There's no place like home.

Why is it that your hometown is by far the best place in the world?

It's like the sky is bluer.  The flowers smell sweeter.  The trees are greener.  The birds' songs are lovelier.  The crickets aren't as annoying.  Wait... :)

All photos by Mark A Peterson of the best place in the world.  They are amazing!

There is just something about driving that familiar road, that will always be familiar to you no matter how long you are away.  Something about that little town that has all the little shops, like the candy shop you used to walk to to buy jelly bellies, your favorite candy.  Or that shop on the corner that was an ice cream shop, then a pizza shop, then who knows what else.

It's even more beautiful at Christmas time.

Something was special about the train tracks running right through town.  The trains that could take you to the big city, something special when you are little.  Or out further into the suburbs to your Aunt's house.  And the Prairie path running right alongside, where you could ride your bike, or just take a walk with friends.

The fire station where you used to run as fast as you could across the drive way, just in case the sirens started going off at an inopportune time.

The town that has the BEST Italian restaurant where your grandparents know the owners, who make all the food themselves.  I can't eat fettuccine alfredo anywhere else.

The grade school you walked to and from every day to see all those wonderful friends you met so long ago.

The little movie theater that may never have been the nicest, but you could walk to it.  And it was cheap.  And you had your first ever real date there, a double date where you went to see "The Net" with Sandra Bullock.

The park with all the trees and green areas, with the swing set, the roll-y slide, and glider where you hang on for dear life and propel yourself across, pretending there's fire under your feet; and the monkey bars where you learned how to climb up and flip over the side.  The same park, that's right across from your grandparents' house, where you used to play a little game called "Jungle Ramba" with your cousins during holiday get-togethers.  No?  No one knows this game? :)

Anyways, it's sort of like the heavens open and angels sing when you cross the border into your hometown.  This is what Megan and I reminisced about when we took our trip to IL for the fourth of July.  I've had this post partially written for a while now, since that day actually.  And now, I feel, is the best time to post it.

I've been clicking my heels together whispering, "There's no place like home...There's no place like home...There's no place like home," for 7 months now...

And we (Justin, Kayla and I) are finally moving!  We are moving back to that magical place that was and always will be "home" for me.  Some people know, and a lot of people don't, but here's the long, semi torturous story.

When we got pregnant, and even before, we had always talked about moving back to the Midwest (well back for me).  We loved Virginia, but it is SO expensive.  We decided, maybe another year or so after we had Kayla, and then we would try to move.  Well, when Kayla was born, I wasn't all for waiting anymore.  I wanted to be closer to my family, and I wanted it NOW.  We lived in a one bedroom/den in Arlington which we loved, but we weren't going to be able to afford anymore.  We had looked and looked for 2 bedroom apartments in the area and there was nothing we liked and could pay for.  Megan was wanting to move back as well so she told us we could live with her while we all tried to figure everything out.  We figured we would be with Megan for a month or two and one of us could find a job in Milwaukee (where we were initially looking).  Justin applied and applied and applied and heard nothing.  I applied to a few things and got a couple offers that weren't what we wanted.  I'm not sure if I would have gotten post-partum depression anyways, but I'm sure the instability of our lives and the financial struggles we've gone through the past 7 months haven't help at all.  It really has been horrible for me, and if it weren't for my smiley baby, I don't know what I would do.  (This sounds worse than it is, I promise!)

I finally convinced Justin we could do just as well moving to the Chicago area, and this way I could just transfer my job and stay with the same company, therefore not having to pay back my sign on bonus.  And I was sure it wouldn't be difficult to transfer at all, and I was right.  I talked to my boss here, and I contacted our area VP who put me in contact with a recruiter and the area VP for Chicago.  About a week or two later, I had a discussion with a clinic north of Chicago who needed a part time person, and here we are.  I have put in my application for my Illinois license.  Justin gave his notice today.  Kayla and I are moving in 3 weeks and Justin a week after.

On our way up, we will probably stop in Indiana to see a very good friend and her little family.  For now, we have to live with my parents until Justin gets a job, which will hopefully be sooner than I'm imagining.  I'm really excited to open this new chapter in our lives, but this whole thing has been VERY bittersweet for me.  But I'll get into that in another post soon, for now, I'm going to relish is my wonderful memories of the Chicagoland suburbs...I'll see you soon!