I’ve shared little bits here and there, but I wanted to tell you more about when and why we’re moving to the suburbs. When is a lot simpler question to answer. We’re moving in September. Our house is a new build and still has a little work to be done, which allowed us to give our current landlord time to find a new tenant. Our lease isn’t up until next April, and we weren’t planning on moving until then. But, we were taking exploratory trips to the areas we were considering moving to, and we found the perfect house. We almost passed it up, but in this market, we didn’t know if we would find something like this again. So, we took the leap!
Rob and I graduated college in 2008, and moved in together in 2009. We lived in Brooklyn for a year, and then moved to the Upper East Side. We’ve been in this neighborhood ever since. It might surprise you to learn that I wasn’t one of those kids who dreamed of living in New York City. I grew up in Massachusetts, and moved to Long Island in the middle of high school. I lived there for two years, and then went to college in Connecticut. I didn’t see myself here, but I’ve really come to love NYC over the years. We’ve made so many amazing friends, celebrated many milestones, and made incredible memories. I will always be grateful for this time in our lives.
But, even if I wasn’t sure where I would end up as an adult, I always knew that I wanted to raise my kid(s) in the suburbs. I loved my suburban childhood, living on a quiet street, playing with my neighbors, the community. I want that for Seth. And honestly, for me too. Living in Manhattan is incredibly overstimulating, with the constant noise and ever-present crowds. I’m at a point in my life when I’m ready for a quieter life, and having a kid has opened another dimension of anxiety for me. I know there will still be plenty of things to make me anxious, but I’m confident that moving to the suburbs will be better for my mental health overall.
I’m also really excited to own our first home. We’ve been renting for so long, and although home ownership comes with its own headaches, I’m looking forward to it. The concept of “home” has been a challenging one for me since I was a teenager. We left the only home I’d ever known and started over in a new place when I was 16. I knew that I would only be there for a short time before college. Ever since then, I’ve only ever lived in temporary places. After I graduated college, my parents got divorced and sold the house I lived in when we moved. I go to Long Island to see them, but it’s not going home, and I don’t have as many connections to Massachuetts as I used to. So, needless to say, being able to put down roots means a lot to me.
Our life will be different, and it will definitely take some getting used to. But, Rob will have a fairly easy commute, and we found Seth a great daycare. I also have an exciting professional opportunity that will help me meet people and make connections. (more on that soon). Thank you SO MUCH for following along with every chapter of my life in the city. We won’t be far, so I’ll still be here some. I’m not exactly sure what content will look like here, but I hope you’ll stick around to find out!
