A Facebook Message Changed My Life

It was a rare evening for me, sitting on the couch, surfing Facebook, watching Netflix, and a little blogging. A group Facebook chat popped up from my cousin, one who I hadn't talk to in years.  Not remembering the last time we talked, he and his wife lived across the country in rainy Seattle, the message interested me. The message was short asking a few friends/family members if anyone knew of someone that would be interested in becoming a live in nanny, committing to at least one year in Seattle.

You're going to Seattle.

Uh-What? Yeah right. I have NEVER thought about going to Seattle, I hate the rain.

I pushed all thoughts of Seattle aside. But they wouldn't stay on the sidelines.

You have always wanted to see the other side of the country.
You love kids, you love seeing new places, why wouldn't you go?
This is the change that you have been praying for.  

Bear and His Doggies

With these thoughts running through my head I responded to my cousin asking for more information. I mean what could a little more information hurt, right?

Right.

The more information I received the more I knew it was just a matter of time before I said yes.

In Less Than 1 Week Bear Captured My Heart!

After a few weeks of serious thinking I still wasn't sure if I should go. I LOVED my support system in NY; my friends, family, and co-workers.  With my mom's illness, my nieces growing up, and my closest friends living right by me; I couldn't really justify leaving. But something kept stirring in me.

Excitement about a new city, a new place, a new job wouldn't let me close the door. So I did what any girl in my shoes would do, I poured it all out to my mom. We had a long long talk but only one thing she said stuck with me

 "You have to live your life, don't let someone else dictate what you do".

Her words hit home, I couldn't let the fact that my parents would miss me, my nieces would grow up without me, and that my best-friends wouldn't be close by stop me from living my life. This sounds simplistic; almost like duh - why would you live your life based on others, but I needed someone to tell me it was okay. With almost no strings holding me down now really was the time to explore and travel. With that in mind I called my cousin up and told him "yes" I would come to Seattle.

I still had concerns, you see I tend to have a strong parental style for not being a parent. Being on the same page with a parent is a huge thing for me. Would our scheduling, discipline, and overall parenting styles match? For that matter, would we get along? Barely knowing my cousins and living on my own for the last several years left me wondering would I like living with people again.

They Had Me With Water!

They asked me to come out for a week to get to know Bear, help with a move, and get a taste for Seattle. I still remember getting off the airplane being a ball of nerves wondering what my cousin's wife (Lys) would be like, would we get along, would this work out well.

Within minutes of re-meeting Lys (we met once before about 14 years ago) I knew we would be good friends. By the time we reached the house it was very clear we I had nothing to worry about. As the week went on all doubts about how well we got a long, living with family, and child-care differences all vanished. One conversation sticks in my mind as we were taking Bear for a walk. She was describing their reasons for a sleep schedule and the whole time I just kept on saying uh-huh, yup, I agree. She told me the two books they use if I wanted to know their reasons why, my response was "I completely agree with all of it". That was the moment I knew, knew this would be better than either of us hoped.

My first look at Pikes Market

Now almost a year later I can say without a doubt - answering that one Facebook message, the message that took me on a road-trip across the country has forever changed my life; not only physically but down to the very core of who I am. Moving away from my comfort zone allowed me to finally become comfortable with who I am, pour into 2 little boys lives, and enjoy summer weather from outside a desk (hehe).

ceconner ©5.19.2014