This year will mark a decade of my St. Charles, Missouri residency. Say what you want about The Chuck, but I love it here. I’ve even made my born-and-raised South County husband a convert.
In the Beginning
I bought my first house here – 8 blocks from Frontier Park. That house was the perfect first house – two beds, one bath, a decent kitchen and a living room just the right size. My husband and his dog moved in a year before we got married. When we found out we were expecting our daughter, we knew we needed more space and room to grow. I cried when pulling out of the driveway of that little house for the final time. I blamed the pregnancy hormones, but I’m pretty sure I would’ve cried regardless. We were growing up.
Six weeks before my daughter was born, we moved into a brand-new house – one where we picked out all the finishes and waited about four months to be built. I’m sitting in my office in this house as I type this post. This is where I work from home a couple days a week, where I review our bank statements and pay bills. It’s a weird grown-up house that I’m not sure I ever thought I’d own, but here I am. I especially love that it’s still in St. Charles.
New Neighbors
This month, we’re getting new neighbors in our St. Charles subdivision: my parents! All the way from across the river in Chesterfield.
I get one of two reactions whenever I tell people that my parents are moving into the neighborhood:
- That’s awesome!
- Are you crazy?
My husband and I are 100% in the “that’s awesome” camp (he is, too – I swear!) From the second my daughter was born, my mom has been front and center. I feel like she practically lived with us the first two weeks, but don’t quote me on that (it was all such a blur). As my daughter has entered this adorable toddler phase, we are all savoring every second, grandparents included. With grandma and grandpa now just a 7-minute walk away, my daughter will grow up with another set of grown-ups who love her beyond words.
Memories to Last a Lifetime
She will grow up exploring St. Charles with her grandma and grandpa – the park down the street, our favorite small businesses on Main Street and beyond, going to local festivals, and soaking in the old-town feel this side of the river has to offer.
I’m sure we would do all this without my parents moving into the neighborhood but being able to share these memories with my parents will be absolutely priceless. I hope we create memories my daughter cherishes her entire life. We are truly lucky.
So, while we’re helping my parents get settled this month and making sure their house is toddler-proofed, we’ll be thinking ahead to an action-packed spring and summer in our beloved hometown.
