It was a sad day on Wednesday morning when we had to say goodbye to California. When I moved out there in January of 2001, I never expected to love it so much. So much has changed since I first went out there--a young single (but dating Ryan) girl, with a great roommate and apartment in San Carlos, and a fantastic job in business development at a marketing company. It was in California that Ryan decided to propose to me in Hawaii, where we spent our whole engagement & planned our Philly wedding, where we moved in to our first apartment when we were married, where we bought our first house, where I went back to school to become a teacher, where we adopted our two dogs, where we found out we were pregnant, then with twins, then with triplets, and where we gave birth to beautiful, healthy boys. I'd say that some of our greatest memories so far as a couple have been in California. So it is definitely with mixed emotions that I had to say goodbye to everything and everyone that we love so dearly there. We have made amazing friends who we will certainly miss but keep in touch with. But we will miss the most Ryan's parents and family (Aunt Chris, Uncle Tod, Julia, Michelle & Victoria). For a girl coming out to California knowing no one but Ryan, I'd say I'm leaving feeling pretty loved. Ryan's family from the very get-go took me under their wing and treated me as one of their own before I really was an offical family member. From Sunday night dinners to Giants games, to the great Carter family vacations, they have been amazing second parents to me. Thankfully they love to travel and we know that they will be out to see the boys often in the Carter bedroom we set up for them in the new house. Now it's my family's turn to take care of Ryan, which I know they will. We have a huge family out here and from birthday dinners to trips down the shore, I know that Ryan will get absorbed into our east coast ways of pizza, hoagies, cheese-steaks, Eagles, Phillies, etc very quickly. It's the humidity and maybe the snow that he will have to get re-adusted to (at least he's experienced it all for 4 years when he went to Villanova!)
So a huge thank you to not only Ryan's family, but to all our great friends in California for making my time there so special.
Our trip back to Philadelphia (their 3rd cross-country flight!!) was another good one. The boys slept a lot and were really fun just playing around! Of course we garnered a lot of attention again, but how can anyone resist these cuties??
My dad & Dylan
My mom & Drew
I get to hold Danny!
Drew would like to ask, "Are we there yet?"
