So, for the last 12.5 years, I have prided myself as a city girl. I love the culture, diversity, liberal vibe, shopping, connection to others. If you had suggested that I would be a small town girl, EVER, I might have laughed in your face. How could I move out of this comfort zone? The city feel so alive.
Only, now, I am the Mama of two amazing girls- one preparing to start kindergarten, and the other toddling across the floor as I write. As they have come into my life, as our family has grown, things have changed. Slowly. The problem with the city is that it is... busy. The pace is so fast that I don't have the time to connect- with my girl, my friends, my family. These connections are the MOST important thing in my life. While I have an amazing network of people, I don't have a sense of community. I love where we live, but when Kinnie takes her scooter out for a ride, I don't know that anyone else is watching out for her. Not that they should have to, but just because it would be NICE- you know, if we were all looking out for one another?
That's the thing.
Brian and I have been thinking on this for years. That we want community. That we want more time to be together, and less time commuting. That we want to be able to savor every fleeting moment of our girls' childhoods, without feeling pressed for time.
And so we decided. We're leaving the city. We're headed for small town life. Denver, I will miss you. You have been a great landing spot for a young couple starting life together. You have helped us grow. It's just time to part ways. We'll be back to visit, because in and around you are our favorite people. I'm sure I'll miss you. I'll miss having three Targets and ten million Starbucks in a three mile radius. I know I'll miss your culture. But it's time.
Salida, here we come.
