Here We Go

The sign is out front.  The listing is on the internet.  The paperwork with our realtor is signed.  Our house is for sale.

I'm almost in shock.

To be honest, I love Lynchburg.  I love Rivermont.  I love our home, the blue paint, the tile we put down, and how cozy it feels.  I think of leaving and I hate it.  I asked Chris how he would feel when the house is empty, we turn the key for the last time, and we drive away, no longer as owners of that house.  He said he would be sad.  He said that when he cleared the pantry to paint it, it was as empty as it had been since we moved in.  And that felt strange.  And that felt sad.

This is our first house.  This is the home we poured our hearts into renovating for three years.  This is the place we brought our baby boy to from the hospital.  This house is important to us.

Then why leave?  Lynchburg is a beautiful place where we chased our academic dreams.  We have called it home for five years, but it isn't quite "home" all the way.  I love it here, but it doesn't quite "fit" us--so many of our friends and my family members are in Chesapeake.  (Christopher's parents moved to northern Virginia about eight years ago so they aren't in Chesapeake unfortunately, but maybe some day they can move closer.  If not, we certainly will have more flexibility visiting them if we aren't trying to divide time between Chesapeake and Woodbridge.)  Lynchburg served its purpose at the time for us.  And now we will move on.

This whole process began about nine months ago.  To be honest, Chesapeake is so much more expensive than Lynchburg.  When we left for college, I accepted that I could never come back.  I remember being in high school and thinking to myself, "I'll never be able to afford a home here.  I can't live where I grew up."  Things have changed in some ways, though.  Prices have come down some.  We are working in positions that allow us to move anywhere and can afford to go back.  With the way things are in the market in Lynchburg and Chesapeake, now just seemed like the time.  Anyway, nine months ago, we decided to look into it more.  And we did more and more until we decided to take the plunge.

And that is how we got to where we are today.