The Key

Hey All!

I have so much stuff to share I'm not even sure where to start. So let's start with something many of you may already know...my current whereabouts. It aches me to even say it, but I'm currently back in COLD ol' Iowa (Indianola, IA to be exact.) My hometown, which also means my childhood bedroom...yes my husband and I are currently staying at my Mama's house. And I'll be the first to say it's actually been AWESOME! I mean no mortgage payment, rent free, meals cooked, laundry is always done...why didn't I move back home sooner?! LoL

However, this was not the plan. In December I quit my job, sold my house, sold my car, sold a ton of belongings, and shipped our life over to Curacao where my Husband was working and we would be living for the next year or two. However the night before I was to actually move out of my home and a couple of days before I was to fly out of the country with my little dog and start a new life, we got some cruddy news. My husband's job was no longer going to work out, which was the whole reason we were transferring our life out there. Our entire plan had just shattered. All the time, money, and effort we had put into beginning our new life in Curacao had just went down the hole. It was very heart wrenching at first and we really weren't sure what to do next. It was a rough next couple of days trying to swallow everything that was going on and wondering why this had to happen to us, but I knew we would figure it out. So on the night before my original departure date, I was having dinner with my parents discussing different options and realized my airline ticket that I had already purchased was non refundable. DUH. Mom & Dad I'm flying out tomorrow morning who's taking me to the airport? Why wouldn't I go? I didn't have a job I had to attend, we already had paid rent in Curacao for the whole month of December, and honestly my husband and I needed each other. So I rearranged some clothes in a suitcase and took off. I was a bit of a trainwreck of emotions, okay a lot of bit, but I hopped on that plane and was ready to get some things figured out.

Long story short (for now) we spent a few weeks in Curacao and Aruba before heading back "home" to Iowa. (I'll post another blog later on about our travel experience to both of those.)

We arrived in Des Moines New Years Eve night, exhausted and no where near ready to bring in the New Year lol. My lovely Mother and her husband picked us up from the airport with open arms and took us out for some real fine dining at Applebee's. LoL After some food and beer we were more than ready for showers and bed. I'm pretty sure the whole household was asleep by 9:30. There was no chance of making it to midnight for us! The first day of the new year would be spent looking for jobs, a new home, and figure out our plan.

It's only been a few weeks, and since then I have started a new job at a property management company, we've purchased a car, and just recently we figured out our new plan. I'm so excited to share the new plan!

We're moving to the keys! The Florida Keys!

YAY! We are still going to get to live our "Island Life" and be state side at the same time!

Why the Keys you ask? Well my husband has been trying to get all of his certifications for Scuba Diving done while working at the same time for the last couple years, which is why we had to live near the coast or on an island. He did some research and the first school he found was Halls in Marathon Key, FL. It seemed like the perfect fit for what he wanted, so he made some calls and found out the next class begins in February! Greg is now enrolled and we are ready to go!

WOW we are moving so fast...but the next thing on the list was to find us a place to live. If you have ever been to the Keys (we haven't) but you'll find out fast that it is very EXPENSIVE! Depending on where you looked, most studio or one bedroom places were going for a minimum of $2,000 a month, and unfortunately they don't come with a Mother who cooks and cleans for you. LoL YIKES. We are still up in the air on a few things but I am pretty sure we found a great place to start off living at, that will even allow me to bring my baby (dog.)

So in the beginning of February, which is just a couple short weeks away, we begin our first road trip ever as husband and wife (and little dog too) to start a new life in the Florida Keys. We will pack up everything we can into our Chrysler Concord and hit the open road. 

I still plan on making and selling my art like I was going to do in Curacao, but I had also been doing some research for jobs and what not in the area, and came across an amazing Yoga teacher training school. As many of you also know I enjoy practicing yoga and have considered becoming an instructor myself for a while now. I feel like this is the perfect time to finally take action and pursue some of my personal goals, and what better place than in the Keys? So if all goes well I will be training to be a certified Yoga instructor in May!

NAMASTE.

I really didn't understand it at first, and it took a lot for me to believe that it happened for a reason...but I finally believe that us losing our "dream life" in Curacao was a blessing in disguise. Both my husband and I are now going to be pursuing our dreams and furthering our education in Florida, together. I am so thankful for our friends and family for supporting us while we've adjusted and I can't wait to see what the next speed bump brings. Nothing can hold us back. I'd say for our first three months of marriage we've had quite whirl wind of tests and we can handle anything at this point.

The life we live is anything but ordinary....