Dear Pacific Northwest,

On this the Third Anniversary of our having moved to the Emerald City, we want to let you know how we really feel…

It was with some trepidation (Susan, “Doesn’t it rain there all the time?”) and more than a little excitement (Chad, “You are going to LOVE it – trust me”) that we packed up our lives in Chicago and moved to Seattle.

And now, three years later, we want to say “Thank you, Pacific Northwest!”

Thank you for reminding us that the world is not flat…

That we can come in contact with wildlife on a daily basis – without visiting a zoo or aquarium (although those are good here).

That there are mountains,

and valleys (often filled with flowers),

and forests,

and beaches,

and waterfalls around every corner.

That there might not be Great Lakes, but alpine lakes are a thing of wonder.

Thank you for providing us with seemingly endless ways to entertain ourselves on land…

and at sea.

Thank you for the bountiful food (especially at the various seafood festivals throughout the state)…

and thank you for the plentiful drink…

 

While we miss the Cubs and the Bears (the ones we don’t encounter in the woods), we are thankful to have teams worth rooting for.

Thank you for teaching us that we could be hikers,

and climbers,

and perhaps someday, mountaineers…

Thank you for reminding us that life is a journey and that here in the Pacwest, every day is like a vacation day and every hike, swim, paddle, and ride allows us to further explore this great part of our country.

And thank you for making every day an adventure. Happy Third Anniversary to us (if we do say so).

We love you, Pacwest (and Seattle in particular)…

We look forward to all the adventures that lay ahead!