list. As this becomes a reality, the blessing is definitely not lost on us.
Today while the inspection occurred, I took some time to drive around the area a little more and look at the coffee shops, restaurants, parks, and boutiques. I've always had a restless gene, and before getting married I had a hard time lasting in one place for more than a couple of years. So, exploring new neighborhoods and being out of my element appeals to me more than most people I know. I love discovering what will become my new regular coffee shop, or the Friday night happy hour spot. My long weekend runs become even more appealing when I'm in unfamiliar territory - untraveled paths in every direction means there's hours of sightseeing ahead. The newness of an area intrigues me. But moving with a family is obviously much different than moving alone. Now I have the responsibility of creating a happy life for my children. I don't have the ability to pack up easily and relocate if I don't like my surroundings. I also have to think of my work and the clients I've established in the Palisades and Santa Monica. I've been so fortunate to meet such great people, and working with them isn't like working at all - it's like spending time with friends. My move doesn't mean that their needs matter any less; it just means my schedule can't be quite as spontaneous as it has been.
My family worries that I'll miss the conveniences of the westside more than I'm anticipating. I know that the heat of the valley will take some adjusting to, and the traffic on the 101 freeway will mean more DVD time for the kids in the car, but distance and heat aside, I think we're really going to settle in nicely to our sweet home. At the end of the day, life is really about the kids right now, and as long as they're healthy and have a roof over their heads, the rest doesn't really matter. We already have everything we need, and getting this particular home really is the icing on the cake. And we're all looking forward to enjoying the icing.
