Geeky Talks
You mean you don’t have family here?
This is usually the sentence we get immediately after answering the question, “So what brought you to Seattle?” People gasp and make frowny faces as they eye us up and down at how-in-the-world-stupid-do-you-have-to -be-to-live-three-and-a-half-hours-from-your-closest-relative. We smile, sometimes explaining further and sometimes not, and wait for the conversation to turn toward the incredibly high housing market and cost of living followed by the extreme liberal politics with people assuming things wrongly. We’re used to it now. It’s happened a lot.
It’s hard to explain to people that we moved to Seattle for a daydream. We moved to Seattle because we idealized the location and realized we will forever hate ourselves if we don’t at least try to see if it lives up to our high expectations. We moved two hundred plus miles from some amazing and dear friends and from LB’s first home and support system.
But we did not move to Seattle alone.
It’s hard to explain to people that while we do not have blood family near, we do have friends that are as good as family or better. We have people from our lives that we’ve known for 10 or more years that live near by and offer to help with the new baby and LB. We have the convenience of having their moms and dads close, adults you can turn to when you are so drug down by being The Adult yourself, who lovingly allowed us in to their lives years ago and feel so much like a Cousin or Aunt that you’d be happy going to their house for Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July (and we often do.)
I’d possibly be much more at home in San Antonio or Austin, near relatives and the kind of southern folk that made my formative years a classic childhood. I sometimes wonder if we wouldn’t be happy living near my Mom and Dad where the houses are 70% off (with “Buy now and get 50% more!” tags on them) and the people that I’ve known my entire life. I think these thoughts during the long, long winter and the often cloudy and cold, rainy days.
Then a miracle happens and the sun breaks, the clouds part, the day warms and we take LB to the water to toss rocks into the Sound. We spend time as a family climbing over driftwood and marveling at the Ferry boats. We sit by the water and feel the strength of a million people who have sat by these same waves watching the same scene, breathing the same mountain-fresh air.
It’s hard to put in to words why we moved here. I’ve almost given up trying to explain it to people now. Instead, I will just say:
Jan, 27, 2007 Filed in: Getting to know me •Good News •The Flinger Family •Pregnancy •Mrs. Flinger Said So • Read the Archives 
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The pictures say it all and Magnolia mom took the words right out of my mouth!
Wait?! You get yto pick where you move?
Does. NOT. Compute.
(And yes, I realize that only you will understand that comment, but I don’t care anymore.)
What a fantastic blue sky! LB’s pic is my fave…
And? it thrills me to see that your baby bump looks like mine. I was afraid I had too big of a bump too early, but we seem to be right on track with each other. Yay for bumps!
Charla, I was in a room of pregnant women all due before me and MY bump was the BIGGEST. (I hear “I got the biggest bump of them all playing in my head now)
I carried large with LB, too, and this time I’m even bigger, I think.
I’m in for a long last trimester.
Beautiful pictures Les! THAT is why people live in the NW. Well, and to be close to the people they love… which is why I’ll be moving less than 5 miles away from you in March.
Hee!
This part of the country is pretty cool, isn’t it? Cute baby bump.
I have similar problems trying to explain to people why I now live in a wooden house in the middle of a forest in the middle of nowhere somewhere near Lapland. Like you the only way I can explain is by photos.
I actually admire people that are able to pick up and move somewhere like you did. There are many places (including Seattle, actually) that I would love to live, but I can’t bear the thought of losing the many ties I have here in my NC town. Maybe one day I’ll be able to suck it up and move somewhere that I can take beautiful pictures like those!
It’s so gorgeous there. But here we have summers that burn your eyeballs clean off. Sure you don’t want to return???
I don’t have any family and I get that look all the time.. it’s pretty annoying
Beautiful!!! You look great Leslie.
We’re 3 hours from closest family… you do what you have to do!
Gorgeous!
Beautiful photos! We went to Larrabee today and I thought of you…you’re right - watching the water and breathing in the fresh air is invigorating!
beautiful. i’m jealous: everything here is grey and dreary with dirty snow :(
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
If you need an advocate on why you moved to Seattle… you know I am here!!
It has been my dream that one day I would live in Seattle. My husband was born there… I have been there twice.
You only need to go once. I was in love the moment the plane came into range of the city….
It IS that beautiful. And worth it.
I applaud you Mrs. Flinger for taking a leap of faith and moving there. I hope every dream and thought you had about Seattle comes true.
And much more!!
Ah, thanks, andrudeness. I don’t know if “brave” or “what-were-we-thinking” comes to mind but days like this make it easy to love the decision.
those photos are beautiful. i almost felt like i was on vacation, without all the hassle of going on vacation with an entire family
We’d move back if we could afford to buy a house. We miss it, a lot. It’s one of those towns that grows on you. Much like a tumor. The hubs and I have sworn to each other that we’ll retire there.
I live 15 hours from my nearest relative or friend for that matter. Whenever I go to doctors visit for my pregnancy I have to tell the whole 9 as to why there aren’t any emergency contacts other than my husband that is usually with me anyways. And why we would take a job away from family.
Those pictures are just gorgeous.
I’ve never lived away from my family but sometimes I long to just pack it up and move close to the ocean. My husband had the guts to do that years ago when he moved to Jacksonville but then he got engaged to me and had to move back to Tennessee.
Your friends can definitely be as “close” as family and you are a lucky woman to have such good friends nearby.
I love the Puget Sound. I think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. There is so much loveliness there. We’re thinking about relocating to the Olympic Peninsula once my husband gets his Masters.
There’s nothing wrong with deciding to live near family by choice rather than blood. After all, you and your husband are family by choice.
My Dad finished his post-doc in Seattle and spent the rest of his life trying to get back there again. He made it after I graduated from highschool and there was no family there for him either (Mom and my sister moved with him). I think some places just resonate deep down with a person’s soul.
Is it sad that I want to live in Seattle because that is where Grey’s Anatomy takes place? Part of me really thinks there is a McDreamy there waiting to karate chop John outta the picture and marry me. Doctors make sweet money!
My family lives on the other side of the country. At least a 5-6 hour plane ride away. He has one sister here that we can count on and a brother that’s too young to consider yet. I still wish his mother lived that far away!
Still, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
You make me miss the Pacific Northwest!! It’s just too pretty, that’s for sure. And so close to everything… the mountains, the beach… it’s the best! Who minds a little rain?!
It’s gorgeouss! I have to admit myself that my hubby and I have often talked about moving to Seattle, and it would be very much for the same reasons you stated- a daydream. I don’t think the housing prices would be any scarier than the ones in Colorado…
Oh yeah…and I also wanted to say- good for you for doin’ it! We’re staying here (for the moment) mostly because our family is here and we’re too afraid to set out on our own, although it is mighty tempting sometimes. I hope we don’t regret it if we stay.
Hah… we’ve got you trumped. Our closest relatives are back in New York. People here don’t react that way, though… Colorado is gorgeous, and people here seem to understand wanting a better quality of life and getting it in a place that’s just breathtaking.
Some of your pics could’ve been of Colorado… except for the grass. There is no grass to be seen here these days. We’re having a crazy, crazy winter.
Still, it’s breathtaking…
Beautiful! I can see why you would want to live there!