I really like my house in the close-in suburbs. There. I've said it.
It took eight years of being a parent, three kids, and as many moves. I realized today as I was walking from my (4 bedroom single family) house to the neighborhood park, waving at one neighbor as she pulled out of her driveway, chatting with another as he was pausing while digging out a tree ... I have a pretty nice set up going on right now. Room in the yard for the boys to play soccer or baseball, enough space for when my mom moved in with us (well, her style is probably cramped a bit, but still - in general enough space), Wm rode his bike to school this morning - I walked home from the metro - Greg ran to the grocery store on foot this morning when we realized we were out of butter.
I even genuinely offered to host my sister's wedding, if she wanted a casual backyard affair for under 60 guests (probably best for our relationship that she did not actually take me up on this crazy offer, especially since her wedding came two weeks after a state visit when I was stressed to the max at work).
When we were living in Manila and trying to decide where to live, it was hard to give up DC. Super hard. I almost suffered an identity crisis (and, maybe Greg actually did and still is?). But, facing up to the budgetary constraints of two government worker salaries -- and still wanting a home big enough to host Thanksgiving dinner (25 people) -- a decision on space had to be made. It wasn't made lightly or without minor angst.
I admit, leaving work on time and the absolutely perfect spring evening weather probably had a large effect. Tonight, that nag wondering if we should have gone with a smaller space in the city is gone. It's official. I've become a suburban mom (albeit one who travels the world every 3 yrs or so).
It took eight years of being a parent, three kids, and as many moves. I realized today as I was walking from my (4 bedroom single family) house to the neighborhood park, waving at one neighbor as she pulled out of her driveway, chatting with another as he was pausing while digging out a tree ... I have a pretty nice set up going on right now. Room in the yard for the boys to play soccer or baseball, enough space for when my mom moved in with us (well, her style is probably cramped a bit, but still - in general enough space), Wm rode his bike to school this morning - I walked home from the metro - Greg ran to the grocery store on foot this morning when we realized we were out of butter.
I even genuinely offered to host my sister's wedding, if she wanted a casual backyard affair for under 60 guests (probably best for our relationship that she did not actually take me up on this crazy offer, especially since her wedding came two weeks after a state visit when I was stressed to the max at work).
When we were living in Manila and trying to decide where to live, it was hard to give up DC. Super hard. I almost suffered an identity crisis (and, maybe Greg actually did and still is?). But, facing up to the budgetary constraints of two government worker salaries -- and still wanting a home big enough to host Thanksgiving dinner (25 people) -- a decision on space had to be made. It wasn't made lightly or without minor angst.
I admit, leaving work on time and the absolutely perfect spring evening weather probably had a large effect. Tonight, that nag wondering if we should have gone with a smaller space in the city is gone. It's official. I've become a suburban mom (albeit one who travels the world every 3 yrs or so).
1 comment:
I still appreciated your offer to host the backyard wedding :) But, we also ended up with more than 60 guests, so probably good it didn't pan out that way for a few reasons ;) It was a beautiful thought though.
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