*WARNING: Super long drawn out blog entry ahead. Grabbing a Diet Coke to stay awake while reading would be a good idea*
I grew up in Duluth. Josh & I both went to college there & we started dating about 2 weeks before we graduated. He already had plans in place to move down to to the Cities & I had none. I was perfectly happy in Duluth. And then I fell in love. And I followed my love to the 'Big City'. (Actually I told everyone that I moved there because I got a job there...which I did, but the only reason I got a job there was to follow my love). Fast forward a year and a half later & we were engaged. 6 months after that we were married, and one year later, on our first anniversary, we brought our first baby home from the hospital.
We had never intended on living here forever. When Bren was about 18 months old, I was a stay at home Momma & decided I NEEDED to be a nurse. I wanted to take care of Mom's & babies. So I went back to school. Two years later I graduated & totally lucked out and got my dream job as a Special Care Nurse at Fairview Southdale Hospital. I had applied everywhere, even Duluth & actually got offered a job there, but they were slow moving and the job was offered to me a month or so after I started at Southdale, and I loved it there. So I turned down the Duluth job, and here we are.
We have both been so blessed with WONDEFUL jobs (especially me), and WONDERFUL bosses who have accomadated our schedules so that we don't need daycare. We live in a nice cul-de-sac with THE BEST neighbors that a person could ask for (minus one). We love our cozy home. BUT, Josh grew up in the sticks on 40 acres, and I grew up in small town Duluth. And we never intended on raising our family here, it just happened.
So I was surfing the internet back in January & just happened to look at jobs in Duluth & found one that was exactly what Josh does now. The application deadline was the next day, but Josh applied on a whim. We figured that they already had someone lined up for the job, so we didn't think much of it. Then he got a phone interview. Then he went up there for an interview & it went really well. PANIC MODE. What would we do if he actually got offered the job? We would love to live in Duluth, but how could I ever give up my job that I truly love, I would so miss my coworkers who are such a rare, amazing group of girls that I know I won't find anywhere else. And how could we leave our nice neighbors and our cozy house?
We have STRESSED out over this descision for weeks. All the 'what if's'. I have lost a lot of sleep. Last Friday Josh was formally offered the job. I was formally a wreck! Really. Just ask my boss who had me sobbing in her office Friday morning! I think it is so rare these days for people to truly love what they do for a living, and honestly, my job/wonderful coworkers is THE #1 reason why I don't want to move. But after hours & hours of weighing the pro's and con's, Josh & I feel like this is a great opportunity that we just can't pass up. It is a good time in our lives to move and everything just seems to be falling into place. Josh accepted the job on Monday & he starts in April. :)
For now, I am planning on keeping my job & we will put our house on the market. If our house sells, I think that I am going to drop down to a .4 & try commuting. We will see how it goes. It's either going to work, or it isn't! My boss was so nice to allow me to do this, she knows how much I don't want to leave FSH.
I know the next few months are going to be a bit stressful, but in the long run we feel this is going to be a good decision. And I hope all my city friends will come visit & often!
Here is a look at our soon to be home sweet home!
It is such a beautiful city!
One of the 'cons' is the weather. The lack of sunshine will be an adjustment, but you all know I like cooler weather, and if you catch Duluth on a nice, sunny day nothing beats it. It's perfect!
Park Point. I love this place. If you lay in the sun, close your eyes, dig your toes into the sand & listen to the sound of the waves crashing you feel just like you are in Hawaii. Really. Well, not really. Because you can't feel the sand because your toes are numb from the freezing cold water.
One of the huge 'pros' is being with my boys skiing on the hill that I grew up on. From the age of 7yrs till around the time I was 20yrs old I spend 3 nights a week training at Spirit Mtn. I had my wedding reception at Spirit. Spirit is like my 2nd home that I have missed dearly! I hope to get back into coaching & hope my boys grow to love skiing as much as I did, or even half as much.
And maybe my #1 reason I look forward to moving to Duluth...more time with my wonderful family. Less time in the car stuck in traffic. Living 10 minutes from everything. Being able to have my parents over for dinner. Seeing my brother more often. Hangin with my bestie & our cute kiddos. Simplifying our lives. Buying goats. Getting Nash his chicken that he is obsessed with. Endless hours and space for Bren to ride his motorcycle.
We are so grateful for this opportunity & look forward to all that is to come.
These photos are from our family get-together at the Lundberg cabin last July. It was such a bittersweet time. My Grandma had been diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in March, and 4 months later in July, Uncle Larry was also diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. We all knew this would probably be our last family get-together at the cabin with everyone. I am so thankful for the memories of that weekend.
