Houston Bound - Goodbye Louisiana

[Mako19]

Well, tonight will be my little family's last night in our home in Broussard. This is the first house that I ever purchased and it is the home that my wife and I started our family in when we brought home our 19 month old daughter. We have a lot of great memories in this house, and if it was up to me I would not be leaving.

I earned a promotion at work, which is something I have been working towards for a while. The only drawback (and it's a BIG ONE) is that the position is in Houston.

Even though I never wanted to, or thought that I would never have to live anywhere but South LA, much less a HUGE city like Houston, I didn't hesitate to say yes when my employer asked me if I would make the move to Houston. I know that I am blessed to have a job in the current economy, much less be recieving a promotion.

It's been a pretty emotional month since I accepted the new position, not only for my wife and me but for my parents and inlaws, too. My 19 month old daughter knows something is going on but she has no idea that tonight is the last night she will ever sleep in her house and that she is about to go from seeing her grandparents 3 times a week to seeing them 1 or 2 times a month.

That is what I am struggling with the most, and I know that is what is eating up my parents too.

I know people move away from their home town all of the time, but it seems to be less common in south Louisiana. I think it's because of how important family life is in the Cajun culture.

I never really post personal stuff on Salty Cajun. I hope no one feels like they wasted their time reading this. I was hoping to get some words of advice or encouragement from experience about moving my family away from relatives and also about living in Houston.

We are renting a new house in the Northeast Richmond area, to the Northwest of Sugarland. I know there are a ton of things to do in a city as big as Houston, which is what everyone tells me to get me excited about the move.

To me though, it won't be "home" and I won't be able to drive 10 minutes down the road to visit with my parents or other relatives.

But, at least I will have my girls with me (wife and daughter) and as I said I am very blessed to have a job bc I know a lot of good, hard working men are out of work in this tough economy.

If anyone who has any experience moving away from their home town or living in the Houston area would share any advice or encouragement it would be appreciated.