We are officially Okies, you all. I mean, y’all.
Just thought I’d let you know that we are alive and kicking it in OKC.
Things have been a little bumpy with the actual move, as in, the moving company packed our belongings on the truck on July 30th, and we still don’t have them. They were supposed to arrive this past weekend, and when we called (while sitting on our empty home floor) to confirm the arrival time, they informed us that, well, they hadn’t left California yet, and were planning to, you know, pretty soon, and oh, did they mention that they needed to make a stop in Denver for a couple of days too? So yeah, they are hoping for the end of this week. You know, whatevs. Over two weeks without any of our stuff. No bigs. We only have both kids starting new schools this week and no belongings to our name. (I should have known that things with the moving company weren’t going well when they cracked the marble top of our Saarinen tulip table IN HALF on moving day. Rest in peace, lover. Hoping that extra insurance we took out is actually a thing.) Well, I hear-uber minimalism is the trend right now…
Otherwise, things are great. My parents are lovingly and patiently boarding us while in limbo, and it’s just TERRIBLE having four extra hands with the kids. And free food. And a pool. And a stocked bar. It’s pretty awful over here. I wouldn’t recommend.
So instead of hand-wringing over things I can’t control, I’m working on my (non-existent) tan and enjoying every second catching up with family before the unpacking begins.
Speaking of, I can’t even tell you how happy-making it is to just, you know, call my sister to suggest an impromptu dinner date. And then actually DRIVE to her house and hang out while the kids play and laugh. The cousins love being around each other, and I’m pretty positive will get into loads of trouble in the upcoming decade. I feel like Wito has found a best friend in his cousin, and that makes me so happy. They very much enjoy playing Minecraft and mastering the armpit fart.
Saturday night, a good ol’ Oklahoma thunderstorm passed over my sister’s neighborhood while we sipped beer and talked about the joys of moving (they just moved to a new house too), and it just felt like…home. After the thunderstorm rolled through, the sun came out full force, and we made our way to a restaurant in a burgeoning part of the city that is completely new to us and super exciting. This city is definitely not the place we left decades ago, and we are so excited to be a part of it.
It’s going to be a bright new chapter of our lives, methinks.
image credit: Two Sarahs
natalie
August 11, 2014 at 6:31 amCongratulations, friend! It sounds like you are just where you belong. xo
Anne Phillips
August 11, 2014 at 6:32 amoh, Sarah, I’m just so happy for you.
susan
August 11, 2014 at 6:40 amHope to get to meet you sometime when you come down to see Ms. Arlene. She is a buddy of ours, and a sweetheart!
Welcome to Oklahoma.
Heidi
August 11, 2014 at 6:49 amWe moved from Southern California to Oklahoma 9 years ago and we love it here. If you ever end up over here in Tulsa let me know… I’ll tell you where all the good yoga and coffee/juice/smoothie places are. :) In OKC recently we tried a restaurant called The Mule in a little district we hadn’t ever heard of and we loved it! Fancy grilled cheese sandwiches. Yum!
whoorl
August 11, 2014 at 7:07 amI love The Mule – great gluten-free options too. :)
Katie
August 11, 2014 at 6:54 amTHIS IS SO EXCITING! Congrats! A new home in a new city is such a fun adventure. We had a similar issue when we moved from New Mexico to Minnesota. Even though the move itself was a complete nightmare we kept reminding ourselves that it’s just stuff, we still have each other, and we’re moving closer to our family. Then end goal kept us going.
Meredith
August 11, 2014 at 6:56 amSo happy to hear this! Being near family is amazing :) Good luck with the unpacking!
Courtney
August 11, 2014 at 7:14 amWe just moved back home (Ohio) after about a decade away, and I can totally relate! (Although, thankfully, not to the cracked table, or missing belongings part). It’s only been a couple months but I am already so thankful for the family connections and the memories my kids are making. So cliche, but also so priceless.
Roo
August 11, 2014 at 7:20 amAll of it sounds lovely, Sarah! So happy for you. xo
Jennifer
August 11, 2014 at 7:27 amI can feel the sigh. I’m really happy for you. I think this is gonna be a good move.
Elan Morgan
August 11, 2014 at 7:43 amI love hearing you now on this end of the move, because I last saw you just before the move at the end of a long workday, and I just wanted you to be able to put your feet up and feel at rest for a bit. I hope your stuff shows up soon!
Heather D.
August 11, 2014 at 8:05 amSarah, I can feel the happiness through this post. I’m so excited for you and your family. Sounds like this is just what the Dr. ordered! I hope your things arrive soon and you can begin settling in.
Emily
August 11, 2014 at 8:10 amThank you for taking you with us on your journey! I’m sending you love and light and peace in your new place. You sound calmer already! We are still settling into our new land after our move almost two years ago. Our second summer just flew by and it seems will take us years to explore this place. Also, so weird that my kids will be “from” here. This is their land. They will grow up here and all (well, most) of their memories will be here.
I know this is your home. Where is your husband from originally?
Giselle
August 11, 2014 at 8:25 amSarah! I’m so happy for you. I totally get how you’re feeling.
I left South Florida, headed for college, fifteen years ago. After my bachelor’s, I left Florida altogether for my master’s in Arkansas and ultimately for my career in Tulsa, OK.
I’ve been in Tulsa for ten years and I have loved it. Ups and downs, of course, but overall, wouldn’t trade it for anything.
This summer I decided to make a career move and took the summer off. After relaxing at my parents’ house in South Florida for a month, I.. Didn’t want to go back.
Giselle
August 11, 2014 at 8:30 amOops hit send too early…
It’s not so much that I didn’t want to go back, but more that I didn’t want to leave. So I extended our stay a week. And as the end grew near again, I spoke with my bf and somehow we decided to move back. Just like that. So about ten days ago I started looking for jobs in South Florida. I’ve had a bunch of interviews and I have a bunch of second interview this week. I’m really hopeful this will result in some job offers (fingers crossed, knock on wood, break a leg?).
I am behind you in the process, but I think I know how you feel bc I feel it too. My sisters are here. My parents are here. And even though I hate the weather, my life is supposed to be here.
So if things work out as planned.. I’ll be all set to start the moving process next week.. wish me luck this week, I’m going to need it!
Joanna
August 11, 2014 at 9:03 amThis is just great. All of it great. (Not the broken table. That’s not great.) Congratulations on arriving back home.