My Life With My Husband And Daughter

Growing up, I have heard about people uprooting and making drastic changes in their lives. I never imagined it would be something I would find myself doing at some point in my own life. It is not like me to put myself in a situation that takes me out of my comfort zone, and not just away from family and friends, but a climate that is predictable for me as well. However, for the sake of getting to know my birth family after discovering where they lived, I have been doing what I can to adjust to my new life with my husband and daughter. I deal with missing the family and friends I left behind along with learning how to cope with humidity in the summer, below freezing winters, and pollen filled springs. New Jersey is culturally different to me as well, and even after eight years, I am still struggling with figuring where I fit in as a Jersey Girl.

I never doubted moving to New Jersey would result in me missing being around the family and friends I grew up with. I have a stepmother and four half siblings I left behind when moving to the east coast. Being so far away, I feel as if I am missing so many important events that have occurred in their lives. Sometimes it is not enough to speak with my California family over the phone or Facebook about what is going on in their lives. I would enjoy the experience of being there to see them face to face. I have my husband to consider as well, he left behind an elderly mother along with three brothers and a sister to make the move to New Jersey with me. The move to the east coast has been a huge sacrifice for him in so many ways. There are times I feel guilty about us not having the finances for him to go and visit his family more often. I also miss my old job working for Mattel in their chil...

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... to California on a regular basis. I have made a few friends, and have grown closer to my birth family but at times, I still feel as if I am alone. I recall a conversation a co-worker and friend had with me. She spent a few years in New York, and told me the east coast was not the right sort of place for me. She said I would not be happy here, and would end up wanting to come back to Los Angeles.

The bottom line is moving to a new area is a challenge, and affects all aspects of persons life. It is something they need to think long and hard about before taking that actual step. I do not have any regrets about moving to New Jersey. I use my experience to help guide others when they are struggling to make the choice to move for themselves. I am able to laugh about most of my experiences now, and say moving to New Jersey has changed my life in some good and bad ways.