There's No Place Like...my old Kentucky Home

We've been in Texas for 2.5 years now which doesn't seem like a long time in the grand scheme of things, but to think that when we moved here, Ethan was just 3.5 years old, Aiden only 2.5 and Hudson didn't even exist...well that makes it seem like eons ago!

This was taken the day before we moved to Texas in 2010. The boys look like babies!

We made the decision to pack up and move our family of 4 to Texas from Indiana on a whim. There was a position open with Ricky's employer that sounded like a good opportunity and a good change of pace. Even though we knew we'd be leaving our extended families behind, we felt like this was going to ultimately be a good decision for us.

When we finally sold our home in Indiana (after 18 LONG months on the market), we were excited to see what adventures this journey across the country would bring. Amidst the excitement, however, there were fears. We worried we would regret leaving our support system and wondered if we would make new friends and build a new one. And of course, we were scared about how the move would impact the boys.

Thankfully, we found an awesome neighborhood that we fell in love with quickly, were greeted by fresh baked goods and introductions the first week we were here, and in true Taryn fashion, I began volunteering my time with various organizations while we were still unpacking. We made many friends - including some of the most amazing neighbors who have been like our "family away from home" (Abbi, Kelly...I'm talking about YOU!)

The boys have had nothing but positive experiences in the private preschool and public elementary school. We've immersed ourselves in the Austin culture. We have enjoyed the mild winters - and aside from being 8 months pregnant in the hot Texas summer last year, the heat has been much more tolerable than the ice and snow back home.

It is safe to say that this HAS indeed been a good move for us. So why are we moving back, you ask? Well - it's simple really. Family.

While we've been so lucky to be included in our friends celebrations - birthday parties, special events, holidays - and have come to know their extended families as if they were our own, I have to admit I'd always leave wishing it was my family I was sharing those moments with. I've watched our friends kids grow and change in the smallest ways, all while I watch my own nieces and nephews grow up through pictures online. It's all begun to seem a bit backwards.

So, we've decided that our temporary gig here in Texas is up and have officially started the ball rolling on plans for moving our family of FIVE back to the Midwest (more specifically Kentucky this time). We will be here until around this time next year, so the boys will finish up 1st grade (Ethan) and Kindergarten (Aiden) here in Texas. We feel like moving back sooner rather than later will help them establish a new group of friends in Kentucky while they are still young.

I'm sure there will be a string of very emotional posts in about a year: happy ones, filled with excitement for starting another new chapter in our lives - and sad ones, where we have to say good-bye to the many people who have made us feel so at home here in Texas.

But until then...it's business as usual!