Never one to sneak away quietly, I composed this email tonight to send to my San Diego "family" to let them all know I was leaving.

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All -

Pardon the informality of email, but for those of you I haven't told or who haven't heard yet: We're moving to Georgia! An exact date isn't official, but we plan to leave San Diego sometime during the first week of December, either the 2nd or 3rd.

Of course we'll come back to CA periodically to visit (probably in the summer as I hear Atlanta can be a bit on the warm and muggy side in July), but at this point in our lives, we've discovered we can do everything we do here over in Atlanta at half the price, while sweating twice as much.

Parker's business of Staging, Organizing and Decorating (www.planbredesigns.com) can and will boom just as easily in Atlanta as it has here in San Diego. She's already making contacts there before we leave and has researched the competition; we're not worried. After two days of home searching with a real estate agent in GA, the agent introduced me to her broker, who offered me a job on the spot if I chose to relocate, so since my CA real estate license is good in GA (with a small fee due to the state of course) I've already got that covered. I can sell anything anywhere. I'll never be out of a job...or confidence. =D

We purchased a large home with a pool (2 story, 3800+ sq ft on 3 acres) that can accommodate all of our personal belongings and pets, plus both Parker's Staging and "boutique" clothing businesses. In case you missed it, her on-line boutique: www.planbboutique.com was actually operated out of our living room at one point, complete with a dressing room! Although she has all sizes listed on the web site, unless you're a size 2, 4 or 6, there are not many pictures to look at yet. It's still a work in progress and something she does more for fun than anything else. Check back later or email her directly for more info on what she's got.

Yeah, perhaps we have too many businesses and ideas going in too many directions at once, but that's our combined style, plus youth gives you confidence and energy to make bold decisions. Just another reason we're both willing to give it a try now and look forward to the challenges and opportunities of a new town and coast (for me at least -- Parker's lived in Atlanta before).

As I think about those we'll be leaving behind, I remind myself that it's not where you live, it's the quality of the relationships you have that define your happiness. It took Parker and I over a year to finally act to move out of San Diego, as we've been toying with the idea of moving closer to her family or mine since we got married in August of 2004 and I left QUALCOMM. The last obstacle to our departure was my college graduation, which I walked at in June. Only took me 12 years!

In Georgia Parker will still be my wife and best friend, so that relationship won't change and I expect to find our friends are still going to be "around" even after we've moved because they're all so "plugged in" here in America's most wired city. Plus, I'm sure I'll make my way to the occasional hockey tournament in Las Vegas each year. In my eyes, I'm losing a little and gaining plenty.

Parker is from a small town originally (less than 1000) and I've never really cared for living in a big city atmosphere. I used to joke that I never went south of the 52 if I didn't absolutely have to. Actually, I rarely leave Mira Mesa for anything other than hockey at the KROC center. The main thing we'll both miss is all our super cool friends and neighbors, but we don't subscribe to much of what a big city has to offer (shows, concerts, ballparks, downtown, fine dining). Anyway, Atlanta will only be 20-30 minutes away if we get an itching for some culture, entertainment, or sporting events. Come to think of it, at $615 for 44 games, Thrashers seasons tickets are sounding pretty good...

So where are we going? We're relocating to a small town in a county of less than 70,000 called Conyers, east of Atlanta about 25 miles and living on the outskirts of that town. It's probably what most people thought of living in Poway vs. central San Diego 15-20 years ago. Not over developed yet, but it may be eventually as Atlanta continues to spread out in all directions. I can tell from the housing/building trends I'm seeing there currently. And it's hardly the boonies: I'm less than a mile from a Lowes, a Wachovia bank, and a Pizza Hut. I don't need much else in terms of shopping/business.

So in answer to the inevitable "GEORGIA? WHY? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" question, I offer you this:

Over in Atlanta, we'll be close to her mom and two brothers, both of which are mortgage brokers, a major bonus for Parker and I while working in real estate related fields where we need solid networks and referrals. I also have a childhood friend who is attending Emory to obtain her masters in public health who has lots of political connections in the area.

Our friends here in SD are growing up and having families, and we're seeing some couples who are having to work one or two jobs while their kids are in day care just to do it. We plan to have kids eventually too, but are going to go about it in a slightly different way. Call it a throwback mentality to the 50's era of the one parent income.

First, before I become a dad, I want to be closer to some family so that we have a built in support network in case of emergencies and/or much needed time to ourselves during the guaranteed stresses of parenthood. I also desire to achieve the ultimate joy of being there to watch my kids grow up, rather than be forced to work long hours only to have to leave my kids with a nanny or $7 an hour day care worker who may or may not deal with my child the way I would. This approach is fine and may be acceptable for others, but if I am going to bring a child into the world, it is not my ideal. I have no desire to come home exhausted to meet my equally exhausted and stressed out wife, only to take out the stress of our workdays on each other and our child.

With both Parker and I being business owners with no corporate health or safety net, we're going to need all the help we can get to achieve this ideal family setting. Will it work for us? That remains to be seen, but I know for a fact I can't pull off my desired goal in San Diego on a single salary, with either Parker or I being a stay at home mom/dad. What I want my family and life to be is: direct involvement in my child's life daily as s/he develops, a deep commitment to my community and local politics, and providing the opportunity to nurture and home school my kids if they're interested. These goals are currently unattainable for me in San Diego's economic environment, so I'm moving on and giving it a shot elsewhere.

And no, for those who are dying to ask: Parker is not pregnant.

Although this may seem sudden to most of you, we've put more than a little thought into this move and I am only more and more convinced as the days go by that I'm making the right decision by moving. We're committed to Georgia and I'm excited about starting a new life in a new town with my best friend Parker.

My house is on the market and the one we bought in GA is moving right through escrow smoothly. If you're interested in staying in San Diego and would like a nice, well cared for and updated home in Mira Mesa, or know anyone who would, here's the link: Buyer Full Page (7350 Dancy Road)

We will miss all of you here in San Diego and expect to get updates on how your lives are faring as you follow your individual dreams and goals.

Sincerely,

Craig and Kim

AKA

Spare! and Parker