What's Next For Our Family? (Updated)
The following is an updated version of a blog post I published in February of 2019.
One of the questions I’m asked the most often is: What is the plan for when West gets older and wants more privacy? And do we need more space if I’m able to have a second child?
The same sort of questions popped up time and time again when I was pregnant with West— everyone asked us when and where we’d be moving. But we took things day-by-day, and it all worked out better than we could’ve ever imagined. That’s how I want to live— planning wisely the realities of life, but also allowing the future to unfold naturally as we navigate the present. That way, when the time comes, we will know what we need and why, rather than acting half-heartedly (and perhaps wastefully) on predictions.
People make all sorts of living situations work for them and their families, whether by choice or necessity. Diverse lifestyles and homes are all around us, but they’re rarely integrated into entertainment in a way that makes them seem like anything other than a problem or a quirky novelty.
I don’t expect that the issue of space itself will inform any of our family’s decisions making at this time. Instead, the main factors that I expect will determine how long we end up staying in our tiny cottage are financial and family related.
We rent, and we have no family in Los Angeles. While our home and garden have been an exceptionally wonderful spot to Shelter in Place, renting and trying to keep a small business afloat in an expensive city/state during the pandemic heighten insecurity. Plus we miss our families terribly.
We love and appreciate our home and garden more than ever, and are in no rush to leave. But lately I do find myself dreaming of a slower, quiet life, more land, four seasons, and better access to our family… and I wouldn’t mind a fireplace and a tub. When the time comes, I suspect we will look for a place with two bedrooms, or at least a little “extra” space in which to creatively craft a second bedroom. But we’ll deal with that when the time comes. (I want to share some of the places we have in mind, but that’s for a later post…)
When we decide to go, I’ll be sharing the entire process here, as you have supported us tightly throughout the years. But as we move through our current (9th!) year in the Tiny Canal Cottage, I hope we are able to bring you as much joy as you continue to bring us. Thank you.
