Location, location, location!

Back when I married Patrick, I moved from my 'hometown' into THE CITY. Now, this was the same big city where I was born and lived my first eight years but it never assumed that spot in my heart reserved for one's 'hometown'. The suburb I was raised in is really more like a small town. I know it seamlessly fits into the megalopolis of Chicago but the social structure is very like a small Midwestern farming town. Patrick was reluctant to move here until we came for a street fair one summer night and I moved from person to person chatting and catching up with high school friends and old neighbors....it reminded him of his Irish hometown and suddenly he couldn't get us moved out of Chicago fast enough!! The problem was our timing....right at the very peak of the housing bubble!!!! This little suburb was extremely desirable and houses were often sold for many thousands of dollars OVER their asking prices and within hours of being listed. We looked and looked and tried and tried but it was beginning to look like our new little family would have to stay in Chicago..............

During our search, assuming we would be moving here soon, I had enrolled Mari in the local private school's pre-school program. One day as I pulled in the parking lot I saw the for sale sign that had popped up in the lawn of a cute little brick ranch across the street from the school. I sighed to myself and thought, " how perfect but I bet there is already a contract pending on that little house".  A week later our realtor called and said she thought she had a possible property for us....yep, turns out a house across the street from a school was 'not desirable' and our little house had not yet been snapped up!! Not only not snapped up but open for negotiation on price!!! We were in!!!!

Many wonderful memories have been made as a result of living across the street from our church and it's attached school. Like last night for example!!!! My sister and her husband were scheduled to celebrate their wedding anniversary at the same time Mairead was to be at her 8th grade final dance. Mairead was dropped off at our house early so they could negotiate the Friday night rush hour into the city!! We had fun curling her hair and pushing her out the door to go Hula the night away. Then I looked out my front window and saw this....

Usually I don't butt in...but Anne Marie was MISSING this final fun picture moment!!!!

I mean there were other Moms there so why not me?

But I must admit to being grateful for my new camera with it's great zoom ability so I could stay a respectable [according to the teen definition] distance to record the happiness and camaraderie for posterity!

Because next Tuesday this group of friends will mark their last day together after eight years ....spreading out into 6 different high schools...making this one priceless picture!!!!!! Who decided that a home across from a school was an undesirable location??????