I’m flying home from Mississippi after moving our daughter in to her new house for her senior year of college. This goodbye feels different, I know she won’t be coming back home to live with us. Four years ago, when she applied only to out-of-state colleges, I had a feeling we’d be “losing” her in a way.
When she chose Ole Miss, I thought she’d be a fish out of water, keep in mind she did not know one person and she is an introvert just like her mama! But the moment we stepped on campus, I could see it, she would fit right in, flourish, and maybe even meet a southern-born husband.
Fast forward to now: she’s thriving, in love, and likely to make the South or close to it, her permanent home. Derek and I saw this coming from the start. We even considered moving ourselves, somewhere more central and certainly out of California. The Southern states are tempting, they are so charming, inviting and especially financially friendly.
But every time we explore the idea, we come back (literally usually on our drive home from a house hunting trip) to the same conclusion: we love where we live. The High Sierra views. The Central Coast just a drive away. The Sequoia National Park, and Los Angeles for a quick City fix. We’re surrounded by beauty and variety, all within a few hours.
California isn’t perfect, no place is, but the Central Valley offers a lifestyle and accessibility that’s hard to beat. While many have left for more affordable states, I’ve realized I’m a California girl at heart. The South may have my daughter, and I miss her terribly already....but she’s just a flight away.
For me, this is home. And I’m here to keep building my business and serving the people of the Central Valley and the Central Coast for the long run.
