Guest Post: Why I’m Not Jealous of Jess’ Italian Move
Hello! This is a scheduled post and by the time you read it we’ll hopefully be in Italy! Miss Natalie and I met in real life through blogging, and I know she’ll be a lifelong friend— I already miss her more than words can say. You must, MUST check out her blog, Oven Love! Ciao ~Jess
If you’ve been following Jess and her blog for any amount of time, you know that she has just arrived in Italy and will be living there for the next few years. In the eyes of her beloved readers, family and friends, she and Kenny are living the dream! So many of us fantasize about the idea of living overseas and they get to actually do it.
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I am one of the very blessed people who gets to know Jess in real life, and that means that I’ve been in many social situations with her. In the last few months, most of the conversations turn to the big Italian move and start out something like this:
Random person: “so what are you up to lately, Jess?”
Jess: “oh, just getting ready to move to Italy.”
Random person: “what?? that’s amazing!! i’m SO jealous!! tell me more!”
So basically, everyone is j-e-a-l. But not me. That’s not my reaction to Jess’ big move.
When Jess talks about Italy, or I read about it here on the blog; when she brought frozen food to my house that she and Kenny couldn’t eat in time; when we sent them off at their going away party last week I wasn’t thinking about how jealous I was of them. I was thinking about the big Jess-sized hole in my life that was about to become a reality.
Jess has been just like family to me. She was a huge part of my day-to-day life at this base; everything from lunch dates to dog sitting to sharing kitchen supplies to watching Bones together with our girlfriends. When our husbands were away, we were there for each other. When we were struggling with military life or just life in general, we had someone to relate.
As much as I’d like to do more traveling and move to Italy myself, you can understand why I am not jealous of Jess and Kenny. I am too busy trying to figure out how to do life without her. I love you both, J&K and wish you the best, but will miss you terribly every day until the Air Force brings us together again!
Aww, isn't Natalie the one I met on our shopping/lunch date? I can't even imagine having a dear friend move out of the country – I can half relate, because my best friend is also in the Air Force and is thousands of miles away, but definitely not across the ocean. I'm sure it will be insanely difficult, but there's no doubt you two will remain close through it all!
Natalie and Laura: How do you think Jessica's 80-year old grandmother feels about her being clear over there in Italy for four years! I'm a little slow with all the new technology of today, but I'm sure grateful for e-mails and blogs and cell phones and daughters who help me keep in touch with her. Be well, Kenny and Jessica, and enjoy as much of Europe as you can! Love ya both!!
Natalie, goodbyes are never fun. Hopefully you'll be able to come visit her in Italy! And Jess, I am SO excited to meet you!! I'll be back in Italy in 19 days! I wish I was there to greet you and show you around! Hopefully by the time I get back you'll have found a house! Let me know if you have ANY questions!
I feel the same exact way about my dear Natalie (pictured above) when she moved to Georgia. Boo hoo! I still miss her extensively and its a Natalie sized hole in my life. I miss eating her creations and watching that baby grow. I got to see baby number one grow and for that I'm blessed. But I'd be more blessed if she moved back to Dayton.