How are we all doing?

People are asking me this question all the time. I am getting texts, e-mails and calls all with the same question. How are the Webster's doing?

Well, a month in to our move to Texas, I think the answer is, "We're doing great." We really are. I am definitely homesick of course. And not just for my family and friends, but also for the Southeast in general. You know how when you fall in love with a certain part of the world it just sticks in your soul? That's how I feel about the southeast. I have been fortunate enough to live in different parts of the country and I have been to every state but 4 and have traveled to many many countries, but the southeast is home. It just is.

I miss the people, the values, the topography, the way of life, etc....That Alabama red clay runs deep through my veins and even if I am in Texas for 40 more years, I will always feel like a stranger in a strange land.

That being said, this adjustment has been by far the easiest of all of our moves. We have already met some wonderful people who I think will become life long friends. I have had friends watch my children for me and I have watched theirs. We have been invited into homes for dinner and have grabbed lunch after church with new friends. Our children have played with their neighbors and been invited to birthday parties. Everyone has been so welcoming and I am thankful to God for them.

Rob is absolutely loving his new job. It has been really good for me to see him so passionate and excited about his work. Bennett likes her new school a lot and Will hasn't skipped a beat in making friends.

Of course they miss their grandparents and cousins. We all miss our friends. We really really miss our old neighborhood with the huge front porches, white picket fences and multiple neighborhood parks. I think I honestly miss my old neighborhood the most. And day trips to the beach. Feeling so landlocked does not make me happy.

But things are good.Very good. And I am grateful.

I was going to post a few pictures of our last days in Alabama, but my iphone rebooted and erased everything. Everything. Including fabulous videos of Lainey that I am devastated to have lost. But here are a few that I fortunately had backed up.

One last trip to Seaside a few weeks before we moved. We had breakfast in Ruskin Square and then just played all morning long.

And then just 4 days before the moving truck came, my sister and nieces drove down to say good-bye. And of course we had to go to the beach again. I absolutely love this picture of all of the cousins.

Do we have to move?

Me and all of my girls. And Will. :)

Wazzup, beach peeps?

Love these two.

One last picture on our front porch swing. 

And all of these sweet kids gathered for one last picture on our front porch. I can't even begin to count how many pictures we have of these kiddos on this porch.

Me and my sister with our children.

The night before Lainey had to go to Montgomery we took our last family bike ride to our neighborhood park. Ugh. Insert ugly cry.

Lainey left the night before the moving truck came to stay with my parents. We took one last family picture on our beautiful porch.  

And the I lost all of the pictures from our move. I am so sad because I had wonderful pictures of the kids saying good-bye to their friends. We had a lot of playdates while the movers packed us up. We went up to our church and said good-bye to all of our favorite friends and pre-school teachers. I am so sad that I lost all of these. I only have one that my good friend Jenny sent me. She took my kids out to dinner one night with her granddaughter, Madison, and I have this picture of the kids saying good-bye to their good friend in our empty house. :(

And that's it. Just like that, our two years in Dothan was over. I am honestly too sad to write down my feelings about it, but I will always be grateful for the time there. I will always cherish the way my kids were shaped and molded by our church and by their wonderful schools. Memories of them swimming in the ocean, riding bikes up and down our street and family game nights on our back porch are memories that will stay with me forever. Here is our sad face selfie as we are about to leave our house for the last time.

Okay, enough sadness. My next post will be all about the wonderful adventures we are having in Texas. But I am still a bit sad. And that's okay.