22/22

I moved from Missouri to Richmond, VA exactly 22 years ago today. On July 4, 1990 when I was 22 years old and ready to conquer the world. I moved as far away from home as I could get. My destination was the VCU theatre department and my goal was a MFA in costume design. It's funny, I never started the program, instead I started working in the local theatres.

I spent my 20's working here and all over the country in theatre costume shops and on movie sets. I never regretted not going to grad school, not once. Surprisingly, Richmond became my home base. No matter where I landed a freelance job, and no matter how far I traveled for work, RVA was where I lived.

I never meant to stay here, in fact I hated it for a long time. Don and I ended up in D.C. for a few years but his work brought us back. I really resented coming back, at that time there wasn't enough theatre work to go around and all the good movies were being made elsewhere. I was bored, lonely and bitter. So I had a baby!! Some say that there's an old Indian curse that makes you unable to leave this River City of mine, maybe I'm living proof of that. 

It wasn't until I became a mom that Richmond became dear to me. Once Maddie and Aidan came along I traded my transient ways and finally I settled in and made us a home. I finally made great friends here, friends that became my family! The last 14 years have been the very best years of my life. My hubby, my kids, my friends and my sweet little house have made me a very happy girl.

It's weird. Today it feels like I've had 2 totally different lives. There's the Missouri me and my Virginia me. Man, I feel really freaking old. But I tell you one thing, I wouldn't trade a single day of my 44 years no matter where I lived.

Happy 4th of July!!