At the end of March, I publicly marked down my thoughts on moving back to Raleigh vs staying in DC longer. When I published it, I came to the conclusion that I would eventually move back to Raleigh, but didn't have any plans to follow through with it in the near future.
But here I am almost five months later, preparing to make that move next week.
It came together so slowly and yet immediately all at once. I have been thinking and praying about it for a couple years now. I was planning on signing onto a two-year lease in Falls Church with a friend and making a decision at the end of that lease whether to stay in the DC area longer. Then in May I went back to Raleigh for a few weeks, and everything changed. I was only supposed to stay for two weeks but ending up extending my trip by a week because my roommate had COVID, and in those three weeks I saw so many people I know and love from every season of life. We have a new baby in the family too, and after meeting him I knew there was no way I could stay away. And so, a week after returning to DC and talking it through with a small group of friends and family, I decided to move back to Raleigh when my lease ended.
It's bittersweet, of course. I've been in DC for 5 years, and have found close friends and joined a good church and grown comfortable with big city living. I moved to DC a few months after graduating college, and it's where I became an adult; it's shaped me into who I am today. I couldn't have asked for a better city to spend half my twenties in, and I will always have a special place in my heart for it. I already have several trips back up here planned, as I made plans in the city for this fall/winter before I knew I was moving. I imagine I'll be back frequently.
Ultimately, I know this is the right move. Unlike every other time I've made steps toward moving back, I feel completely at peace with this decision. As many mixed emotions as I have about it, I'm excited for what's to come.
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