Gratitude Day 23

Today I took the girls for an afternoon walk around the neighborhood (how wonderful that we can still do that on November 23rd!). I walked by numerous houses with a fleet of cars in the driveway. Cars with out-of-state license plates. Families gathering together. I also walked by a couple houses with cars being loaded up and families getting ready to leave for the weekend. And I may have been a bit misty-eyed as I thought about how far away my family really is, and how long it will be before I see them.

We currently live 1,684 miles from my parents (only 1,672 miles from Clark's parents!). That is really, really far. Seeing that number makes my heart ache. Especially during the holidays.

BUT. We are in Michigan for a reason. For many reasons, actually. I now have a happy husband with a stable job, which is the big one. You could live almost anywhere if it meant you had a happy husband. I feel very strongly that we've met people here that we were supposed to meet, that we've influenced their lives, and they've influenced ours. I really enjoy living outside of Utah. And I don't mean that to be a knock on Utah, I love Utah, I'd live there again. But it's kind of refreshing to live somewhere. . . different. Somewhere that I am different. And last, but not least, I am one happy camper to live somewhere with winter. Real, honest winter. And mild, happy summers. Which makes me strange, I know, but it is what it is.

I am grateful we moved to Michigan. Even though it's far from family, it's where we are supposed to be. And I am happy here.