Living over 3 years ago by Liz Adams

6 Months in Charleston

my dress is by Hunter Bell

This weekend marked 6 months since our move to Charleston! I still get so many questions (daily!) about our decision, if it was worth it, what we miss the most, will we ever move back to Chicago and many more. What I’ve noticed in many of these questions from you is the desire and dream to do the same.

You can read my moving announcement from January if you’d like to get caught up on our choice to move. We moved on March 5, 2021 – George was almost 8 weeks old and I was very emotional leading up to our move which I made very clear on social media (ha). I think it was almost cathartic for me to mourn the end of our time in Chicago as we embarked on a new adventure, without the comfort of family or friends nearby.

Let me start by saying that Dave and I are so lucky to be in the position to pick up our family and move half way across the country. Working for yourself has its perks in that sense. I think 2020 was a year to really reflect on our surroundings, realize what we were missing in our daily lives that we couldn’t take full advantage of living in Chicago and just wanting a better quality of life for our family. Being outdoors is really important for us. We are not indoor people and living in Chicago means hunkering down and hiding from winter for a good chunk of the year. It wasn’t ideal with (at the time) two active little boys and parents who were itching for some fresh air. We knew we were outgrowing our first house and we had spent a year casually looking around our town at houses. Property taxes are so high that anything in our price range either needed a full gut job or was priced at our max budget but not our style at all. We were kind of defeated and it sort of felt like now or never to look somewhere else.

Charleston had always been on our radar. It was honestly the only other place we considered given the weather and proximity to the ocean and the fact that we loved and knew the city well. It was a move that didn’t feel like we were moving somewhere completely foreign, it had been an extension of home for me my entire life. So when we visited last November which acted as our test run, we knew right away that Charleston would be a good fit for us.

The process was sort of seamless because we actually knew a realtor in the area already and had a good relationship with him. I often get questions for his info but he actually moved to Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina and is no longer selling in the Charleston area! So while we were here we looked at a few houses (the one we bought was the first one we saw!) and fell in love. And we all know what happened next 🙂

I am usually someone who has a hard time making decisions for myself when it comes to big life changes like this one. I second guess myself, seek others approval and need affirmation that my choice is the right choice. But with this decision, we kept it to ourselves. I didn’t want to tell anyone what was happening because I didn’t want them to burst my bubble (if that makes sense). I knew in my heart of hearts that when I took family and friends out of the equation, that this move was going to be amazing for Dave and I and the kids. I was right.

I will say the transition wasn’t easy but 1 month into our move I knew we made the right choice. The weather, the scenery, the people, the relaxed state of mind, the slower pace, the more simplified quality of life. It’s a vibe that I didn’t know I so badly needed in my own life. So 6 months in I can confidently say that we are so happy. Charlie and Jack both started in their new schools that we already love so much. We have the most amazing neighbors, new friends, we are an 8 minute drive to the beach, delicious restaurants and so many places to explore nearby. It’s been the most fun adventure.

So many of you have reached out saying “I want to do something similar but i’m afraid to…” – leave my family, move away from home, leave my job, start over, not know anyone, step out of my comfort zone, make the leap…the list goes on. I don’t think I can tell you what to do but I feel like I’ve learned something major over the past year that has positively affected every area of my life.

Move towards the fear.

Change doesn’t happen in discomfort. I think sometimes we suppress our own internal desires because we are scared of other people’s reactions or disappointment or the discomfort. But I’m here to tell you that the other side could be just as could or maybe even better. So entertain the idea, talk to your boss about working remotely, do your own research and see what’s available to you! Start the conversation.

6 months in Charleston has come with some tears – I still miss my family and friends and Portillo’s french fries. But we make more plans, we travel, we go out of our way to see the ones we love, we FaceTime, we text. And we get to live here.

Thanks for following our family adventures!