Why Do I Have to Move?

What is it about the woman's role in a marriage that requires her to give up everything in order to go where the husband is working? I understand that a lot of times it has to do with money and who makes more, but why doesn't the wife's job/career carry just as much weight as the man's even if she doesn't make nearly as much? I am asking this because of the possibility that we may have to move to Tennessee. I am thankful that Donald has a job, although it requires that he start working down in Tennessee next month. And, perhaps if he were 40 or 50 instead of 66, I'd feel differently about giving up everything I have started with my pet sitting business to move down there. Donald is 66 and within a few years he should seriously consider retiring. Yes, he loves his job. But so do I. Yes, he makes very good money, but if he retires, we'd be able to get by. After retirement, he won't need to pay that huge alimony amount every month! He's already collecting social security benefits and that is giving us a great boost in our income every month, but we could still make due with his social security, my pet sitting profits, and any 401(k) benefits he'd be bringing in. The man who bought the AirCel division from Donaldson has bought and sold at least 40 companies over his lifetime. Who's to say that Dick won't sell off the AirCel company within two or three years and then Donald is, once again, out of a job or required to move to yet another state where the company is located. Or perhaps he decides to retire if the company is sold and we don't want to live in Tennessee any longer. Then, we have to pack up and move again - north, south, east, or west - and I would need to start up the pet sitting business.

We aren't looking forward to the commuting aspect of Donald's new position at AirCel, but we are thankful that he has a job. Before I started my pet sitting business, we were both hoping that we'd get to move to Tennessee. There were rumors that Donaldson Company was going to transfer Donald down to Tennessee two years ago, and I made plans for the move. I checked into the schools, the prices of homes, and the area. But then I started my business and it took off so quickly, becoming much more successful than I ever would have guessed. Now, I have decided that I don't want to take my business to Tennesee, I don't want to enroll Nicholas in school in Tennessee, and I don't want to sell our house and move again!

I have moved three times since 2000 (the year we were married) and I'm ready to stay put. So many people are saying "well, you wanted to move to Tennessee a couple years ago" and "your business can be run from anywhere" just don't get it. That's not the point, people. The point is that I'm tired of getting settled, getting close to friends, starting to like a place, and then having to give everything up to move. This time it's even more of a problem because I have my own business. If you've never had your own business or worked hard to create something of your own then you don't know what it's like. Sure, I can pick up and take my pet sitting business wherever we move to - but I don't want to. I like running my business here in Savage, Minnesota. And the more people try to convince me that I should move, the more likely that I'm going to dig in my heels and not budge!