It’s hard to keep up with our kids these days, who have always lived within 50 miles of us since they flew off from our nest over a decade ago! Big changes are afoot!
Larisa passed a licensure exam, granting her permission to practice social work in New York City, where she is planning to move to in July, fulfilling a childhood dream. Her boyfriend Dima already has an apartment lined up for them in the city. At the moment, however, the world adventurers are in Curaçao scuba diving. I wonder if Larisa & Dima will see creatures like the one pictured above as they dive into the sea.
Nate & Shea have worked from home for a while, which means their home could be anywhere. And the adventure bug has now bitten them, too – they’re planning to move to St. Marys, Georgia this summer. This news really came out of the blue and I’m still trying to absorb it! Before they go, however, they will be taking a Disney cruise in June and I get to feed their fish and their cat, Sassy, while they are sailing around the Caribbean.
So happy for all of them, even if we will miss having them so close. St. Marys is next to Cumberland Island National Seashore so once they get settled I’ll be chafing at the bit to visit them in their new home by the sea.
If it helps I know what you feel like Barbara – our kids also live far from us. We’re on the west coast and they’re on the east.
Cumberland Island National Seashore looks like a marvelous spot.
Yes, I’ve been reading up on Cumberland Island National Seashore the past few days. They haven’t even left town yet and I’m impatient to visit them! 🙂
It will take some getting used to, though. I wonder how often we’ll visit back and forth. Do you visit your kids often?
I love the sight of the sand dunes emptying into the sea – such soft, enduring country.
Me, too. The sea is in my son’s blood, too, and he’s an outdoors-man. Maybe we’ll go camping with them at Sea Camp, where there is “splendid isolation in a cool grove of trees” and ‘wild horses and armadillos to keep us company!’
Barbara – Their relocation is an opportunity for more travel adventure for you — whoohoo!
Whoohoo! We’ve already spent an evening trying to figure out the best way to get to Georgia by train! 🙂 (We already know how to get to New York City by train!)
We have told our kids that if they are living here to be near us, they don’t have to-we will follow them to someplace new. So far, they (with the exception of our daughter who is half-way across the country) they are still nearby.
I’ve often wondered if we’d follow our kids to some place new – I know many parents do. I guess it depends a little bit on where they take off to – I wouldn’t want to move too far inland. And we’d kind of like to retire on Cape Cod…
Hi Barbara,
Sounds like the kids are having a great time, and so many new adventures in the future for them. Plenty to look forward too, and new times for you as well.
The future does look promising even thought it is a mystery still – and the present is pretty cool, too!
Like the top picture.
As for the family movements – big changes. New York – excellent and also daunting. It’s only when you have children yourself that you appreciate the mixed feelings prompted by these departures – pride and loss. Hasn’t happened to me yet – but left – left the country – and I imagine my children doing it to me in a few years. Well, quite a few years. I shouldn’t get too carried away with apprehension just yet.
But I agree with holessence – new places to stay on holiday. Yay!
I can’t help thinking about my paternal grandparents who left their parents in Ukraine and came to America as young adults, never to see their parents again. In our day and age of air travel a drastic move like that doesn’t have to split families apart so permanently. You’re right about the mixed feelings – so I’m choosing to focus on the adventure possibilities!
Good luck to your kids on their moves, i’m sure they will enjoy the adventure. Looking at this on my phone, so I can’t see the pics very well, but i’ll have to check out that Cumberland Coast.
Thank you, gitwizard! When I was a teen in the 1970s my parents moved us to Greece for a couple of years. My maternal grandparents came by ship to visit us there for a month or so and we had the time of our lives. I’m imagining that my grandmother, the quintessential planner, felt much the same way as I’m feeling now, reading up on a new place and planning an adventure/family visit!
Barbara, it’s always hard to be away from your love ones. I haven’t seen my parents for 3 years. they live in Asia and it’s not easy to travel that far although I’m hoping that I could do it this year. But far or near, we would always miss the people we care about and if given the chance, we should share their adventures for as long as we can .These are precious moments that will remind us of them and bring a smile, or even a laughter when loneliness comes. Nice post and pictures.
Thank you, island traveler! Will your parents have a chance to come visit you here someday? I haven’t tried it myself, but I know Tim enjoys talking to his brothers who live in Europe on Skype. You’re right about the precious moments – they can warm the heart during the rough times. Experiences shared with family and friends are more to be treasured than collecting the material things that can weigh us down.
I read this while downstate, hmmmm, thought I had already commented. Thinking about you and your precious kids. Interesting that your daughter’s boyfriend is named Dima. Kiah’s is Diaa. Are they going to live in Manhattan or Queens or Brooklyn or…? Kiah lived in the former for two years but just moved to Queens. By the way, getting closer to sending out your package, lol. 🙂
Looks like Dima & Larisa will be starting out in Manhattan, subletting an apartment Dima found. Dima’s from Russia – where is Diaa from? Hopefully by the time the lease is up Larisa will have a job and they can decide where it will be best to live for both their jobs.
When I was a kid I had an aunt living in Manhattan, another one in the Bronx, and another one in Queens. Tim’s parents and stepfather grew up in Manhattan, though they all moved to Connecticut as adults.
No hurry on the package! 🙂
Diaa is from Egypt, although he’s been in the NYC area for a long time. I am looking forward to meeting him next month! (although we apparently met once, but that was before they started dating.) I just mentioned on Facebook that your package went out the other day but I forgot to even personalize it with a note. Sorry! Was in the post office trying to find the proper padded envelope and it got a bit confusing. Enjoy…
Egypt! Sounds so exotic! Will let you know when the package arrives – thank you! – I often get confused in the post office and many other places, too! 🙂