Movin' on up (part 1)

Minneapolis skyline

For some, this might be old news... for others, it might be a total shock. But at the end of this month, Robbie and I are moving to Minnesota. Yes, it is cold there. No, it is not Canada. (Well, not quite anyway.)

I accepted a job at Fox Consulting, a fundraising consulting firm in Minneapolis whose primary clients are nonprofits and community colleges. In a nutshell, I'll get to continue working with top-notch nonprofits, while earning a for-profit salary. The best of both worlds! My family, all of whom still live in Minnesota, is thrilled about us being closer.

While being near to my family will be wonderful, it was only one of several factors that went into this decision to accept the job and move northward -- a decision that was not made lightly. The move will impact not just our lives, but the lives of many other people who are near and dear to our hearts, in particular members of Robb's family who live in nearby Gloucester, VA. But we both feel that this is a God-given opportunity -- one that will result in positive changes for both of us, and one we would be foolish to pass up.

In my mind, the collective Twin Cities are like the Portland of the Upper Midwest. It is a metropolitan area bursting with art, music, theatre, parks, libraries, lakes, architecture, politics, cultures, restaurants, nonprofits and on and on and on. While not quite as "green" as Portland, the greenest-of-the-green metro areas, the Twin Cities are environmentally conscious leaders in energy responsibility. The public transit system is one of the best I've experienced, with light rail, commuter rail, and dedicated and regular bus lines. The Twin Cities beat out Portland as the #1 bike-friendly metro area in the country (according to Bicycling Magazine), with dozens of dedicated bike lanes and greenways. To me, one of the most impressive things about the Twin Cities is how clean they are -- and I'm not just talking about lack of litter on the sidewalk (which in itself is impressive). For a community that size, the air is breathable, the lakes are swimmable, and it's evident that residents take a collective sense of pride in the appearance of their communities.

Our soon-to-be St. Paul home

When Robb and I visited last month, we meandered through neighborhoods in both cities. Robb remarked (and I was reminded) how each city has a completely unique vibe, even though the downtowns are only 10 miles apart. We looked at a duplex in the Crocus Hill neighborhood of St. Paul that we both loved. Even though we saw other properties during our stay, we kept coming back to Osceola Ave., and were elated to learn our application was approved.

We are optimistic that Robb will find work, as the Twin Cities metro area is a regional printing hub. Eventually, he would like to go back to school for a degree in forestry/environmental science, and it just so happens that the University of Minnesota has a wonderful program. A definite plus!

I know I am probably a bit biased in my love of "the Cities," having lived in both Minneapolis and St. Paul over a five-year period before moving to Richmond. And I can almost guarantee that there are Twin Cities residents who would find counter-points to each of my glowing appraisals. No city is perfect, and I know that. But I can't deny that every time I have gone back, I've felt like I was going home. I am excited to be making it my home once again.

I plan to write another post in the near future to say my goodbyes to Richmond and the people here who have worked their way into my heart over the last seven years. I guess you could say I'm deliberately putting it off...... yah, you bet I am.