2 years later...

July 2009 Packing day!  We hadn't seen each other in over a month!

          

             I have been thinking a lot about the future lately as well as how much has changed in the last two years.  Derek and I are coming up on being Illinois residents for two years at the end of July.  I love Derek and am forever grateful for the life he has created for us.  He is in his final stages of training for his job before he becomes a fully rated air traffic controller.  That means once he has worked as a fully rated ATC for a while he is eligible to put in for a transfer so we can move again!!!!  We are both extremely excited to leave where we are currently living.  This has got me thinking as to what I want for the next five years…

            Obviously, I want to get married!  I would also like to be able to enjoy the first year of marriage before Derek and I start talking about having kids.  In 2013, which might seem far away from now I will have finally completed my Bachelor’s Degree to which I hope to be able to put to good use.  Derek and I would both like to live a healthier lifestyle, which will be much easier to do once we move elsewhere that has more opportunities for outdoor activities.  The only question that I have is where we should live.

Missing my brother and now nephew!  And pay no attention to the complete awkwardness from my turtle shell!

            I have always envisioned myself living in Minnesota where I can be close to my family.  The thought of keeping close to my family was always important because I wanted my kids to grow up to be close with their cousins, as I did.  The two years in Illinois has been difficult being away from family but it has also taught me that it is possible.  As long as I make a trip home to see family every few months I do pretty well at not being too homesick.  I do feel that I have missed out on some things and miss relatives that I would normally see around the holidays but I have learned to make due with what I have.

North Carolina, 2011

            Derek has always talked about moving somewhere else other than Minnesota and how exciting it might be.  He understands why I want to go to my true home but he has got me into thinking, “What would it be like to start a life away from my true home?”  During our vacation we took to in the beginning of April to North Carolina, Derek told me he wanted to move there if we didn’t move to Minnesota.  We both fell in love with North Carolina itself as the people were very welcoming, the weather was wonderful, it has gorgeous scenery, it has a ton of things to do, and well it was kind of cool being that close to the beach/ocean.  To be honest while we were on vacation in a way it felt like we were home.
            Basically, I think I have a lot of the next five years planned out pretty well and am comfortable with those plans.  The biggest question is, “Do Derek and I take the comfortable route and move back to everything I have always known; or, do we take the risk of living the life unknown?

            After all that I’m curious as to what everybody else thinks!