New beginnings in Chicago: A bittersweet move

We finally decided on our new apartment in Chicago. Ironically, we had made this decision earlier in January with Sana. She had finally agreed to move out of New York to Chicago and spend time living with us and Maahir. What an ideal plan it was. I started planning things in my mind—envisioning the size of the apartment and imagining how we would meet regularly for meals and family time. But life has its own way of surprising us. We can plan all we want, but things don't always pan out the way we imagine. Part of the plan came true: here we are in Chicago, and we found a place near Maahir. But we're here without Sana. We've moved around so much, and every new home always brought a pang of excitement, a sense of new beginnings. This time, though, it felt different. There was no knot in my stomach, no anticipation. It was almost emotionless—just another new place to call home. Even though Sana isn't here with us, I'm determined to keep her presence alive. I'll set up her things in one of the bedrooms, creating a space she would have liked. It won't be the same without her, but it's my way of honoring her memory. Life may not always turn out the way we imagine, but we keep moving forward, cherishing the memories and making new ones along the way. Chicago is our new chapter, and while it feels different without Sana, it's where we are now, close to Maahir, starting fresh once again.