Remind me why we did this - ?

Atlanta had so much to offer. My wife and I had a huge house north of town with a yard, a garage, a basement, and more bedrooms than we could ever put to use. She had a great government job and I had a thriving legal practice that let me work from home in my workout clothes on many days.
The cost of living was good. We had friends, family, and charity work we had become involved in.

In short, we had a great life.

But then an opportunity arose, as opportunities often do. My wife had an opportunity that, after a 5 year break, would bring us back to D.C.
She would make more money, but not enough to cover the difference in cost of living. We would have to downsize from our house with a yard for the dog, to an apartment where we weren't sure where the cat's litter box was going to fit. We would have to leave all the friends we had cultivated in Atlanta. We couldn't see my wife's parents on any given day, or go stay at their home in the mountains, just an hour north of our house. Sure, it would be a promotion for my wife, but I would have to wind down my criminal defense practice in Atlanta and start looking for a "real" job here in D.C. And let me just tell you - law firms, federal agencies, and non-profits are NOT actively seeking former criminal defense attorneys.

So why did we choose to come back to D.C., where we met when I was in law school and she was starting her government career? Because it's D.C.

Sure, there are challenges, but there's also opportunity. And I don't just mean career opportunity (God knows, I don't mean that), but the opportunity to take advantage of all D.C. has to offer. Where else can you walk anywhere you want to go? Where else can you meet such a diverse population? I'm sure some people are cold jerks, but most seem aloof because they're still kinda new too.

I'll miss family and friends, but there are these things called "airplanes" and "the Internet" that can keep people from falling out of touch. This will force us out of our comfort zone and make us reach out to meet new people - never a bad thing (unless you're in prison).

This blog will chronicle our readjustment to city life both the opportunities and the setbacks we face. Hopefully, by the time I write too many posts, I'll be writing about my new attorney job. If not, I'll be writing about what it feels like to wait table again.

Oh - and one more thing: Where else can you take a picture with your dog at the White House?