First, I have to remind myself because it doesn't quite feel like home. Actually, scratch the 'quite'. It just doesn't. I don't know how or when a new place makes the transition into feeling like home, but I don't ever remember this odd feeling in College Station or Colorado. I just feel like we are wandering around in this beautiful place and soon we will go back home.
But I also have to remind myself constantly that I live here because it's just so dang beautiful! It's gorgeous. I remember people telling me how wonderful it'd be but no one really came up with a long list of things to do...so I couldn't quite figure out why it was so great. As Jodi put it: mountains you can't ski in, water you can't swim in...yeah, sounds fantastic.
But it is! It's just breath taking. Austin has actually missed the exit to pick William up from school 3 of the 5 days this week...and it's the same exit he takes for work! But he misses it cause we are staring off into the water, captivated by the waves.
He got off work early yesterday (graduated a course to become certified in urine test administration - he's so over joyed) so we decided to go for a bike ride down Hwy 1 to Carmel. Yup, 8 months after I bought the bike I FINALLY got to ride it! We had a great time.
We stopped at the first beach we passed and walked around. The beach wasn't sandy, but it looked like sand from a distance. It was made up of tiny tiny rocks. Not easy to walk up and downhill! We navigated over to the rocky boulder things (I should really learn the lingo so I SOUND like I live here) and climbed up the rocks. The water was just beautiful.
Never in a million years would I have chosen to live in California. And once our army days are done we'll never choose it again. But I sure am thankful we were blessed with the opportunity to experience it for awhile. I love the opportunity to immerse ourselves in different cultures for brief periods of time. And I - dare I admit it - love the farmers markets!!! The produce is so cheap and delicious...the people are a little odd but thats ok. Im having so much fun! Denver was so different than Houston, and Monterey is so different than both. It's truly a blessing to be able to experience the differences for more than just a vacation.
I don't know if it will ever feel as much like home as any of the three other places I've lived do, but I know I'll enjoy the time either way. How could I not?
Strawberry fields 15 minutes north of our house in Watsonville (where the biggest, juiciest, tastiest strawberries ever are grown)
Winding up through the tall trees on the way to San Francisco
Mountains near San Jose
Whoops, how'd he sneak in here?
- manda
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