The End of an Era

So it's officially the end of an era here at the Rose household. We will officially become suburbanites on Tuesday (actually moving on Friday)! The era all started around the same time for my husband and I! After both of us graduated college in 2005 we both decided to stay home for a year and then make the big move to the city in 2006. Both of us were single, had full time jobs in the city and needed to start a new chapter in our lives. Both of us recently had gotten out of long time relationships and were looking to have a little fun!.

When I moved to the city, I really didn't have a lot of friends or connections. I went out on a limb and decided if I wanted to move on with my life, I needed to make the move. I was introduced to a friend of a friend in the city and was asked to join a co-ed flag football team. Of course, this girl does not play football but I thought it would be a good way to meet new people. After a few practices with the team, I noticed a guy on our team who seemed to show a liking to me. I really wasn't looking for a relationship at the time but his personality won me over in a major way! We went on a couple of dates that summer and became exclusive a month or two later!

It's been a long journey for us as couple here in Chicago. We dated for a little over a year before we became engaged in 2007. We both agreed at that time if we could survive living in Jim's 350 sq foot studio together then we could definitely survive marriage!

In March of 2008, Jim and I purchased our condo in the west loop just a few months prior to getting married. In September of 2008, we tied the knot and turned the condo into the official Rose household!

This condo would be the place we have called home for the last 4 years. We have seen so many good, bad and amazing times in this condo. We brought back our first son from the hospital to this condo in July of 2010. We survived a pipe burst in January of 2011 which turned our place into a disaster and in the summer of 2011 we were spared by a fire that damaged a few units a couple of floors above us!

I would have to say that we have far more good times than bad but it really does feel like the right time to leave. I am completely heartbroken about leaving this place but I am so excited to start our new lives as a family of four in the suburbs! We desperately need the space and a yard for the kids and the dog! It's that time were we really needed to think about schools and where we wanted to settle our family.

Chicago is and always will be home to me but it's just not the place for us right now! I dream that Jim and I will move back here when the kids are grown and we are empty nesters. We can experience the good times all over again! I am happy to say that I still will be working in the city so my life here isn't completely over!

So with that said.....Wish us luck on Tuesday! Hopefully everything goes as planned and we receive the keys to our first home in the burbs!