When did this become Home

I grew up in the California High Desert. I lived there for ten years from the time I was 8 to 18. When I was 18 years old I moved to San Diego. I so wanted out of the dry hot desert. Away from the stupid choices I saw many of friends make. I wanted something new, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. So in August of that year, 1999, I moved here. I went to a small Christian college, Point Loma Nazarene University. I remember packing up my parents mini van and them driving down here. I was excited and yet at the same time, sick to my stomach (I get very nauseous when I am nervous about something). My parents moved me in, I met my roommate, Anne, a girl I had never met before from the OC. She seemed nice enough. My parents hung out for a few days during freshman orientation and then on Sunday they left. I cried. I was scared.
Classes started and I quickly learned that to get the grades I got in junior high and high school I would have to study (something I did not have to do a lot of before). I would often call my parents, missing them, missing my little sisters (they were only 14 and 10 when I moved). I remember calling them one weekend and my family was at my grandparents house, I felt left out, I was missing out on a family thing. I cried out in hallway of my dorm for a long time (roommate was sleeping still).
Things quickly change, I met friends I got involved on campus, I was studying. The year quickly went by and at the end of the year I move home for summer. At the end of summer I moved back down to school. That was the last time I would move from there to here. From then on I started to forge my own life, get involved with a church, met Chris, made lifelong friendships and finally picked a major and towards the end of my time at college I picked a career to shoot for (yeah I had a major without an end goal for a while there). After getting my B.A. I choose to stay in San Diego, for a little while longer. I went to grad school, while in grad school Chris and I got married. We bought a condo, although we thought we would leave when I was done with grad school. I graduated again. I got a job in San Diego, despite what we thought would happen. We thought we were moving for sure, we only planned to stay for a little while. I even applied all over the state. We prayed about the job offers. The day I was offered my current job, Chris (who wasn't really looking for a new job), got a great job offer that allowed him to some great connections in his field. We prayed and felt God was open doors telling us to stay a little while longer.
We had Ethan!! I continued back to work. Chris took the opportunity to work for himself doing freelance design. Ethan gets bigger. We became youth pastors.
At some point along the way, over the last ten years, San Diego county became my home. I am not sure when that happened. I still miss my family and one day maybe they will all move down here with me. hehe It is still amazing to me that I have lived here as long as I lived in the Desert.
We have no idea what God has planned for the next chapter of our lives, maybe we will be here for another 10 years, maybe not. Overall though I am glad I made the move I did 10 years ago, I have some amazing friends (I am still great friends with Anne, my freshman roommate) and had some wonderful opportunities.

PS. I am trying to find some photos to show of my college years. I have tons, but none are digital. I will have to do some scanning soon and make an old school post to show you all.