baby, we were made for each other

so i have been gearing up for some improved quality of life and living. after a lot of thought and many discussions with people i respect, i am determined to make my move. literally.

the first option was oregon. which not only flopped but left me discouraged and in tears. it literally brought me to my knees on the hot, gooey, blacktop at Lagoon. no longer an option. as prepared as i was for the rejection, it still hurt. but i peeled myself off the ground, assuring my family that no one has ever died at Lagoon, and let Chloe take me on Wicked. which caused me to barf. and also realize that i can come a lot closer to death on a rollercoaster than regular life.

so i started creeping in on my second option: austin, texas. i know. i hate texas. i sure do. but it's austin. and pieces have started to drop slowly into the places they fit. and without forcing them to fit. i plan to travel there by the end of this month to check things out. i have done some research, talked to people that live there, thought about it, asked questions, looked at places to live ... and then, yesterday, upon throwing away the Parenting Magazine that Lucy has been destroying for over a week, this article fell open: "The Best Cities to Raise Families." aaand Austin is number 2 on the list. that's right, Swing City! and here is what Parenting Magazine says:

"It's no surprise that Austin kept its second-place ranking from last year--it's a way-cool progressive city in a warm and sunny climate. City pools stay open year-round, and the bass are always biting at Town Lake. The self-proclaimed Live Music Capital of the World, Austin also hosts the annual South by Southwest music, film, and interactive festival. It's a mecca for innovators--Michael Dell launched his tech company here--and Samsung, Goggle, and Facebook all have offices. With an abundance of pediatricians, 27,000 acres of parkland, and plenty of farmers markets and co-ops, Austin is a well-rounded, healthy hometown."

anyone who knows me and loves me knows that this is where my girls and i need to be. austin and us; we were made for each other. i think i could fall madly in love.

as a back-up, i am looking forward to karma's full report on South Carolina. it's my third and final option. but really, my gut tells me i already know. i will even wear cowboy boots. there. i said it.