I’ve now lived in Kent longer than I’ve lived in any other place. On the one hand, that sounds crazy to me. On the other hand, I look at the family portrait from our first fall in Kent (see above), and it seems about right. Our family has changed a lot over the last nine-and-a-half years.

I thought I’d be more aware of the moment that the time in Northeast Ohio overtook the time spent in all the other places I’ve lived in my life. But perhaps it says just as much that the eclipse happened about six weeks ago, and I only noticed it recently.

From January 30, 2003 through July 10, 2012 (the dates for our family’s move to and from Amsterdam, respectively), the span is 3,450 days — or 9 years, 5 months, and 11 days.

From July 10, 2012 through February 1, 2022, however, the span is 3,494 days — or 9 years, 6 months, and 23 days. So even though both spans could be categorized as “about nine-and-a-half years,” it’s clear that Kent became the longest-tenured town for us around the time of the most recent Winter Solstice.

I thought it might feel kind of sad to pass this threshold. Amsterdam was a special place. And it felt like a special part of my identity for a long time. But I’m genuinely proud to call Northeast Ohio home now. It’s a lovely place with lovely people. Every place I’ve lived has positives and negatives. But I honestly hope that I’ll get to live here for the next nine-and-a-half years, too.