14 Years.

14 years ago today my wife and I moved to Georgia. We had both lived all of our lives in central Illinois, except for a five month period shortly after our marriage when we lived in the Chicago area. So why did we uproot and move 600 miles? At that time we had been married 18 years. Our marriage was going through a rough period and I was being hassled at my job. We decided a change of scenery might help strengthen our relationship.

My mother-in-law had moved to Calhoun a few years before. She had been trying to get us to move here,but we had always resisted. I have mentioned before that she never liked me so I wasn't crazy about the idea. My wife was a little hesitant too because of the way she was treated, yet we decided to come. One big factor was my mother-in law worked at the hospital and they were needing a housekeeper. I was wanting to do something different, I had been cleaning for 16 years, but I took the job until I could find something else. A little more than a year later I went to work for Kmart.

Things did come crashing down when my wife died in 2000. After the funeral one of her brothers asked me how soon was I moving back to Illinois. My comment to him was "what for?" I enjoy living here. I had a job and I couldn't see starting over again. Not to mention the fact that Illinois has winter. I lost all enjoyment of wintertime when I was 13 and my hands were frostbitten. At times I do miss being around my family, but I go and see everyone once a year. It is nice seeing them, but when I come back and cross the Georgia line I feel like I am home. Never say never, but I don't foresee anything happening where I will move again.