The Itch

It has been almost two years now that we have been back in the state where the boys were born. I used to dream of moving back home when we lived in California. I dreamed of a simpler life, where my husband came home at a decent time and houses cost less than a million dollars. I loved reuniting with my friends, my church, my life. I loved being known and running into people all over town. I love knowing that people are looking out for my kids where ever they are, even when I am not with them. This is a great place to raise a family.

It is a great place to live, unless you like the sun because for six months out of the year sunny days are so rare that they become an event. This week has been amazingly sunny and we are all celebrating. But I just l looked at the weather on my phone and it appears the rain is starting just as we send our kids back to school. Ugghh. I am not sure I can survive another wet, wet, wet winter.

And so the itch begins. The itch that hits just before we make it to our two year anniversary in any location. The itch that causes me to start looking at real estate in far off lands online and watching House Hunters International and my new favorite, Selling New York.

Selling New York is one great show, a show that let's me drool over Manhattan apartments. I believe I was made to live in New York City. A place where you can order any kind of food you want and have you delivered to your door so you can eat in your pajamas. A place where museums and sporting events are plentiful and the library is a historic and grand. A place with a Starbucks on every corner and cozy little restaurants. I was made for New York City and not the NYC of Sex and the City because really I don't like to dress up or go to fancy dinner parties. The New York of public transport and hanging at coffee shops and dressing in all black. The New York on anonymity and broadway plays. In my head, I was made for New York City. My husband though was not. He never plans to live there and since I plan to live with him forever, New York will have to stay in my dreams.

So while I will never live in Manhattan, I still have the itch. The itch to move. I am not sure why I like moving. It might be the excitement which after marriage and having babies is about as life changing as it gets. It might be the sweet goodbyes where you find out how people really feel about you because other than funerals moving is one of those few times when we really tell people how much they mean to us. It might be the anonymity of a new place that let's me sit back and take a break from serving and volunteering. It might just be that I have commitment issues.

But the itch is there. My husband has mentioned wanting to move to his home state someday. So I am on Zillow looking at houses there. I like the idea of moving to Michigan because it brings us closer to his family. I like the idea of family. We used to have family here that helped with the kids but that has changed. It feels like we are alone here and I really want my kids to grow up with people adoring on them. They are awfully adorable!

I have a friend that moved to Colorado a year ago and from reading her Facebook status updates it sounds amazing. I researched both schools and hockey and both sound great there. I also hear it is sunny most of the time there. Cold but sunny which I like. I am a better person when it is sunny.

The itch is there. But what to do with the itch? Where are we supposed to be? For now I know it is here. We really do love our life here and come July when the sun comes out for more than a short visit I am sure I will be telling everyone how wonderful life is here.