Today marks the day. The anniversary of my Tennessean life.
I read words written just a few days after moving and then 6 months in. So much has changed in so many ways this past year.
I think about why I chose to move here and the reasons I've given people when they ask why. It was time for a change. I was tired of Illinois winters.
This, all this, is change. Though I can't tell you the specifics right now, more change is coming. Just as my move to Tennessee was a litmus test, this will be too.
Everything that happened in the final days before my move was affirmation that Nashville was where I was supposed to be. While nothing turned out the way I thought it would, I still know that Nashville is exactly where I'm supposed to be.
What can I say about the weather here? I traded cold harsh winters for milder, very little snow ones. We may have more tornado warnings here but it's a fair trade.
Best of all, the friendships. Living in the same town as my best friend once again. The excitement in her daughter's voice when she sees me, shrieking "Leigh, Leigh!" which sounds more like "Whee! Whee!" Leigh=Fun. I like it.
Connecting with fellow Midwestern transplants and Southern mainstays. Finding my second home in Alabama. Growing my blog and finding new writing opportunities.
I have had to confront my weaknesses and leftover demons. My character has grown as I have forced myself to be vulnerable. I've had to face hard truths about my identity and work's role in my life, as I find myself becoming more of an introvert the longer I stay in social work.
I miss living by my family. I've hated missing out on annual gatherings, whether the 4th of July parade or the Pitchfork Music Festival. I don't like that I'm not getting to watch my dear friends' children grow up, that I settle for seeing them whenever I happen to be in town. I miss Caribou, Honey, and even Muldoons.
I've been able to go to amazing shows and discover new artists that I love. I've found new restaurants to haunt and coffee shops to frequent. I've tried to get used to buying wine from a liquor store instead of picking up a bottle when I get groceries. I've only been lost a few times and I still don't understand the highway system.
But I know that Nashville is my home.
I don't know what will come next or how God will move. I know this though. It's sure to be a wild ride!
