A Mommy in the Suburbs

My trip to North Carolina was my first long trip out of the city since moving here. I had the chance to get away from the busy sidewalks, crowded subways, and sounds of sirens at all hours of the night. I was going to a place that had a backyard for Harlan to run around in, grocery stores that I had to get into a car to drive to, and malls that I could walk around in for hours without having to put on a jacket just to walk to the next store.

I forgot what living in the suburbs actually felt like. It wasn’t that long ago that I had a house of my own and a car of my own that I had to get in to go anywhere. It was only six months ago. Has the city sucked me in this much that I have forgotten what life is really like outside of it?

I made sure to take advantage of all of the things that we don’t have in the city. I made sure to wash my clothes as much of possible in a washer and dryer in the house and come home with no dirty clothes. I put dishes in the dishwasher rather than having to wash them by hand. I made several trips to all of my favorite southern food places. And I made the most of all of the space that we had in the house.

These are luxuries {I call them that now} that I no longer have living in the city. Before moving here I would have never thought that I could go through life without my dishwasher. Washing dishes by hand would have taken way too much time and effort.

Hand washing dishes is my new normal. Taking our clothes downstairs to the basement of the building is something that I had to learn to get used to. Inconveniences that I have learned to love. They are a few of the many things that make this city what it is.

The suburbs have so much to offer so many people, that the city doesn’t. Things that I do miss. But after spending a month there, I’ve learned that I can live without them.

My new life living in the city is rich with culture and experience. Something that a lifetime of living in the suburbs could never give me.