On August 4th I did something I’ve never done before. I moved into an apartment and got my own place. I’m 37 years old and I have never lived by myself. Crazy, right?? When I was in college at Indiana University, I lived in a Sorority. After college, I got married. I lived in an apartment for one Summer with my best friend, and that was the extent of my “living alone.” After we made the decision to get divorced, we lived in the same house for over 3 months together. It was hard, it was too long and it started to get toxic.
I remember the day before I moved to my apartment I broke down. I freaked out and wondered how I could possibly do it. How was I going to figure it all out? I had never even changed a light bulb in my life. I’ve always had everything done for me. I didn’t control the finances in our marriage. I wondered how I would make ends meet. I wondered if I was doing the right thing. I wondered how I would even make it through the move itself. A very sweet person talked me off the ledge and reminded me of my strength. I woke up that next morning, and with the help of my good friend, my Mom, my Sister and Brother-in-law, I got all moved. It actually happened and I survived. I went from almost 5,000 square feet to 1400 square feet. I left behind most of my items to store at my old house, where my ex is going to continue living. I’m grateful I get to store my belongings there for the time being, but it was hard to leave behind so much.
Over the last 16 years I have owned a condo, a townhouse and 2 houses. I designed and built 2 of them. But, I had never lived in an apartment. To be honest, a few weeks into living in this apartment and I like it. I’ve realized what I need and what I don’t need. What I like and what I don’t like, and what’s important and what’s not. I overheard my girls saying that they like my apartment better than the house. They think it is cool and fun, and they were thrilled to get all new furniture and stuff. Overall, it was the right decision for me for right now. Of course, I would love to get my own house some day, but for now, this is where we are meant to be.
Always, wherever we are together, we are home.
