being a "middle-classer"

Today (instead of doing work) Brian and I were discussing what it meant to be middle class and how that definition has changed from the past. Actually, I'm not quite sure we really decided on what exactly "middle class" is today. Our conversation stemmed from the price of a home, specifically a single family home. In the past, a middle class family could afford a modest single family home (oftentimes with only one working parent). Now, it seems it is a struggle to own a home in general.

This is something that I often think about when drifting to sleep. How is it that Carl and I, with college degrees, and full time jobs sometimes struggle to make ends meet? Sure, my admissions salary isn't that great, but Carl has had two excellent positions helping our family income. Sometimes I'm frustrated that I feel anxious about being able to afford a home in an area with better public schools, an area where we essentially have no choice but to buy a single family home. Will we make it before the girls hit kindergarten?

The conversation really made me think about one of my new year resolutions: to enjoy what we have. Carl and I have a beautiful home in a wonderful neighborhood. Maybe we can't go on vacations to exotic locations or afford season tickets to baseball games, but we own a home. This year, I look forward to taking more walks, spending more time enjoying the backyard, running through the sprinkler with the girls, enjoying the community playground, and sitting on our front porch playing cards in the evening. We picked a home we knew would love, and this year, I want to enjoy every second of it!