A Year in Tucson

I've been in Tucson for just over an entire year. It would be a huge understatement to say this year has not gone as expected. Le'ts start the tale...

I flew into Tucson New Year's Eve, arriving to a cold, rainy desert. I finally got to be reunited with my fuzzy family for the first time in 2 months. Everyone else had moved out at the beginning of November. Husband needed to drive out between his school semester, and he took Haiku and Sara with him. I wanted Truby on the road before winter weather became a thing. I stayed in PA until Christmas, because I told my then boss I would stay until then - it was the right thing to do, especially since I wasn't replaced, but it was so, so hard. I handled the remaining packing of our stuff, sending it off with the movers (that was a fun disaster, never will I use a moving company again) and the final cleaning and turnover of our apartment. After that I stayed with my wonderful, amazing, kind, and occasionally so-annoying-I-wanted-to-die-that's-how-you-know-we're-family Aunt and Uncle. We celebrated a fabulous Hanukkah together, and the day after Christmas I drove to Maryland to spend the week visiting my family and friends there.

 Unexpected carriage horses in a PA state park. They were very much enjoying their job!

Winter farmland in Maryland. I wish I was walking there right now.

 My aunt would go through old photo albums and tell me and my cousin

old stories. It was one of my favorite things!

That's baby me and my older brother in Virginia.

 My wonderful-beyond-words family

 One last day of adventures with my dad in Maryland.

 Hanging out with my dad.

My plane arriving at BWI to take me to the next part of my life.

I thought I'd really enjoy the time at home, getting to do things 'one last time', but honestly, I was restless, and so tired of waiting. And lonely. And tired of being lonely. I just wanted to get to Tucson and be with my weird little family.

Oh hey, it's you. Have you been gone or something?
Feel like i haven't seen you for awhile..?

New Year's Day was cold and rainy. So Haiku got dressed up

to go for her walk. That's a fleece jacket and a life preserver. 

Don't ask. I didn't. 

 A few days later, after the rain cleared.

I was so happy when we finally landed in Tucson! I'd been travelling all day, and was ready to be home. I was definitely ready to not be surrounded by other travelers! I was ready to stop hanging around, marking time, and waiting for to unpause my life again. 

Husband picked me up, and we drove through the dark rain to our new apartment. He had done some unpacking, but left most so I could set up the new apartment how I wanted. He usually hates scented candles, but had gotten a few and been burning them for days so the place would smell good. He had gone shopping for snacks. Haiku and Sara greeted me when I got to our new home for the first time. I was so happy to be there. Relieved to be able to lounge around in pajamas. To have my little dog to snuggle. To cuddle with my husband for the first time in months. To be home.