Well we're movin on up, To the east...
COAST.
As I mentioned in a previous post, Ryan and I have decided to make some major changes in our lives (also known as “our next big adventure”) and I couldn’t let you all know until I sorted things out. So after talking to our landlord and putting our notice in with our employers… Ryan and I have decided to leave the windy city and move to the east coast… We’re moving to Roanoke, VA.
You might be wondering why Roanoke, so here’s the back story… About a month ago, we headed to Roanoke for my nieces christening. While there, Ryan talked to my brother about getting a job in the restaurant business (my brother is a franchise owner of six restaurants). My brother told him that it requires a lot of long hours and shit work for the first few years, but after 3-4 years, it will all pay off when you are able to own. After hours and hours of discussing the opportunity on our trip back to Chicago, we decided that this would be something exciting for us… something that will definitely be tough for a few years, but in the end will help us live the lives we want and help us provide for the children we will have one day.
Although this move may seem risky, I think it’s a risk we need to take. I don’t want to spend the rest of our lives wondering “what if…” I’ve never seen Ryan so excited about something. He’s ready for a new challenge and I love seeing (as corny as this sounds) him so happy. He knows it will be a lot of hard work, but this is something he is truly passionate about so the long hours won’t be as hard.
I am really excited about this new chapter in our lives, but a part of me is terrified at the same time. I am moving to a new part of the country, a new town (that’s tiny compared to Chicago), I have no friends… AND I AM JOBLESS (kimboslice, I know you went to VT… do you know anyone in the Roanoke or Blacksburg area?). Needless to say, I have know idea what i’m getting myself into. Thankfully, I have the love and support of my husband and my brother’s family to get me through my first few months out there. I’m hoping to get a job in event planning where I have fun with what I’m doing and have more in common with the people I work with.
When we were dating, Ryan decided to take the plunge and move to Chicago (all for little old me), he commuted 3 hrs. each day to a job he hated, in a city he was unfamiliar with and had NO friends. I have always admired him and appreciated him for that and I think it’s time for me to do the same for him. This first year of marriage has taught me so much about compromise and making sacrifices. Instead of constantly thinking about myself, I have learned to put someone else first and to always be looking toward the future.
Tonight will be Ryan’s last night in our apartment. After Labor Day weekend at the lake, he is heading to KC to spend time with his family before he hits the road and starts his training in Roanoke. We will be living 700 miles apart for a little over five weeks… This week has been filled with tons of quality time and tons of tears (all me)! This will be the longest we have been apart since we first started dating and lived in separate cities.. but I’m sure these 5 weeks will fly by, while i’m packing our apartment up and trying to squeeze in as much Chicago stuff with my friends.
Thank you to all of my family and friends who have been talking me through this over the last few weeks. They have been tremendously supportive, which means the world to me. Although, i’m moving even further away, they realize this is a great opportunity for us and something that will make a huge impact on the rest of our lives.
