Year 5

And just like that, I have officially made it to the 5 year anniversary of moving to the east coast. 5 years! Seriously, wow! I have blogged for so long that while I don't really enjoy it, I enjoy the end result of getting my blog book every year and also I am able to look back over the years. I blogged at the 6 months where I was still trying to get over the homesickness and learn to love my new normal. At 1 year I felt like I had a stronger foundation, made the decision to stay at least 3 years, still had homesickness but was settling into east coast living. At 2 years I had made the decision to to stay until the end of 2019 or beginning of 2020. Then 3 years in I was adjusting to a new normal of life in DC but still okay with the end of 2019 deadline. Then at the 4 years I was living a lone in DC. If I'm honest, year 4 was the hardest but through struggles there are rewards. And now here we are at year 5! I still can't believe it has been 5 years since I moved to the east coast. I was talking to my best friend on the east coast on Friday evening as we were on the rooftop of a fun bar with a great view of the Washington Monument and we were talking about how DC is our home, but it isn't. I'm comfortable in DC - I can maneuver through the city pretty well, I have officially lived in DC longer than the places I lived in Virginia and Maryland. But I don't feel at home in DC. DC has always been temporary for me and so maybe that is why I don't have those deep connections that I have in Idaho or with friends from my childhood. And even though I am ready to leave, I know it will be hard. I know that I will be that annoying person that says "when I lived in DC we did it this way" or "you don't know traffic until you have driven on the beltway" or an array of other conversations I am sure I will have. But what I do know is, I feel proud of my time here. I feel like I accomplished so much. I will not regret anything when I do finally leave DC. I will miss DC and I will visit and when I do visit I will be able to walk around and remember what it was like when I lived here. Thank you DC for welcoming me with open arms. Thank you for spoiling me on not having to drive (even if I hate metro - I haven't driven in over 4 months and not like I could, my car is in Texas). Thank you for jading me to any museum that wants to charge me to enter - Smithsonian's are the best and free! Thank you DC for teaching me more about myself and allowing me to make mistakes and grow. Thank you DC for introducing me to really good friends. I am blessed. This experience has been nothing like I ever thought it would be but it's my life and I am proud of it!