Seven Years Ago?

Seven years ago, we launched the first chapter of our retirement dream by buying a condo in Chicago.  It was such an exciting step!  I remember our first night here after the closing.  We had two folding chairs, a picnic table and a bottle of champagne.  Sitting in the front room, we talked about how much we would enjoy Chicago and all it has to offer.  We slept on an inflatable mattress on the floor and felt like a couple of kids in their first apartment.

In 2005 we were still working in Memphis.  So for two years we rented the condo to a nice young couple from San Diego.  When they bought their own place and moved on, we decided to start furnishing the condo for our own use - vacations and long weekends.

Then Hilton was sold to The Blackstone Group in 2007 and we planned our early escape for Spring of 2008.  We sold our home in Memphis and, less than two weeks after our last day at work, Chicago became home.  The plan was always to stay here for from three to five years, and then move to somewhere in the Southwest.

Lord, I don't know how seven years passed so fast!  A chapter that was developed from a whim became reality.  And this enchanting chapter is almost over.  We are packing our belongings and readying ourselves for our new life in Prescott, Arizona. 

We have a few more weeks in Chicago, and hope to mix a little fun in with the tasks at hand.  But soon this beautiful city by the lake will become a place to visit instead of home.  We are renting our condo to someone we hope loves living here as much as we have.

I cannot express the satisfaction we have enjoyed from successfully following our hearts.  We dreamed, saved, and planned, and were fortunate to navigate the bumps in the road along the way.  The speed with which the years unwind is breathtaking.  Please take advantage of each and every day. 

Life is good.