I’m back in Boston this week for work and IT. IS. WEIRD. I feel simultaneously like I am back after an extended vacation, but simultaneously on vacation away from home. It’s so very strange driving the same familiar roads and almost forgetting that I don’t live here anymore.

 

 

 

 

But being back here has me reflecting about my recent move to Arkansas. Since I moved home, I’m really happy to say that I’ve only once wondered whether moving back was the right choice (and that was during a more emotional time of the month, so I don’t think it really counts).

 

I will be honest, being in Arkansas does feel strange, as I’ve never been a fully-fledged, completely independent adult here (and even now I’m living with my grandparents, so I still haven’t quite hit that milestone yet). For lack of a better phrase, I’m still figuring out how to “adult” in Arkansas!

 

But I think once I find a house and start making friends (who aren’t my mom, my grandparents, and my siblings) I’ll start to feel a little bit more like the fully-independent, Boston version of Madeline. And I liked her, so I hope that happens soon.

 

 

As for why I’m really writing this blog post, if you remember, shortly before I moved I shared three goals I had and so I thought I’d update you on the progress of those:

 

My first goals was to strengthen my relationships with family. This one has probably been the easiest to work on, since I currently live with my grandparents, and am over at my parent’s house probably 3 – 4 times a week. It’s hard not to feel closer to your family when you spend that much time with them!

Of course, my younger siblings probably think I could do with less “mothering” and more “just being a friend” when I’m around, but I’m working on that. Maybe THAT should be my goal: try NOT to annoy my younger siblings into moving far, far away from me…

 

 

Goal two was to flip a house! This one has been a bit more difficult, because while the great thing about Arkansas is that housing is really cheap, the not so great thing about Arkansas is that housing is really cheap.

I’ve found a lot of houses I could afford and that fit the bill for what I’m looking for… but none of them have the resell value to be able to make a profit after I renovated them. So the hunt continues, and perhaps the goal may have to be adjusted a bit to take this detail into consideration. But as long as I can renovate a house, I’ll be a happy camper!

I do have my eye on a particular house with a lovely wooded backyard, but as of right now, I’ve only admired from afar via Zillow… so I won’t say too much more on that.

 

Finally, I set a goal to complete Passages by June of 2020. This goal is a little harder to give an update on, as it’s a pretty long term project.

(Although I’m realizing I have less than two years… so maybe less long term than I thought!)

Sadly, I have not had much of a chance to work on Passages at all, which frustrates me. But I do have to remind myself that between Green Rider, moving, and another collaboration project, there’s not been much time for anything. I have reworked my story line for the series and so it now follows a story that I am MUCH happier with.

Luckily, all of these projects should be wrapping up late October/early November (although I will miss them when they’re done), and then I can turn my attention to this project that I am very, very excited to get back to work on.

 

In the meantime, I’ll be spending my last few days in Boston seeing friends and, of course, hitting up my favorite thrift shops. Hopefully I can fit it all in my carry-on, as I am morally opposed to checked bags for anything less than a two week trip! Wish me luck!