Wow, it's been over four and a half years since we moved to California.  Didn't have any idea we'd be here that long, and still don't have a great idea of how long we'll end up staying.  I still haven't painted our bedroom yet, so we at least can't move until that is finished. (Seriously, I have 5 different color patches all over the walls.)

As we have become more and more used to living here, it has become somewhat normal to be able to go for a walk on the beach together in the morning, or take an evening stroll at the San Diego Zoo.  Palm trees don't automatically scream VACATION to me anymore.  And I admit I have occasionally been guilty of responding to Josh's question, "How's the weather?" with the answer, "Ugh, it's cloudy."  (Although, he is the one asking about the weather, so he is guilty, too.  Was my answer really going change the fact that he was going to wear shorts and flip flops?  Probably not.)

But we still do plenty to keep things fresh here, to keep learning, to keep trying new things.  My fabulous Asian foodie friends are always feeding us new and interesting items. (Thuong fed Josh pig's blood recently. How has he become a braver eater than me?) There are still plenty of neighborhoods to more thoroughly explore, more streets to wander down and check out the shops, more hiking trails to conquer.  And as we stand on the shore, watching another beautiful sunset over Mission Beach, we still look at each other and marvel, "We live here. Crazy!"  

However, I look back on our time here with some regret, regret that I have not better recorded our adventures here.  Sure, we have plenty of pictures of our road trips and the zoo and the beach, but I want to remember more than just pictures of the big stuff.  I want to really remember what we spent our time here doing.  All the good times with friends, our favorite late night eateries--it's the little things that make up a life, but it's also the little things that fade most quickly from our memories. (I mean seriously, how many times has someone asked you on Monday what you did that weekend, and you have to sit and think.  Point made?)

And so, I commit this year to record things better than I have done in the past.  It is such an unbelievable blessing to walk through this all with the love of my life and my best friend, and I want to remember ALL of it. And not because I think anyone else will want to read it.  I am under no illusion that my life is all that interesting.  But because one day we will have a blast reading it and remembering our life together.  

And it's never too late, because San Diego, we're not done with you yet.