On September 1, 2005, I took up residence in Charleston, SC. I had recently turned 23 years old. My closest family member was my uncle who lived in Newport, NC. Other than that, the rest of my family lived in Illinois. I left behind every single person I had ever met in my life. I left behind best friends, enemies, ex boyfriends, my cats, etc. I left my hometown and my college town in hopes to start a new life and try to do it all on my own. I needed to just leave the past behind and move towards a different future.
Charleston, you gave me one of my very best friends in this entire world. She knew when she interviewed me that July in 2005 that we could be friend. Who knew that we would grow to be the type of friends that we are. Very rarily is your very first friend anywhere, still one of your best friends seven years later. Charleston, God and fate gave me Alysia. Had I not had Alysia, I don't know if I would have made it in Charleston. She actually became my everything all rolled into one... my best friend, my sister, my family, my soul mate, my link to Charleston.
And she gave me her family too. Charleston, you gave me more family. More and more family. You gave me these fabulous people that took me in as one of their own...as their third daughter. After only being in Charleston a few weeks, they invited me into their home in NC for the weekend.
Charleston, you gave me an amazing group of friends. I celebrated many birthdays in this city with many different people at them. Charleston, you brought a bunch of fabulous women into my life... and a few stinkers... and I thank you for giving me time with these amazing people...and the stinkers. (The stinkers taught me quite a bit about myself and I have since deleted any stinkers. I don't have time to waste on people that aren't worth my time.)
Charleston, by leaving you, I am leaving these ladies, along with many others, behind. I've share so many important memories and moments with these loves. I cherish each of them (even Brooklyn even though we haven't hung out much.) They are amazing.
Charleston, you gave me experience as a nurse. You gave me a job in Women's Health so I could work with the moms and the babies. You gave me the opportunity to see life outside of my small town world I came from. Charleston, you gave me the opportunity to move into the Level 2 nursery and work with the most sick of all of the newborns in the hospital. You allowed me to push myself into working in an environment that I would normally not have worked. Charleston, you gave me nursing experiences that I feel I could not have gotten anywhere else.
And, Charleston, you gave me amazing people to work with. You gave me women that treated me like I was one of their children. You gave me women that treated me like their sister. And you gave me women that treated me like their best friend.
Charleston, you helped me meet women (and a man) through work that I will be friends with for the rest of my life. You have brought me some really amazing women (and some really mean and crabby ones but we won't go there). They have taken care of me when I needed it. They have watched over me when my family couldn't.
Charleston, you even allowed me to be the support person for a great friend and a fabulous person while she had her third baby girl. You gave us a chance to meet and grow close. I got to cut the cord of her sweet baby girl and I got to be one of the first ones to hold her. Charleston, thank you for that moment. It's a once in a lifetime thing.
Charleston, because of you I have actually vacationed outside of the United States. I went on a cruise with 6 other girls and it was a complete blast. The only other time I had been out of the United States was when I crossed the bridge into Canada when I was staying with my beautiful friend in Michigan. It was 10 minutes outside of the US. So, I am able to say I've left the US for vacation. Had I not moved to Charleston and met the friends I met, I might not have been able to say that...
Charleston, thank you for introducing me to friends who love the Gamecocks. Because of you Charleston, I know what the Gamecocks are and when I here the phrase "Go Cocks", I know someone isn't just being inappropriate.
Charleston, you gave me more family. You gave me people that love me. You gave me extended family that no matter how much time goes between us seeing each other, when we finally do see each other, it's just like it was the last time. Charleston, you allowed me to be a part of some of their deliveries/care while they were in the hospital...something I will never forget.
Charleston, because of you, I could brag to my Illinoisians that I lived "X" number of minutes from the beach. I could brag that I went to the beach in July or in December. I could send pictures like this back "home" and say "Wish you were here". Living this close to such beautiful beaches, that is a once in a lifetime thing...something I knew never to take for granted.
Charleston, you gave me beautiful scenery at every glance (I'm sure there's even beauty downtown in the ghetto of the ghetto. It just might not be AS obvious.) Picture perfect, right???
Charleston, I believe that I was brought to you so I could meet so many amazing people. But I really truly believe I was brought here to live so Alex and I could cross paths. I believe that when I threw my dart at the map and it landed on this GORGEOUS city that God planned for Alex and I to meet, fall in love, and get hitched :) Charleston, thank you for my husband. Thank you for having him come to you and having me come to you.
Charleston, you gave me my own fairy tale wedding.
You gave me a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky with AMAZING scenery. Charleston, thank you for being great. It was a perfect day with our best friends present as we began the rest of our lives.
Charleston, I became a Mrs. in your gorgeous city. I married the man I had been waiting for. Charleston, because of you, I got to live out my fairytale.
Charleston, I am also thankful that I got to share you with the Weber side of my family...
...and the Schumann side of my family. I am thankful that I had my wedding in this amazing city so I could share my part of the world with my fabulous family.
Charleston, because of you, my first little man, Maximillion Pujols Jackson is part of my life. Charleston's Craiglist is to thank for him dropping into our laps on the beautiful October day. My life would not feel complete without this little furry friend.
Charleston, I got pregnant with my first sweet baby while living in Charleston. I also found out officially that I was pregnant...in a Jason's Deli bathroom with my sister and Diane listening to me pee on the stick.
Charleston, Alex and I bought our first home within your city limits. (and we still own it...in case anyone is interested in buying it). You brought us the opportunity to own a gorgeous home to start making our family memories in.
And you gave me this view out my back window every single day... a view I NEVER could have had in a state like Illinois. Charleston, you gave me another fairytale.
Charleston, I got to have my beautiful baby girl while I was living in your city. I gave birth to the most amazing child I have ever had the opportunity to know. I gave birth to a miracle from God while living in you.
My family became complete while I was living your city, Charleston. You gave me my own family.
A now, after 7 years and memories out the whazzoo, Charleston, I must say goodbye. I must bid you farewell.
Charleston, my life has changed substantially from September 1, 2005 to May 26, 2012. I came to you to start a new life and that is exactly what happened. When I moved in 2005, I had told myself that I needed to at least make it one year. I figured I could do anything for a year. Here I am, seven years later, finally saying goodbye. Thank you, Charleston, for the great experiences, the gorgeous views, the amazing friendships, my wonderful husband, and my brilliant daughter. Thank you so very much, Charleston,
It's been real. Real amazing.
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