20 years ago today, my daughter, Hannah, and I arrived in Portland. Living here, in this beautiful, green, lush, progressive, creative, wacky city, nestled perfectly between the mountain and the ocean, has been such a blessing. This is my home. ✨
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When I made the decision to move here, it was on a whim. Hannah and I had spent 3 1/2 months over the summer traveling around the US looking for the perfect place to call home. I’d grown up in a small farm town in MN, went to college in Fargo, and was DONE with the cold winters, and ready to find my “people”. ✨
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After traveling, I was surprised to find that the Pacific Northwest just felt right. (I’d been almost certain I’d end up in the Rockies!) It called to me, in a big way. The forests, the people, the ocean, the culture. Mmmm, so good!! ✨
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When I moved here, I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t have a job, I didn’t have a place to live, I had barely any money, and was towing my broken down VW van behind my moving truck, and yet…..I knew this was what I needed to do. ✨
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When I look back on this, I’m not sure if I was more brave, or more naive!! ✨
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And…I know I followed my heart, I listened to my intuition, and I took a HUGE leap into the unknown. Sometimes, that leap into the unknown is exactly what we need to do in order to create the life we’re yearning for. ✨
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20 years later, I have the most amazing circle of friends (family…really), many of whom I met shortly after moving here, I have an amazing job, I get to hike in the most beautiful forests and, I know I found my HOME. Huge bonus: Hannah, who’s now all grown up loves it here so much that she moved back to Portland after college
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Happy Anniversary, Portland. So glad to be home. Thank you for calling me. I’m so glad I listened!! ✨
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