Nomads

We are nomads.

nomad \ˈnō-ˌmad\
1. A member of a group of people who have no fixed home and move according to the seasons from place to place in search good grazing land.
2. A person with no fixed residence who roams about; a wanderer.

Driving from Georgia to Florida

 Two months ago we renewed our lease for our apartment.  Once December 1st rolled around and we were still living here it was a bit monumental: this apartment became our longest lived in residence.  We just passed the 2 year mark.  In 10 years of marriage we have lived in 8 different homes.  That doesn’t even include the 2 furnished apartments we sublet during our first few months in New York.  Come to think of it, neither of us have lived anywhere this long since we left home to go to college.  Actually, my family moved a few times when I was teenager, so I’ve been moving around since I was 15!  That means Brian and I have been living a nomadic lifestyle for the last 20 years.  We are often looking forward to what is next; what will fit our needs best.  And usually, with each move, we tell ourselves, “Let’s try this just for a year.”  That’s how this whole living in NYC business started 8 years ago.

We were living in Pittsburgh at the time and were at a crossroads.  Our lives were ours and we were ready to take on an adventure.  During our last year in Pittsburgh we would frequently have discussions that would go something like this:

“What should we do after Pittsburgh?”
“Wouldn’t it be fun to live in NYC for a year or two?!”
“Yes!”
“We’ll go to NYC for a year, have some fun and figure out what we will do next.”
“Yeah, before we have kids.  There’s no way I’m having kids in NYC.  Then after NYC we can settle down and start a family.”
“Awesome,  Let’s do it!”

Eight years and 3 babies later and we are still here.  We are still trying to figure out what we will do next.  We are still loving the adventure of living in NYC, for “just one more year”.  For the record, a lot of families we know (some with 6-7 kids!) came to NYC with the same mindset: go to NYC for a few years for school, or work, and then move out and start a family.

The question is, where does one go after NYC?!  After living here (the greatest city in the world), the idea of moving to suburbia doesn't feel like a lifestyle we will be able to embrace.  

Yes, I regularly dream of a home where our daily rhythm can flow from outside to inside as needed and of carefree summer evenings, playing with the kids on a cool green lawn until it’s time to tuck them into bed.  I long to be able to step outside my door and take a deep breath of quiet, fresh air.  I hope to grow a large, delicious garden someday. I still believe that time will come. I was born a country girl after all.

Brian and I frequently discuss, and plan, on finding a place that we can call home for more than 2+ years.  A slower, possibly simpler, lifestyle is appealing during this season of bearing, raising, and growing our sweet little ones.  We have been searching for some deep, rich soil in which to bury our roots.  But we have not found that fertile ground yet.  Until we find it we will continue to move, to be nomadic, in our own, modern way.  We will continue to search for what is best for our family at each time and season in our lives.  Because, so far, with each move, the grass under our feet becomes greener and our lives are more rich because of it.