I currently live in the city, so space here comes at a premium. I pay more in rent than anyone else I know (locally) for less space. Jackson and I live in a three level, two bedroom townhouse. The first level is garage/foyer/laundry. The second level is bathroom/living/kitchen. The third is where the two bedrooms/bathrooms are located. When Jackson is here, he occupies the main living area, and so that leaves me hanging out in my bedroom if I want/need alone time (or just don’t want to watch yet another episode of Girl Meets World, his current obsession). 

Don’t get me wrong…I love living in the city. I live like 2 minutes from work. I love being close (like walking distance close) to so many fun places. The Grove. The Central West End. I have so many great memories of drunkenly walking home with the bf after a night out. (My favorite is the time we stopped on the pedestrian bridge and made out while many people gawked at us from their cars (there was a big accident on the highway underneath us)). I can walk/run to Forest Park (half a mile away) and all it has to offer: museums, music, festivals, running trails, gardens, etc. Living in the city is something I had always wanted to do, but couldn’t because my (ex) husband wouldn’t allow it. He wouldn’t even consider it, and so I jumped at it when I finally got the chance. I’ve enjoyed living here these last couple of years so very much. 

However, in about eight months I will be relocating to the suburbs to move in with my boyfriend and his daughter. We are having a house built in an area I never would have considered living in before. This was after much debate and wavering about suburbs vs. city living. We checked into both options, and ultimately decided that with two kids, we need the space afforded to us by suburban living. 

So the point of this post (finally) is that in the new house we will each have our own designated spaces. The kids have their bedrooms, plus a bonus room upstairs. Dave will have his study. My space is going to be the hearth room. I am so very excited about the idea of having my very own room (with a fireplace!!!) that I can hide out in with my books and blankets. That sounds very nice and I just can’t wait. 

Other pros to suburban life:

• parking lots
• not getting hit up for money every fifteen feet
• nicer grocery shopping/gas stations
• no more random screaming in the streets (though I’ve sort of grown to like that)
• lower cost of living/nicer place
• closer to my kid’s school

But…I’m going to make the most of these last eight months. I foresee many nights of drunkenly stumbling home from Urban Chestnut (or O’Shay’s) in my near future.