Three years ago, my family took one of the biggest leaps of our life. My oldest was just over 2 years old, my youngest was 3 months old and I figured we’d be living in Chicago for the rest of our lives. However, my hubby’s lifelong dream was to become a lawyer, so we uprooted our lives and headed to Champaign for him to begin law school at the University of Illinois. I stopped my part-time teaching job and became full-time photographer and full-time stay-at-home-mom. Yes, I often feel like I have 2 full time jobs!
I won’t say I was literally kicking and screaming, but well… I was pretty much kicking and screaming all the way here. After all, 14 years prior, I hadn’t even applied to the University of Illinois for college because I was NEVER going to live in Champaign. Serves me right… never say never 🙂
So, off we went- 2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cars and a moving truck to our home in, what I considered, “the middle of nowhere.” And then it happened… I fell in love with Champaign. It was everything I didn’t even realize I needed- little conveniences like parking in a garage, rather than circling Wrigley Field for a parking space, wide open space, no traffic, and tons of kid activities that were both accessible and affordable. But it was also everything that I knew I needed- friends who have become family.
I remember being SO worried before we moved that I would feel alone for 3 years… no friends and no family nearby to rely on. And within a week of being here, I met another mom with 2 girls the exact same ages as my 2 and we clicked. And then I met more moms and we clicked. It took time, but I made a group of friends who know me as well as I know me, and who know my girls that well too. And for the last 3 years, this has become my life, our life. There is so much about Champaign/Urbana that I love, that makes it the perfect fit for our family.
Here’s where my announcement comes in… my hubby found an incredible, amazing, absolutely perfect-for-him-and-us job. And it’s in Chicago. And while a piece of me is jumping up and down for joy- for the job, for our family, for our Chicago people, there is another piece of me that is taking this news really hard. I know that photography-wise, I can easily come back for sessions. But the part of me that never in a million years would have expected to love Champaign as much as I do, is taking this move really hard.
My girls love Chicago- that is where much of our family is, but Champaign is the only life they know and remember. This life is school, gymnastics, parks, dance, soccer, the Y, story time, sporting events, shows, museums, and most importantly people who know them in their daily life as well as I do… this is our LIFE.
With that, I know I must quickly publish this post because as soon as I do, the reality sets in… come this summer, we are heading back to Chi-town. We eagerly await the adventures ahead of us and look forward to being closer to our people in that neck of the woods. But not before we say thank you C-U for the three wonderful years of memories. I know this isn’t good-bye, it’s simply (in the words of a 4 year old): “See ya later, crocodile.”
(* Side-note for clients: Any sessions that are already booked will be held as planned. After June 1st, I will not be scheduling any Champaign/Urbana sessions for a few months, in order to give us a chance to relocate and settle in the Chicago area. Chicagoland sessions can be scheduled at any time. Thank you for your understanding!)
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