booandbunny

May, 1996
Friends for dinner last night, so the pictures are finally on the walls. We moved up to this apartment in January from the one-bedroom on 16 and I still can’t believe we live like this. Sure there are a few things I don’t like about it, but when you take on life in a rehabbed high rise you have to take what you can get. The fact that my uncle lived in this building when he was newly arrived from Louisville and it was the YMCA 30 years ago adds to the intrigue.

I love that we have space to spread out. I love that we have TWO bathrooms. I love that when I walk upstairs (yes, stairs in our apartment!) the first thing I see is Chicago spread out before me, the El like a lifeline and the buildings on either side like arms pulling me into the city’s chest … waiting for me to listen to its heartbeat. I love that the first thing I see when I get out of bed is the mood of Lake Michigan as it hugs Shedd Aquarium. I could watch the winter waves for hours, trying to grasp their anger. I could soak up the shades of summer blue for days, trying to submerge myself in their kiss. One thing I’ve learned living downtown, the land and the lake are one and they expand and contract with the seasons. I wish there were a way to draw the people spilling into the water each summer, and the water chasing them away every winter.

It’s going on two years since we looked at each other and said “Let’s do it.” We left that cozy Mid-Missouri comfort zone and dove into big city life. I wouldn’t change a thing. Sure we pay $1500 a month in rent. Sure we pay to park the car. Sure we pay almost $2 a load to do laundry. So what? We’ve only got one car and I haven’t driven it in almost three months! I love challenging myself to see how long I can go without driving. And the laundry room is just a few steps from my door now. I don’t even have to leave the building. And we don’t mow a lawn or shovel snow or do any of that stuff, though I wouldn’t mind some flowers on the deck.

Can't imagine what would pull me from this life ... except maybe a day job. But that's coming around in time. Last week I actually lucked into a noon-to-eight and he and I had dinner together.

May, 2006
They're out back with Eva so I have a few minutes, maybe more. I love that they’re all old enough now to stick out in the fenced backyard with the dog and know they can play to their heart’s content. I still go outside with them when they want to ride bikes on the cul-de-sac. Mr. 5 still needs reminders of the rules and the world doesn’t work the way it used to. At 8,7 and 6 my brothers and I and all our friends roamed free through sub – urbia. Can’t do that these days.

“Haven’t you ever noticed all the freaks and fruits live in the suburbs?” My New Jersey friend used to ask in a more colorful way than is fit for print. He hated going into the sub – urbs and was actually afraid of them. He was right.

But on this little tract of land, from which I must drive to get anywhere, we have three happy kids, the dog Hubby never had growing up, the flower garden I’ve always wanted and dinner together every night. On this little tract of land we have played in the sprinkler, dug in the dirt, fallen and scraped near every part of our little bodies and spent nearly every day of our lives because here, in Missouri, people can afford to live on one income and have a parent stay at home with the kids. It was an economic impossibility in Chicagoland … even in its sub – urbs. And living in the city here wouldn’t be cost effective either. Sure we could find a house for the $1500 we pay a month out here, but the schools stink. I can’t stay at home and afford private school of any kind for three kids. So, a fine district in the sub – urbs it is.

So many people I know bemoan how having kids has robbed them of one thing or another. Sure, having kids thrust some changes upon us, but we’ve never called them sacrifices. Living in the sub – urbs is tolerable when you can close your front door on it.

This time of year and Christmastime are the hardest. But the pangs for city life are irritating pinches now instead of those heart wrenching squeezes that crippled all forward motion. What we've built here is good. And when we look at what we're able to give the kids we see no reason to leave, at least not until after Mr. 5 graduates high school. Of course that could change, but the cold hard economics of the situation are these: We couldn't afford to buy this house now. The prices have changed that fast. We have three happy kids. We have each other. And no one else we know can say their housing payment is the same as it was 10 years ago! Besides, I-55 will lead us right to the Shedd's front door whenever we're ready to go.

// posted by HoBess @ 5/01/2006 02:48:00 PM