My Hometown

People who don't live in the Bay Area often say to me "How can you live there, it is so ridiculously expensive?" or "It is never warm in San Francisco, it is always foggy." I agree on both accounts, and there is a decent chance that Andrew and I will move away from here eventually (because yes, it is absurdly expensive). But for right now there is nowhere else I would want to be. And here is why:

• It is beautiful. Life is too short not to live in a place that is beautiful. I get inspired every time I go for a run because I get to run out on the water by the bridge. On beautiful days it is breathtaking.
• Ten years ago I lived in Austin and spoke to my family about twice a month (Ok, granted, I was psycho at the time, but still). Last week I got to go to see the As in a playoff game (and yes, it was ugly) with my brother, while my mother watched my daughters. Some of my first memories are going to As games with my family, and I can't wait to take the girls to games.
• This week my aunt came to take the girls out for a walk and Chris came by and took them to the park. It is to so nice to have the break and the help, and so nice that the girls have so many people around to shower love on them.
• This past weekend was Fleet Week and the sky was filled with jets. We saw the Blue Angels perform on Saturday and Sunday in crystal clear skies. When I hear the jets (which were not that sweet during naptime) I can't help but play the Top Gun song in my head, and when I see them cross through the Golden Gate I want to yell "I see blue smoke!" And I want to tell people that real estate in San Francisco is expensive, but so much of what we love to do here is not.

The only downside is that it makes me realize how hard it must be for Andrew to be away from his hometown. To Andrew they say "Houston, it is so hot!" or "It is so ugly!" And Andrew just responds with "Yes, both are true, but it was a great place to grow up." I wish we could find a way to live in both of our hometowns somehow...