The Method to our Madness

As many of you know, after days of agonizing over the decision, Shawn has taken a job in Lafayette. This will mean that we will eventually sell this house and move there, but he is planning to commute for the time being. Why would we go through all of the hassle of selling a house, packing, and buying another house just to move one hour away from our current home? I'm sure when we are in the midst of moving, I will wonder the same thing! Ultimately, it boils down to family.

As many of you who have children know, raising kids without family nearby can be tough. It isn't necessarily because you lack the free baby-sitting service known as grandparents, but you don't have as much opportunity for your kids to spend with family. I loved getting together with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and I want my kids to experience the same thing. Sure, being three hours away from my family and and hour and a half away from Shawn's is a far cry from the long car trip or plane ride some families have, but it is long enough. Cutting the length of distance between families means more chances to see each other.

We like where we live. We are able to access museums, sporting events, and things to do with the kids very easily. BUT, I also like the thought of living in a little smaller of a community. We will only be an hour from Indy, and two from Chicago. We'll still be able to do those things, but my kids won't be going to a high school with close to 4,000 students. Also, living in a town with a fantastic university like Purdue gives us many opportunities, too. It also gives those of you who like to tailgate at football games a free place to stay!

Leaving friends here will be tough. Again, only being an hour away means that we will still be able to get together for cookouts, birthdays, and playdates. Plus, once all of our kids start school, we'll be busy with their school events and activities. At this point in my life, I don't see the friendships with our close friends changing much.

So, as we work through this process, I know things will be stressful from time to time. Ultimately, though, I think we are making a good decision for our family, even though change is difficult. We know that we'll have the support of friends and family, which will help us through.