Columbia, SC Moms! I have a Q.

[Alicia64]

We moved to a suburb outside of Atlanta a year ago. I've never adjusted. We'd been in VA which wasn't perfect, but which was home. Our current suburb is very "cookie" and we've had a hard time making friends.

 

My kids are 12 and making friends seems to get harder as they get older. Not sure why. They're both very friendly albeit young: still into Lego and young stuff. They're definitely not "12 going on 16."

 

Anyhoo, there's a job for my husband in Lexington. Dh isn't thrilled w/ his job at all, but he's also hesitant to leave the known for the unknown. Lexington/Columbia sounds more like our town in VA: small, no traffic etc. Atlanta is huge, tons of scary traffic.

 

Also Lexington is closer to our friends in VA making visiting a whole lot easier.

 

Does it sound crazy to move again? I'm just not happy (read: bordering on miserable) in our current suburb. One boy likes his theater and piano and the other boy hasn't liked a teacher yet. (He's a nice kid: not generally difficult, but is particular at the same time.)

 

We love the library, taking the dog to the dog park, the beach (always), travel, playing at the park, being with friends.

 

From GA, Lexington looks very sweet and Columbia looks beautiful. The job would be with the Lexington Medical Center. Have you heard good or bad working for them? He'd be in IT.

 

We'd rent at about $1900/month. Does this sound crazy? Lexington is just a 3.5 hour drive from our current home so we can easily visit and get a feel before we do anything. We've only been here a year now, but I'd rather move before we get too attached, but let me know if you think I'm wrong.

 

Any help would be great.

 

Alley

[DawnM]

I have friends and relatives in Lexington and they love it.  

 

I think Kari on the boards lives in Lexington.

 

I go down for family functions.  It is a nice, safe area.

[Alicia64]

Thanks Dawn! Anyone else?

 

Alley

[SamanthaCarter]

I used to live in Columbia and two of my three kids were born at Lexington Medical Center. Great hospital. I don't know how they are as an employer, I don't think I ever heard good or bad. Lexington is nice, and low cost of living. There is a vibrant homeschool community in Columbia. Check out Excelsior Academy - it's a big homeschool co-op that does at least one theatre production a year, and they were very well done when I was there. 

 

As for beauty, Columbia doesn't have a whole lot of natural beauty going for it. It's pretty in late Feb/early March, when everything blooms at once, but after that it's fairly blah. Not the same as Virginia in that way. And it is HOT. 

[SamanthaCarter]

Oh and Lexington Medical Center isn't actually in Lexington. It's in West Columbia. You could live several different places in Columbia/West Columbia/Lexington if you worked at LMC. We were in Forest Acres and LMC was about a 25 minute drive from our house. (And Forest Acres has Trader Joes and it's own little homeschool group ;) )

[Jan in SC]

You could live anywhere in Columbia and work at Lexington Medical center. In fact, living in Lexington would put you in some traffic to get there.

 

There are several homeschool groups here, and a lot of the theatre kids we know are homeschooled. There are a lot more religious co-ops than secular ones.

 

I'm happy to give you very specific information if you PM your questions.