Looking Back on a Decade in Southern California

Do you ever stop and think about where you were a year ago? Two or five? Ten years ago, our family (before our Boss made his big appearance in our lives) took the biggest leap of faith by moving across the country from North Carolina to Southern California. We sold our home, sold Bobby’s dental practice, packed up our belongings and started the biggest adventure yet.

It’s crazy to compare us then to us now. What a huge difference! I can’t imagine living anywhere else. And seeing our kids grow up here, seeing Bobby and I establish our careers here, it’s such an amazing feeling. We’ve put down real roots that we hope will last the test of time. That big leap of faith has transformed our lives in the best way possible!

Needing a Change

I remember like it was yesterday when Mama Dona (my friend’s mom who treated me like her own) dropped us off at the airport and took the picture above. Though we were going to miss our dear friends and family, this was something my husband and I were ready for. I was wanting to go closer to NY, but my Bobby was California dreaming!

What truly pulled the trigger for us was the passing of our dear friend Christian. Christian was in the military with Bobby and tragically passed away in a car wreck. We spoke to him the night before the accident and we talked about us both moving back to California where we were once stationed and both raising our kids together. After Bobby read the eulogy and flew back home from Michigan, he said start packing, we are going to live out our dreams.

Check out all my parenting ideas on the City Girl Gone Mom Pinterest board!

Being Okay With the Unknown

We were scared of the unknown but knew it was the right call. Bobby bought a dental practice in Del Mar from another veteran. And me? I started a little blog called City Girl Gone Mom. I started writing three articles a week documenting all of our days, our wins, our failures, and everything in between. Honestly, I never knew I would build a brand like this, but here we are.

The moral of the story: take a chance, live your life. Ten years ago, we did it without knowing what the future would hold. I never knew getting into social media a decade ago would be a really smart choice. Sure, it took us five years to save to buy our first home here, but now we own two. One thing I truly remember before we left is my stepfather saying to me, “Danielle, what do you really have to lose? You can always come back!” Take a chance, I can’t scream that loud enough.