a wordy farewell to the desert

Eighteen months ago when Mr. Yin got notice of his acceptance to Thunderbird, it was Thanksgiving and we were in Taipei getting ready to head to Xi'an, China in a few days. It was a terribly exciting moment for him since he'd been wanting to get his Global MBA from Thunderbird for a few years. While I was super excited for him, and incredibly proud for him and what this could mean for our family, to say that I was less than thrilled about leaving Boston and relocating to Arizona is a bit of an understatement.

I love Boston and loved our little life there. I loved my job and coworkers, loved that some of my family was close by, loved that I got to see Ada and Alice on a fairly regular basis. Loved it. So it was very sad to say goodbye. For those and many other reasons, I was not thrilled to live in Arizona.

Mr. Yin left a month before I did so I could finish up a project at work that I had been gearing up for all year. It wasn't fun living in different states, and we only got to see each other once during that month. Then, the week things were really gearing up for this big work project, Pomp decided his 93+ years on this earth was enough and he passed away. The week was filled with funeral preparation and family instead of work. And a lot of mah jong as it was our means of escaping from the sadness of losing our Pomp and trying to fathom life without him.

I went back to work for three days, had a small goodbye gathering for those who could make it, and then spent a few days with my family before boarding a plane bound for Phoenix. Via Memphis. Where I was lucky enough to miss my connecting flight and instead of being with my husband again, I got to spend the night on the floor of the Memphis airport, fighting for a ticket on the first plane out in the morning. Lady Luck smiled on me at least for a few minutes and I miraculously got on a flight to Mr. Yin.

I left Boston in February, in my long black pants, wool socks and big winter coat. And arrived in Phoenix a tad overdressed.

It was a pretty tough adjustment period for me. Mr. Yin started school and was busy from day one. I tried to keep myself busy with hiking and biking and running. Baking wasn't as much fun because the oven turned our apartment into a sauna. The printer I bought explicitly to print cute things I was designing wouldn't take card stock. And the friends I did have were in Mesa. Blerg.

This desert funk did not suit me. I didn't have any friends on this side of the valley, didn't really do much to make friends, and I know for a fact Mr. Yin was wondering if I'd ever be able to live abroad if just being in Arizona was this challenging. But then two things happened: I found out I was pregnant and we decided to leave the desert for the summer and do some traveling.

We had a wonderful summer wherein we both fulfilled some life-long travel dreams and we spent some great time with family. And over that time, I experienced a huge attitude adjustment and learned to be grateful for what I do have instead of pining for what I used to have. So when we came back for Mr. Yin to study again, it was okay.

Mr. Yin had been encouraging me to join the wives' club at Thunderbird and I finally did. And made some friends. Some new families moved into the ward and I made other friends. Being visibly pregnant, everyone wants to be your friend. Or at least there is an easy conversation starter. Things just started to look up the better my attitude got.

Fast forward about eight months, and it's time to leave.

I never thought I'd say it, but I'm a little sad to go. There were a few weeks Mr. Yin was looking for jobs that would keep us here in the valley and I didn't mind. We have learned to love some things and not mind other things, and we've made some good friends.

We have been incredibly blessed in our time here. Most particularly with a tiny of bundle of Ted who has grown to a giant bundle of joyful chub. He's a desert baby and doesn't know that it's supposed to be cold in December and that he should have been born in a snow storm! I will miss, terribly, the weekly breastfeeding support group I've been going to. The group helps keep me grounded as a mom, and helps me prepare for the next phase in Teddy's life. I've learned so much there.

Our friends here are keepers: the ones we know from Boston days and the ones we met while roasting in the desert together. (Or enjoying gorgeous 70 degree days in February!)

But our time here in AZ is up. Mr. Yin is a master. Teddy Yin has outgrown his mini-crib. And Mrs. Yin is better prepared to meet the next adventure. What that adventure will be, we do not yet know. It started with selling all of our furniture and many of our possessions, donating many more, and packing what was left in a few boxes to store, and the rest in our luggage to fly with us to New Jersey.

We're excited to be near Mr. Yin's family and to spend time back East. We'll (hopefully!) get to see our friends in NYC, and meet the new cousins we haven't yet seen, Little Ruth and the Imp when she comes.

Those sound like good adventures to me.

So, farewell Arizona. We have learned to love you. Not your crazy heat, but your kind-hearted people, gorgeous landscapes, and stunning sunsets.