where to begin on this whole move??  i won’t lie – some days it’s been challenging and i just feel like i’m trying to keep my head above water.  moving is not for the faint of heart!  seriously, y’all.  sometimes i wish i could just go back to my easy, comfortable life in dallas to recharge for a day because it can be so tiring to have to figure everything out about a new city and a new job.  it’s a lot of work.  and sometimes things don’t go as planned… like my furniture arriving outside the delivery window, a week and two days after they said they would deliver it.  i wasn’t a happy camper about that, but in the whole scheme of things, it really didn’t matter too much.  but my media center was in pieces [beyond repair] when it arrived, so i had to have the movers take it straight to the dumpster.  it was from IKEA – not super high quality nor super expensive – but it was still depressing since i bought it within the year and now have to find a new place for all the stuff that was displayed on it.  aaaand this is a little irrelevant, but for some reason denver has very few super targets [that i’ve found] and they’re 20+ minutes away, and they don’t sell beer and wine [i mean, what?!], and neither does safeway or king sooper [a popular grocery store in colorado which a really funny name] and sometimes i just want to go to a grocery store that has everything i need.  a one-stop shop so i don’t have to drive all around the city looking for what i need.  do you follow me??  this is what i mean when i say that it can be tiring to figure out a new city.  even the small mundane things like going to the grocery store are more challenging.

but. this whole move has also been really exciting and fun.  my job is going well – definitely keeping me on my toes, but it’s been great [more on that in another post].  i live in THE coolest neighborhood!  i just love it.  and being close to jamie has been really great too.  we’ve gotten to know each other a lot better since we’ve moved here and are loving getting to spend more time together throughout the week.  with that of course comes more of the “real-life” issues that we probably evaded throughout most of our first 6 months together being long-distance… every time we’d get to see each other after weeks of being apart, we would step into this over-the-moon-to-see-each-other, everything-is-perfect fantasy world which was both glorious and unrealistic.  at some point you’re going to unveil the true and imperfect sides of yourself and experience some growing pains.  and you know what?  that’s pretty wonderful too.  we’re getting stronger as a couple and i love that.  and we’ve done lots of fun things together and even all the boring, everyday tasks [again, going to the grocery store, etc.] seem so much more exciting when you do it with your person. :)

some days i look around and say, do i really live here?  and it’s really weird – it’s almost like i can’t believe that it’s true, still.  i feel like i’m going to wake up and be back in my old life in dallas any day now.  but i really do love living in denver and thank God every day for the opportunity.  there have been some really special moments had during the past month and a half that i don’t want forget.  here are a few of them:

 

{let’s start with this sweet christmas gift from priscilla and mike [we know who the artsy brain behind this one was, no offense, mike!!!] ;)  this cute little texas picture is made out of my family’s thumbprints, with a white little heart there where dallas is.  isn’t this so thoughtful??  i just love it.  makes me so happy.  thank you priscilla and mike!!}

{i had SO much help from my wonderful family during my move.  the fam came and helped me take photos off the wall, and my dad took a lot of time filling in the holes and repainting to make my place ready for the next residents.  mimi was big help during the packing – she stayed at my house and supervised on packing day and moving day while i was at work.  this was a big job [and a little bit of a sad one too] and she had to be there alone, so i’m really appreciative of her help with this so i didn’t have to miss work.  these are some pictures after packing day – soooo many boxes!  76 to be exact.}

{i took mimi to dinner the two nights that she stayed with me, and on the second night, mike joined us too.  we went to HG sply and were there in perfect timing for the sunset toast!  they give a complimentary drink to everyone in the restaurant at sunset and get everyone’s attention and give a toast – it’s really cool.  on this day it was a sauvignon blanc.}

{TX dorper lamb meatballs with honey-garlic brussels sprouts and guacamole.  yep, i miss you, HG!}

{all the feelings…}

{my little team of three took me out to one of our favorite places, ramen hakata, and they gave me this hilarious gift!  apparently i’m the only one that uses the phrase “pretty many!!”} ;)

{i miss these ladies so much!  thank you to them and to all the wonderful people i worked with at this job.  i’m sad to say goodbye but i’m thankful to have had the opportunity to work with each of them.  the cool part is that i’m actually doing contract work for them right now on the side, so we’ve stayed in touch.} :)

{the last time i took an outfit photo in front of this mirror!  it was definitely weird to have it be in an empty room.  this was right before i attended a little going-away dinner at bolsa with some of my close friends.}

{…and YES, i suck at life.  i got pics of the food + drink, BUT – i wanna smack myself in the face – i didn’t get the picture of my dear friends that joined me.  completely inexcusable and i might go cry about it now. :(  but i’m so thankful for these amazing women and i love them with all my heart.  i’m missing them all the time!  on lighter note, this drink was fantastic:  the ‘figs’er upper’ – 1876 vodka, st. germaine, taverna, fig jam, lemon, and bubbles.}

{twig & branch flatbread to share – arugula, texas goat cheese, roasted grapes.}

{after having a couple sleepovers with my brother [i’m grateful for him offering up his pull-out sofa for me to stay at so i didn’t have to stay on an air mattress in an empty house… plus we had a super fun time together!] and an amazing “last supper” at uchi with my family, it was moving morning!  this was what i woke up to on the morning that i began my journey to my new home.}

{this selfie is everything… it might be one of my all-time favorite family pictures.  gosh, i just love these people [and dog] so much!  i’m so thankful for all their help and support during my big move.  [shiner was only moderately helpful but he added a cuteness factor.]} ;) ;)

{…my sweet mama took the time to ride all the way up to denver with me and to help me get settled into my new apartment [sans furniture, ha].  that drive would have been awfully lonely without her!  we had a really fun time together!}

{poor shiner wanted to ride with us to denver SO BAD.}

{here is my new place [again, sans furniture], and the gorgeous flowers that jamie brought over for me.  not pictured: he stocked me up with a lot of candy too!!}

{i was so happy to see him.  no longer do we have to wait 3 weeks to see each other next!!}

 

{the day i moved to colorado, jamie took mom and me up to peaks lounge [on the 27th floor of the hyatt regency] and we had a drink up there and took in the denver views.  this was actually where jamie and i had one of our first dates!}

{kind of a fun way to spend my first evening in denver.}

{ignore the reflections}

{in front of union station – “travel by train!”  …i sent this to dad of course!}

{it was with mom that i was introduced to the famous spring fling cake from the market on larimer square… we were admiring it and the guy at the counter went and cut this slice and gave it to us for free.  he told us that he would only do that once, and after that we’d be addicted.  guy knew what he was doing!} ;)

{i love her!}

{…and a quick throwback:  mom and me on my first time in colorado when i was a year old!  i thought this was kinda fun to find.}

{i had the best night with mom here the evening before she left denver.  we laughed, we cried, we sipped wine.  i’m lucky to have her in my life and i’m lucky to have some damn fun memories with her at some damn fun places.}

{how you dress when it’s 27 degrees and you’re walking to dinner.  but i wasn’t complaining because i LOVE being able to walk to dinner!}

{the neighborhood views on my walk from my apartment to dinner with noelle.  i could have cried tears of joy / excitement / love of life in this moment!}

{noelle and i started a tradition of weekly dinners at new restaurants from the very first week that i arrived.  this was the silk pajamas marg at los chingones:  el jimador reposado, patron citronage and egg white, served up.}

{it’s great to be in the same city as this girl again!}

{my neighbor brought over some flowers which i thought was really nice}

{on my first day of work, my new coworkers took me to this awesome pasta place in my neighborhood called dio mio, where they hand-make the pasta right in front of you.  this is the mint fazzoletti – lamb shoulder rage, black olive and pistachio.  ridiculously good.}

{…and then after lunch we went to the denver central market for some crema coffee!} 

{…aaaaaand my coworker took a photo of my first day on the job while i waited for my coffee!} :)

these were some sweet times.  although it hasn’t been an easy month and a half, the moments above are what will stick with me!  thank you to everyone who helped me get here!!  xoxo