FINALLY I can spill the beans!

OK. You guys have been so patient with me and I'm so sorry it all took this long! And all the details still aren't worked out, but everyone who needs to be informed has been, so I can finally tell you the news.

Those of you who guessed that we are buying a car: You're right.

But that's not the big news. That's just a side effect of the big news.

The big news is: Torsten and I are moving to Denver. In three weeks.

I KNOW, right? That IS big, isn't it? It's not just me thinking that? We're going to pack up everything we own and let strange people put it into a truck and drive across the country with it and then live in a brand new town where we know basically nobody. That's a big deal, isn't it? And also, see? I told you I wasn't pregnant!

Now, I've told a fair few people about this, and they all seem to have similar questions. So let's do a little FAQ, shall we?

1. Why Denver?
Neither Torsten nor I loves DC, and we definitely don't love the high cost of living here. We're planning our lives, looking to settle down and get ready to start a family, and we don't want to do it here. The things that make DC expensive are things we don't take advantage of. We never go to museums or free cultural events or fun city things. All we really want is a nice-size city with good weather, a couple good restaurants, decent shopping, and a nice atmosphere. A place where would want to raise kids, basically. Denver is that place. It is gorgeous, with stuff to do, great parks and lots of outdoorsy stuff in general, a nice downtown, a very reasonable cost of living, and lovely weather. Plus, the people are supposed to be great (maybe it's all the sun they get).

2. But isn't it cold in Denver?
Sometimes, yes. Denver is very dry, which I am thrilled about as I hate humidity (and not just because of what it does to my hair). It has approximately 300 days of sun per year. It's cold in the winter, and it snows, but not as much as you would think because it's protected from a lot of the winter storms by the mountains. And the cold isn't nonstop. It'll be cold there for awhile and then it'll be sunny and mild. In fact, it is often colder in DC in the winter than it is in Denver.

3. What are you doing in Denver? How are you making this happen?
Torsten and I have been trying to make this happen for awhile, but were trying to figure out the job situation first so we could guarantee that we wouldn't wind up broke on the streets of Denver. Especially in this job market, it's a little scary to let go of a good, steady job, so we wanted to be as stable as possible when we did it. I got offered a job in Denver, and Torsten will be working remotely in the same job he has now.

4. Aren't you scared about picking up and moving across the country to a place where you don't know anyone?
Yes and no. Torsten will be with me, and with him as a constant nothing else is as scary. And while I don't have any friends there yet, I do know a couple of bloggers and friends of friends there, and I think that will be a great starting point for getting settled and making friends. Still, even though I don't want to stay in DC, it will be hard to pull up the roots that I've put down here over the past three years. I have friends here, and my sister is here, and the city has been the site of many important things to me--the first place I lived on my own, where I met Torsten, where I got married. I am certain that there will be tears when our apartment is empty and I have to say goodbye to people. But for now, I'm mostly excited.

5. Aren't your parents upset?
My parents, remarkably, are very excited about this. Well, maybe it isn't that remarkable, given that they tend to be very supportive of me, but it is remarkable given that I will be much further from them than I am now. But they think Denver is a great place and are looking forward to visiting, and know that I will still visit them. Torsten's parents are less thrilled, since we will be further from them and since they are the type to live in the same place and stay in the same job forever (a common German mindset, apparently), but they're trying.

6. Where will you live? Do you have an apartment?
We don't exactly know where we're going to live yet. The general plan (details yet to be confirmed) is to just go there, get there a few days before the moving truck, and stay in a hotel until we find an apartment. Is that insane? I will make some calls to make sure that some buildings have immediate availability, so that we aren't living too much on the edge. But it just isn't worth it to fly out there for a few days ahead of time just to look for a place. And hey, if we can't take a few risks when we're young and unencumbered, when can we?

7. You got a car! Cool! What kind?
It's a 2006 Honda Civic. Not exactly the most exciting car in existence, but practical and very good value. And yes, we are looking forward to driving it 1,700 miles across the country. On Valentine's Day. And the day after that. And the day after that. It's going to be awesome. I can't wait to get there.