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....

Danki

"Danki" means "Thank You" in the local island language, also known as Papiamentu. 

As we approach the "thankful" holiday this year, I couldn't be more thankful for my life and the way things have been going. I hope things are going well for every reading this too, if not keep your head up and things will turn around. 

As many of you know a couple weeks ago, (I can't believe it's only been a couple of weeks) we found out my husband got a new job on the island of Curacao and that his wife and dog could move there with him. Basically our dream come true, to finally be together and not in a long distance relationship somewhere tropical where Greg could pursue his scuba diving and I could pursue my art. Well as you can imagine ever since then life has been CRAZY trying to prepare. A house to sell, car to sell, husband and belongings to move, dog to fly, paperwork to do, so much stuff! I literally think I've gone a bit mad...and pretty sure my husband will vouch for that. 

Greg had to finish his contract on the island he was working on then (Roi-Namur,) ship all his stuff on a barge to his new island, and fly 6,300 miles Iowa for 2 days to get his physical and see his (amazing) wife! Two days isn't long at all but still exciting for us because we hadn't really been together much since we got married since he had to go right back overseas for work practically right after the wedding. So we took full advantage of the little bit of time we had together and did what any normal couple would do....BOW CHICA BOW WOW. Ha ha and by that I of course mean we went to our favorite restaurant Ohana Steakhouse, a Japanese steakhouse where they cook it all in front of you. And sure enough, per usual, before I knew it I was dropping Greg off at the airport for another teary eyed goodbye. I hated those. I could hardly wait for them to be over, as the last time it was 7 months before I saw him again. Wait a minute...they are over! Next time I see him, he will be in a coconut bra drinking a pina colata, wait, or will that be me? lol  Either way it will be in our new home on the island where we will start our new life as husband and wife, and not have to do those awful goodbyes anymore! 

Ever since I found out the good news I was on the internet all day trying to find us a place to live on the island. Unlike the job Greg previously had, living was not provided at his new job. So I found some Caribbean real estate sites that also showed rental homes/apartments available and started sending out emails galore. So many I couldn't even keep track of the responses and remember which ones were which. Not only that but the language barrier didn't help, a lot of responses were in broken English. Also with a new culture the homes were very different than the home I live in. For instance central air wasn't really a thing, you mainly had air in your bedroom and that was it. There isn't hot water except for in the shower and that was only from a tiny water heater that would last enough for one person to take a quick shower. No oven's in the kitchen and lucky if there was a stove top. Seriously how do you bake cookies or bake anything without an oven. I know they are a dutch island, and I have definitely heard of the term "Dutch Oven" before but the only thing I ever knew that to be was when you farted under the covers and trapped some poor soul under them to suffer. LoL I guess I had some research to do that wouldn't involve any flatulence. None of the homes had dryers, and I was having a hard time finding one that had a washer. It was also difficult since I had no idea about any of the areas/neighborhoods and there is a bit of a high crime rate there so I didn't want us to choose a place that would be in a bad part, considering I'd be home alone alot. At last though, I came across an email from an agent that had a link to a rental that was in a nicer gated community. It was a big home that the owner rebuilt into 4 different apartments. The pictures were terrible and really did no justice, it was very tiny. The only things that really caught my eye on this place was the HUGE patio and view of the Spanish Waters, and the safety of the location. Oh AND they let me have my dog, that was difficult finding a place that would allow a small dog. I looked at the photos for hours thinking of how I could make the place work, and finally decided it would be perfect. It's weird and different just like us. We would call this place our home. It doesn't have a washer, but it DOES have a butt washer in the bathroom! LoL 
Alexander our real estate agent was so awesome and helpful, he didn't even make us wire money over to hold it like all the other place required. So we took this stranger's word that he would hold this place and he took ours that once Greg flew in Alexander would pick him up take him to the new house, sign the lease, pay the deposit/rent, and get the keys! I was really nervous that it was all too good to be true. Lucky for us he was an honest man and picked up Greg, got him in the house and even offered to take us out boating/wake boarding once we got all settled in. It was nice to get a little insight from a local, he showed Greg the areas and places to go around our house too. We now had a tiny little home and i can't wait to make it OURS and decorate.

Once I got Greg off to the airport I realized how much shit I had to do yet, selling my house was number one on the list as that would really determine when I would get to move to island and join my husband. If the house didn't sell I didn't move. I certainly didn't want to rent it, and it was a little hard for me to list it to because I absolutely adore my home. Plus I just finished redecorating the whole place. But it was so worth it to make our dreams come true, so I contacted my realtor and we got that baby listed. One day on the market and we had an offer! Seriously...could it be that easy and done? Of course we did some counter offering and finally I accepted an offer. Literally that took two days! Obviously there is a long process of closing after that, and thankfully for me my realtor advised me I can sign the paperwork from the island on the final closing documents. Greg was going to have to sign off the papers from over there anyway so this meant I would get to join him very soon! I now have my flight date scheduled for December 9th. 

I've been working my ass off every night and all day on the weekends getting stuff ready, sorting, selling, packing. I was literally selling everything I've worked hard for the last 26 years. I worked hard to get where I am, buy the nice things and home I had and now I was selling it all, for pretty practically nothing (aside from the house.) A lot of people have been asking me if it's hard and honestly it hasn't been yet but I think its just because I've been so busy I hadn't realized that fact yet.. I did get a little emotional when I looked around my home the other day and there wasn't anything hanging on the walls, nothing in cupboards, closets nearly empty, and it was really kind of sad and lonely. But so totally worth it all in the end.

Then there is the issue of getting my dog to the island with me. If you know me you know my dog is my BABY, and Greg just had to accept us as a package. Believe it or not it's actually pretty hard to get pets into other countries, so I had to do some research on what all was required to get Reesie to her new island home. I am SO thankful that she does not have to be quarantined for months like a lot of places make you do with your pets. That would seriously kill me. Basically she had to be microchipped, Rabies shot 30 days to a year prior, vet check/health certificate 2 weeks prior to entrance, and 48 hours prior has to be treated with a pesticide. I also ordered her a travel bag that she will have to be inside underneath the seat in front of me on the airplane, of which she hates. I have been trying to practice putting her in it and leaving her for a little bit. (I can only last like 5 minutes.) It's going to be a traumatic day for her and Mommy flying and a 13 hour travel day, but we will make it. I even got some tranquilizer pills from my vet he said I could give her the day of, but I can't do it...I just don't want to make her feel loopy and see her all half alive. I'd rather her be scared shitless and feel normal than scared shitless and feel all funny. Speaking of shit I just KNOW she is gunna poop in the airport or something. I can't imagine the chaos of this day that is ahead of us. LOL I just hope we make it okay and have no problem with customs and getting her or myself in. 

The final thing I really had to take care of was my car, which was recently paid off. I needed to sell my G6. I looked up the value on KBB and decided on an asking price, assuming people would try to counter offer me down. I had posted a few ads here and there, on Craigslist and on Facebook, got a few messages but nobody was really jumping on it. I then got a call from a couple wanting to test drive it last Saturday, I wasn't sure how the whole selling your car privately thing worked but I let them come over to see the car, swapped them keys, and let them take it for a spin. Once they got back they were saying they liked it and it drove well, kept standing there looking at it and then told me they wanted it! Just like that, for my full asking price and everything! Seriously, could things be going ANY smoother?! I couldn't believe it.

I think some things in life are really meant to be. This being one of them. All signs from day one have been pointing straight to Curacao. I truly believe this is where we belong for the time being. For me it's quite the adventure, I am a little nervous but it really helps having a husband who has no fear. He has traveled the world visiting and living in many countries, he knows how to get things done and how to adapt. I know he will make sure his little family is able to do the same. 

I hope sharing some of my positive vibes will send good vibes your way as well. Happy Thanksgiving everybody! <3

Some Photos For The Way Out

Mean Mommy testing our new bag....

I think she's ready for the island?!

Our new home from the outside...

 And our gorgeous patio view......