Reflections on Four Months in St. Paul

So I've been living in St. Paul for four months now. (Four months already?! Only four months?!) I started reflecting on how my life has changed since I moved here in October. Well, the biggest change, of course, is that I'm engaged. I hadn't really expected that to happen so quickly--but I'm glad it did! Even with all the changes and planning for a wedding, life on the whole feels easier now--living with someone...in a house...in a smaller city. I don't have to take the dogs down three flights of stairs--or carry the groceries UP. I'm happy to be dealing with less traffic now, and since we have a driveway I always have a place to park. My pace of living has slowed, and the way I spend my time and money has changed. My work life is dramatically different. I'm not commuting or sitting in meetings or having to be concerned about other people making their deadlines. Now I'm just responsible for myself. I have realized that freelancing requires a lot more marketing than I had expected--thank goodness Tomkin's so good at that! And we're definitely tightening our purse strings. But I believe that the trade-offs are worth it.

The best part of working from home is how much time it allows me to spend with Tomkin. We're constantly amazed at how time flies by when we're together. We spend a lot of time just sitting and talking--at the dinner table, curled up on the couch drinking tea, or snuggling with the dogs on the futon. We really seem to have fun together no matter what we do. Tomkin had been worried that I would be lonely and isolated here, but we've kept plenty busy. It's been especially wonderful to be so close to Becca & Omar again--they've wanted me to move up here for ages! I'm also happy to get to spend more time with Heidi and Jill--they're both such cool, fun, interesting women. And it's been a real treat getting to see my dad and Sandy every month rather than just once or twice a year. I've also loved getting to know Tomkin's family better--they're all so fascinating and wonderful.

Tomkin has a wide range of friends, and it's been fun hanging out with them, too. I do get "friendsick" for my Chicago friends, though. Sometimes when I get an e-mail or see a blog post or come across a picture that jogs a fun memory, I get a little achy for the Chicago friends I don't get to see as often anymore. I'll miss seeing Kelly's latest Chicago Chamber Choir concert and Cat's spring show at the Stage Left Theatre. I miss going out for beer and mussels at the Hopleaf and dressing up for Girls' Night Out. And we do have some game-playing friends here...but it's not quite the same as having Game Night. I've really enjoyed going to shows at the Guthrie and the Walker, and I'm excited about exploring MSP more. There's no shortage of art and entertainment here. I will miss this season's shows at the Chicago Opera Theater, though (it looks amazing!), and going to Bravo Club events. I miss Holy Covenant (and especially the people there), and I know I'll never find another church quite like it. I haven't actually started looking for a new church yet, although I'm planning to.

We've had some incredible meals here, but on the whole the restaurants don't really stack up to the plethora of delicious options in Chicago. However, I'm eating more healthfully than I have in my entire life. Since Tomkin cooks, I'm eating lots of vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and healthy snacks and very little unhealthy food. I'm also getting more sleep than I have since high school. I feel like I've uncovered some kind of hidden secret--who knew that getting more sleep would make you less tired? I can't believe how much more alert and awake I am now. Also, we hardly watch any TV. In fact, sometimes I feel a little isolated from what's going on in the world. We watch TV while we're on the treadmill/stationary bike (an idea we delightedly borrowed from Amy!), so Tomkin's probably watching more TV than he ever has, while I'm watching less. I love working out together, although I do miss Nicole's class at the Cheetah Gym. It's also been a treat getting to spend more time with the dogs--they love it! We've been a little lax about walking them during the cold spells, but they still get plenty of attention.

Overall, I really love St. Paul, and I've never once regretted making all the life changes it took for me to get here. I miss my friends and my church and some of what Chicago has to offer--the city will always be dear to my heart--but I also believe that my life has never been better than it is right now.