My Empty Nest Adventures
This isn’t what I was expecting — it’s better
As I bathed in the bright afternoon sunshine, I realized I was standing on the same street where I’d lived exactly 20 years earlier.
I happened to be wearing my Parisian earrings in this French shop with its jaunty French music playing. A dash of Europe in my new city, Houston. This moment wasn’t planned. An impromptu detour led me here.
For those following along, Savannah never materialized. Bluntly, I got priced out. So I had to pivot. I had assumed my hometown of Tallahassee would be my backup plan but when it became obvious Savannah wouldn’t work, I found myself considering other cities.
I realized I wasn’t ready to return home yet and Houston popped into my head. I lived here from 1997–2003 when I was trying to get back to Austin after grad school. Real estate is affordable, the dating scene is way better, and I have access to great healthcare, fashion, shopping, food, and music.
It’s been nice to return to a city where I have a handful of sweet friends (shout-out to Jen, Tara, and Erin) and some familiarity.
The last 6 months have been unusually hectic. Lots of fun events (senior prom, graduation, a trip to Europe), but lots of chaos, too. Getting my son settled into college and the logistics…
