7 Dover St.

I spent the last 4 years living on Dover St. in Norwalk, CT. Since I've moved to CA, I've tried to think back to what life was like when I first got there. And I remember thinking to myself, "what in the world am I doing here!?" Besides Kathy & Dan and the kids, I didn't really know anyone. Almost everything about living in CT was uncomfortable. I didn't know anyone, I was starting a new career, I was trying to take the CPA exam. Life was stressful. And truth be told (not that I haven't been blunt about this before), I just didn't like it. I think I talked about eventually moving ever since I got there.

At some point along the way...that all changed. And although I knew I would likely have to leave at some point to try something different, it wasn't going to be because I didn't like it anymore.

The Francia's - I like to call them my CT family. They always had room for me at
the kitchen table every single Sunday. I love these people! They are so generous.

7 Dover St. became my home. There are things about CT that I love. I love the fall there and the trees. I loved driving along the Merritt Parkway (my own little race track). I loved being so close to NYC that I could just hop on a train and go see a broadway show whenever I felt like it.

But of course the thing I loved the most was the incredible friends that I made and the bonds that I established. Thank goodness I decided to stay in CT all that time or I never would have met the people that I did and made the wonderful friends that I will have for life.

Sunday evening at Josh & Colleen's with family & friends.

My last few days there were so emotional for me. I hate having to say goodbye to people. I hated thinking about how I wasn't going to be a part of their every day lives like I had been. It really started getting emotional my last Sunday in CT. They should never ask you to speak and release you from your 2 year calling all on your LAST Sunday. (The bishop and I met before sacrament meeting so he could officially release me and we were both in tears....And sacrament meeting hadn't even begun! sheesh!) Having to say goodbye to the Bishop was not an easy thing for me. He truly became one of my best friends out in Connecticut.

Singstar'ing it up with Mckay on my last night in CT.

Then it was Monday - and I had to go into the office to pack up my office and say goodbye to everyone! That was also very sad. As much as I've complained about work over the past few years, there is one thing about work that I've loved...and that is most of my amazing co-workers. Saying goodbye to many of them was incredibly difficult. And I have missed them more than I thought I would.

Thank goodness for sametime (our internal chat) - I am pinging them every day! The people out here just don't compare. (Ligi - this is for you: "Hhhhheyyyyyyyy").


Wednesday was my last day in Connecticut. I had been busy trying to pack up my apartment and getting rid of pretty much EVERYTHING I own. My parents were serious life savers by coming down and helping me sort everything out and get everything out. They arrived Sunday Evening - and finally by Wednesday afternoon, we were done. They were AWESOME! I can't thank them enough.

They left Wednesday afternoon and so of course I got to spend one more night with some of my most favorite people! Josh, Colleen, Barrett, Mckay, and Jennah got everyone together for a last dinner together and a night of singstar at Josh and Colleen's! It was so great to spend my last few hours in CT with my favorites.

I was so incredibly out of it and SO tired and so drained that I don't think it had really hit me what was going on. Then of course I had to start saying goodbye.


It was hard to say goodbye to Josh and Colleen. They have been so great to me. I've known Josh for a long time. And I'm so glad that we have become such good friends and that he brought Colleen into my life who has got to be one of the sweetest people I know.

And little Barrett - what a fun kid! I think we would have become amazing friends had we had more time together! He only moved in about 2 months before I left...and I felt like we had already bonded.
And of course Mckay and Jennah.....My life savers over the past year or 2. I don't know what I would have done without them! I said goodbye to Mckay and probably hugged him million times before I left for Jennah's place to spend the night.


And drove away from 7 Dover St leaving my empty apartment behind. I miss everything about CT right now. My friends, my gym, my favorite sushi place, even the crazy nanny ward, and definitely my apartment. People tell me I'll never move back. But I'm not so sure - I think I'll always be an East Coast girl at heart.