Moving Pros & Cons

I know my last post about moving did not elaborate very much on our feelings about moving, so I thought I would take a minute to share some of what we are feeling (at this moment!!)

Lets start with the not so great:
- We will greatly miss all of the friends we have made in Orlando over the last several years
- We will be further away from our families, and will miss them being in a "driveable" distance from us!
- We will miss all of our friends coming in and out of town to go to conferences and spend a few days with Mickey!!
- Everyone in California will think my Southern accent is bad until they meet Todd - we will be aliens!
- Our church has been such a great support system here, and we will surely not be able to replace it!
- I will miss restaurants that have horrible names, but are so yummy like Hannibal's and The Ravenous Pig!!
- While I know we will have other wonderful things in California, I will miss shopping and eating on Park Avenue, mornings at the French Bakery, and Saturdays at the best farmer's market!
- Brick roads, oak trees canopying charming streets, lakes on every corner, and the charm of Florida will be long gone! (who knew I would ever love anything about Florida!!)
- We will greatly miss not having state income tax -- 9.3% in CA will HURT!
- Todd will have withdrawls from the Magic, and the new Amway Arena that is not even 3 miles away from our condo!
- The unknown!!

And the great:
- Todd's new position is a wonderful thing, and a much needed change we are looking forward to
- We can find a new church, and will meet new friends!
- We can then introduce said friends to the wonderful new Southern gem in the middle of their city that they don't even appreciate, I'm sure:  Chick-fil-A !!
- I can have In-N-Out burger whenever I want it...bunless for me of course!!  If you don't know what I am talking about, see here!!
- We will be missing the worst part of the year in Florida (hot, hot, hot), and enjoying perfect weather in California during the summer
- The beach will be practically in our back yard!
- Todd is excited to be in a city that actually has pro sports other than just basketball....however, he wants to make it clear he will NOT be a Lakers or Clippers fan (who likes the Clippers, anyway??), he is staying true to the Magic!
- As a child, we lived in San Diego for a few years (my little brother is a Californian by birth) and my Aunt and Uncle and one of my cousins still live about 2 hours from LA so we will be able to visit them!  In addition, my extended family is in Seattle so it will be easier to make a trip that way!
- We will have all new weekend getaway locations!
- I'm convinced living Celiac-induced gluten-free will be much easier in the land of skinny-minis on Fad Gluten Free Diets!

Well, that's it for now!  I'm sure I will have so many more thoughts on this, but will spare you from reading more until a later date!