In a few short weeks, the day after The 3rd Year Med Student begins his clinical rotations, we will officially become "campus dwellers." We were able to score a cozy little six-hundred-something square foot 2 bedroom corner of cinderblock and industrial carpet square heaven, despite the 'year long' waiting list (can you believe there's a WAITING LIST??!!) At first I was excited, but as I pack and prepare to leave our current home, I am becoming increasingly sentimental. When we moved here 4 years ago it was just the two of us - married 3 years, both in graduate school, living the 'care-free' "life before parenthood". Now, here we are, 4 years later, and my, how things have changed. This home is where we watched in amazement as my belly grew and grew until I thought I would pop. This is where we set up the crib and painted the 'nursery' months before the due date. This is where, more than 3 years ago, we lay awake in bed, too excited to sleep, knowing our first child would be born the next day. This is the place to which we nervously brought home our firstborn child, sat down on the couch and said to one another, "Now what?" as the reality of the responsibility of a precious life fell upon us. This is where we proudly displayed "It's a Girl" and "It's a Boy" banners from our front door. This is the only home both of our children have ever known. Within these small walls they have learned (somewhat painfully) to sleep through the night, to talk, to use the bathroom, to eat on their own, to pray, to play. Our front patio has heard their laughter as they've learned to walk, run and ride bikes, and their cries as their little hands and knees have met with it's rough pavement. Our front yard has enjoyed their sweet little feet prancing through it's cool grass in the summer while running through the sprinkler, and tramping through inches of snow in the winter while building snowmen and snowforts. Our children know the quickest path to all the nearby parks, our favorite library (nothing beats SLC Main Library!!), our church, Smiths and Albertsons (both right down the road) and the train station (just a couple of blocks away). Over the past few years, this little 918 square foot dwelling has truly become our HOME. I just can't get over the fact that everything their little minds have grown accustomed to will be changing so drastically in just a few weeks and I can't help but wonder if we're really doing the right thing. In my mind I'd always imagined we'd be here until graduation when we bought our first home, so I feel as though I'm being torn from my warm, comfortable bed a few hours early. Will my children survive? I think so. Will I? I'm not sure. Wish me luck as I wade through sentiment and emotion to pick up and move on.
P.S. FYI When I was 12 I cried for a week when my parents sold their old car so clearly, I don't do well with letting go. :)
