Two years and counting.

I remembered yesterday that Doug and I have been in our little house for two years now. More than two years, actually. We closed July 24, 2008, a Thursday, and moved in the first weekend in August. I feel like we've been here longer; I feel like we've always been here. And I take that as a testament to how good a move this was.

That's why it's a little difficult to think of moving again. Doug and I are somewhat wandering souls. We like changes. We like new challenges. And for me, I like new experiences. They scare me to death sometimes, and cause me more anxiety than I can reasonably process, but ultimately I enjoy them. I have always wanted to live outside of New England. Or, at least, I have never really thought that Massachusetts would be my forever home. I've got another move in me, and Doug feels the same way. It's just a question of when. And where.

Oh, we won't be moving any time soon. Part of that is because we like our little house and we've only been in it for two years. There's still so much we want to do with it, and there's still some stuff that we need to do in the Boston area, job-wise, education-wise, that kind of thing. And the thought of moving makes me feel just the way I felt when I moved the last time. Non-plussed.
Of course, moving itself isn't so bad. It's fun and energizing to pack up all of your things. You can weed out so much. And then you can move what's made the cut into your new place. And you can make your new place into your new place, complete with decorating touches that the other owners didn't think of. For example, I barely remembered how our living and dining rooms looked before we moved in. But this photo reminded me: Look at those yellow walls, and look at those red sconces! And the green in the dining room! Here's how we have it now, more or less: (But just so you know, we don't keep our steamer in our living room). It's these changes that we've made to our house, and the work we do to it each day (some days more than others, admittedly), that make us so reluctant to leave.

I know, I know - we're not leaving any time soon. And that's the truth. We've got a house, we're attached to it, and there's more for us to do here. But in thinking back over these past two years in this house, our first house, and in thinking towards the next few years or more that we're here, it's a bit of bittersweet thinking. Excited about new adventures but happy with current ones, and fond of past ones. Like this one: Moving day 2008. Great friends and family all around us, welcoming us to our new home. Just two years ago this photo was taken! And while I'm eager to think of how the gang of us will look when Doug and I do take that next move (Ruby could be there, my nieces and nephews will be so much older - and so will the rest of us!), I'm definitely a bit nostalgic for the past. It's been a good two years here so far. Happy home-ownership anniversary to us!