[megaphonemo]

Okay forum friends, not sure what I am looking for with this post, support, advice or what... But there is a very good chance that I will be taking a transfer to my company HQ - in VA!! I never thought I'd be a person to move my family for a job - but my company is awesome - the kind that once you get in, you are a lifer. People would kill to work for my company - you know? My current job will probably be eliminated over the next several years and it seems like now is the time to make the move. We'll only go if the money is right, of course, since DH will be leaving his job and there is no guarantee he will find another down there. We also said that we would want to move before the kids are in school - and DD will be 4 this coming summer....

Anyone here in the metro DC VA area? do you like it? Is it diverse (both DDs are mixed race)? We hear wonderful things about the school system - true? Do you like it there? We have some family there, but most is around here where we are now.

It is also scary to think about buying and selling a house in this economy, but since the company will buy my house if we can't find a buyer, now might be the time, and we can get a nice house for the money down there now. Maybe even a fireplace!!

DD#2's bfamily picked us because we were in the same state - what do we tell them? We'd still visit as often as we are now (2x a year).

Scary times for sure - - we also have a ton of work to do in this house before we could even think of putting it on the market - how do I get those things done with a 3.5 year old and a one year old....

any advice is welcome!!

Mega

[aclee]

My mother lives in VA and works in DC, which is like a 15 minute commute for her. Everyone that she works with (both AA and CC and many other races I'm sure) were overwhelmingly in love with Tyler, and our whole adoption story. I got boxes and cards for months from people I had never met. They all had out blog site, and out picture site, and would e-mail my mother daily for our family picture. When we have visited with Tyler, we have never had any problems. DH and I have considered moving there in a few years since DH could get a really good job in that area.

If we had a company ready to by this house, we would be out of MA faster than you can say...OUT OF MA!

I think this could be a great time to move and buy a house! VA/DC is a great area, and rich in history.

Best of Luck, but I would be excited if it was us

[Cjmeck]

You'll love it! My husband is in the Air Force so we move frequently. That said, we've lived 6 years of his career in southern Maryland; less than 30 min from the DC metro area. And YES YES YES it is VERY diverse. We too are looking at a possible transfer there this summer and keeping our fingers crossed that it will happen. Our daughter is biracial (aa/cc) and we know that it will be an awesome area for her to grow up. You do have to seek out the diverse areas, because there are pockets of segregation I think due to financial issues. I have heard excellent things about the school systems there but my son was 3 when we lived there last so I can't personally tell you. Just know that the area is sooo much fun, tons to do for kids and adults and probably among the most diverse areas of the country.

[dutchgirl2]

We just made the move from Idaho to Manassas, VA 2 months ago. My hubby was working for a big semi conductor company in Idaho which wasn't (and hasn't been) doing well and he hated his job. He made the switch and applied for his dream job with the Foreign Service. In Sept. he went to DC. by himself to start training leaving me and a 2 and 4 year old behind to see to the movers and get the house ready to put on the market.

Leaving behind my youngest daughter's birth family was the hardest part about this move. We love them fiercely and saw them all the time. They babysat for us regularly and bgrandma is having some serious kid withdrawal already. We talk on the phone a lot and are trying to figure out when we can see each other this year. Summertime probably, when our house is in a more presentable state.

We bought a house in Manassas which was a foreclosure and sight unseen by me since I couldn't just fly over to go house hunting with him. The kids and I flew in December and boy it has been a big change for all of us.

You are very lucky that your company will buy your home if it doesn't sell. Ours has been in the market since right before Thanksgiving. Terrible timing, I know. Hopefully it'll sell in the spring. In the meantime the house we have here needs SO much work that I cried when I first saw it. But we tackle it one room at a time. Yesterday my husband crawled into the crawl space to do some wiring and found 2 feet of water. He had to run out and buy a new sump pump! Yikes!

I'll say this though since it was one of your concerns, it is extremely diverse! Our neighbors are AA and we see lots of different nationalities around. I'm struggling with getting used to traffic but the one time we made it into DC. I loved it! It is so rich in history and things to do you would never get bored.
The weather is really different to us too. Boise is a desert climate and we have had so much rain here and a lot more gray skies.

Of course since DH now works for the Foreign service we will be spending lots of time overseas, so we will be doing lots of traveling and living in foreign countries soon enough. We can't wait to get overseas, we both have always had a serious travel bug problem.

Long story short, yes we do like it here and I would imagine you would to wherever it is you are moving from. Good luck!

[asante]

First I want to wish you goodluck for any decision you made. My husband used to be in the Navy we have moved a lot.. Has never been easy.. My Brother in law lives in Northern VA.. Is very very nice and very expensive too. I have lived in VA and Maryland.. And we loved it too. Hopefully everything will work out for you and your family.

CJMECK- small world, we used to live in southern Maryland too.. we were there back in 97-00..

[Cjmeck]

Originally Posted by asante

CJMECK- small world, we used to live in southern Maryland too.. we were there back in 97-00..

Wow, we were stationned at Ft. Meade 96-99 and 02-05! We lived in Severn and Ft. Meade. Can't wait to go back. Where were you?

[asante]

hubby was stationed at Solomons Island but leaves in Leonardtown by Lexington Park..

[megaphonemo]

Thanks for the responses. Everything just seems too good to turn it down. Like I said, my company does soooo much to help - it is awesome. Another thing that will be hard will be suddenly being in a corporate atmosphere - I work from home most days now. I seriously need to go shopping for some decent clothes!!! These days I am a fashion "don't" in a big way!

Now if they would just finalize everything and call me with the details already!! I am totally hooked on the real estate web sites - anyone know anything about Herndon, VA or Reston, VA??

Mega

[loveajax]

Good luck, Mega!!! I lived in Arlington, VA a long time ago and I loved it! And yes, talk about a great, diverse place to live.

If you move, let me know. I have two good friends who are both adoptive moms and live in the Falls Church area. They love it!!!!