When we decided to send out children to the Catholic High School, we knew it would involve some sacrifice, and a thirty minute travel time each way. We knew in our hearts this was the right place for the children to go, so we were ready to make the financial and travel commitments.
What we didn't count on was that our children would become so involved! What started out with Friday night football games evolved into clubs, sports, and friends. Pretty soon, most of our time was spent running back and forth to the city. It made sense- if our lives were going to be in the city, maybe we should be, too.
Truth is, while we loved our "country home", my husband and I had both grown up in a more urban setting, and we were definitely missing some of the things the city had to offer: in the country, we could only ride our bikes round and round our neighborhood- we had to depend on our car to get everywhere. In the city, we ride our bikes to actual destinations- the farmers market, restaurants, the library, and even to church on Sunday.
In the country, everything was fifteen minutes away. In the city, everything is close to our home. Our country house had sounds like cows, and birds, and even the occasional pack of coyotes. At our city house we can hear the school marching band practice, church bells, and train whistles.
There are other advantages to our smaller house: our country house had four bedrooms, three bathtubs, plus two half baths. That's five toilets to clean! The city house has three bedrooms and two bathrooms- more than enough room for us. There is no designated "guest room", but when guests come, we make do just fine.
Our country house had a big yard with a pool. It took us most of a day each week to care for the yard during our long, southern summers. Our city home has a very small front yard, and the back yard is a brick patio with a pine-straw area for the dogs.We joined a community pool in the city, and let someone else worry about the maintenance. .
Half the house means half the cost to heat and cool. Living in the city, our trash pick up is included in our taxes.
I used to fill my car up with gas at least twice per week, to accommodate all the driving. Now I drive for a week and a half on one tank of gas.
We were a little worried about how the kids would adjust to the new, tighter, living quarters, but they have weathered the change just fine. If they ever start to complain, they quickly remind themselves of the days when they had to leave the house at 6:30 a.m. for morning Mass on game days. Most days, they aren't even awake at 6:30...and blessedly, neither am I.
Our Southern Living style country home
Our little Tudor-style Midtown cottage
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