quality of life: intro

Introduction to this series of posts: Nathan and I are preparing to move sometime this year. Preferably sooner than later, but that's an easy way of saying that we have no idea when. We decided sometime last year to leave our California home and head to Denver. Why Denver? Well, we wanted to pick a city where Nathan could transfer with his company and keep the same job. New jobs = bottom of the totem pole = Julie's anxiety comes back full force. Denver was an easy choice. We could afford a house and deal with the climate. Nathan's not at all excited about the snow. I wax nostalgic for snow. I like saying that because he rolls his eyes and starts getting stomach cramps when I say it. Plus, Denver's a place that's all about the outdoors. We're all about the outdoors. Good match. The close second (and still an option if anything in Denver falls through) was/is Portland. We're feeling the time get closer and closer to pick up and throw ourselves into another time zone. We're thrilled and excited and anxious to just do it. Which is why we spent this entire weekend rethinking our choice to move out of state. We finally had some very real and very raw conversations about what we absolutely need to constitue a satisfactory quality of life. What exactly can we live without? What must we absolutely have? The answers are surprising...stay tuned. And p.s. While the funny might be on hold as I *think* (Ouch!), Jacob is not. If anyone out there can come make my kid quit walking clockwise around the dining room table, I'll pay you in no-bake cookies or something equally yummy. He is making me car sick!