Since I’ve Been Gone

 

Hello from many months and miles later!  I’ve missed you all so much.  I hope this post finds you happy and healthy. 

 

Back in October of last year I decided to give myself a mandatory social media break when it came to Juggling Act Called Life.  There were so many changes going on with my family and I needed to make that my priority.  I found myself, like many other bloggers, spending more time at my keyboard than with my family.  That needed to change.  I slowly started pulling back over the summer and with the big changes coming faster than I could comprehend I had to decide to go practically cold turkey.  I have not blogged or been on Facebook since that time.  I’ve only maintained contact sporadically through Twitter.  I’ve missed the amazing friends I’ve made through blogging and twitter especially.  I hope I’ve been missed too and will be welcomed back with open arms.

 

So what major change brought this long “blogcation” on you may ask?  That is if you missed out on any of my last posts or tweets from September/August.  Well here’s what happened.  My husband was offered a job almost 600 miles from where we lived!  Literally did a phone interview in the beginning of August.  A week  later flew out the end of our vacation (with impeding bad weather heading our way) for an in person interview.  By the end of August (the 27th to be exact) he was on a plane again to start his new job.  This literally happened in less than 4 full weeks.  For a management position, with relocation, that is FAST.

 

Where did that leave us as a family?  Good question.  That part was full of stress and lots of planning on my end.  It all happened so quickly.  I researched the heck out of the area the company recommended we live.  My husband has a area that takes a few hours to drive from its furthest points.  It was extremely hard researching from so many miles away.  My husband couldn’t help because he was in training and it was hours away from his district.

 

Based on my research, I felt that the area they had suggested wasn’t a good fit for us.  So, of course being that I’m stubborn and pigheaded, I researched some more.  All over his district.  I finally found an area I liked at what I’ll call the boundary.  It’s the outer edge of the area.  That’s where I intensified my search.  It seemed to have everything I was looking for and my top priority was an excellent school district.  A+ there.  I flew out twice to look at rental houses with my husband.  It was an adventure to say the least.  He had to drive 2 hours from where he was training to meet me at the airport and then a half hour to our hotel.  The poor man lived in hotels for almost 2 months.  Yep, told you this moved quick.

 

By mid-September we had found our house.  At that point things became INSANE!  I was supposed to start back to work the first week in September.  I had to resign.  I was going to work as a sub but just couldn't.  I got the kids to and from school every day, did homework with them, made meals and kept them busy.  While they were at school or sleeping I was purging and packing like crazy!  We had a 4 story house (basement, 1st floor, 2nd floor & full size attic).  It was a mammoth task.  I look back and am so thankful for the wonderful friends who helped me out.  I had one friend practically pack my whole kitchen (minus the food…I did that).  Another came and helped a bit but her main talent was corralling the kids and helping them with homework.  It may have only been a few hours for a couple days but it saved my sanity! I packed my pantry and food cupboards while she did math and ELA with my kids.  Godsend!!!   Another friend rounded up another friend and her teenage son.  Between us we were able to move EVERYTHING in my attic down to my first floor.  My attic was a pull down.  Not a fun thing to conquer but with teamwork we did it!!  Also, they took the last of what I’ll call “the attic donations” with them.   What a blessing!  Saved me lots of time and energy.

 

So from the time we got the news in mid-August until October 8th I planned, organized and got it done. Looking back I’m proud of myself.  My husband was gone and I was able to accomplish so much while being the sole parent during that time.  I have a anxiety disorder and not once did I become overwhelmed.  Stressed out and emotional, yes but I did not freak out.  I did not let myself loose it.  I didn’t cry (until the very end).  Honestly though, I did cry rivers when my husband and I made the decision that he accept the job.  That was a very rough week.  But once he was gone I had to be strong.  I kept it together through a very emotional and tough transition.  I could never have done it without the wonderful women I still to this day call friends.  I miss them with all my heart.  They were there for me when I needed them most and expected nothing in return.  They were just being themselves.  I will be forever grateful for all they did to help and support me through it.  The saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” is so true.  It took my village of amazing friends to see me through my journey.

 

I learned a lot during those few months.  The following sayings sum it up wonderfully…

You are stronger than you think

Listen to your heart

Don’t give up

You can do this

Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

And finally, ask and accept help from others!  Don’t be your own worst enemy.

 

Well, this wasn’t quite the direction I had planned on going fully with this first blog post back,  However, it’s here and it’s staying.  My future goal is to touch upon topics that effected me through all this transitioning.  Here’s a few:

• How to organize, purge & pack for a major move
• How to find a moving company for a relocation
• How to tell your children about the move
• How to find a suitable rental home
• How to research towns, communities & schools
• How to cope with changes
• How to say goodbye
• How to help your children cope
• How to move long distance with animals
• How to set up a new house
• How to make new friends
• How to find your way around your new town
• Transitioning with stepchildren
• And so much more!

 

If you have any questions about relocating or anything I mentioned in this post please feel free to ask here on on Twitter.  I will be happy to help.  Relocating is not easy and its so much harder when you have children and pets involved.

 

Lots more has been going on since we’ve settled in.  Its definitely been a roller coaster ride.  I’ll be filling you in on some of those stories too.

 

And one last thing….

 

The view from our bedroom window.  So happy we found a place to call home.

 

See ya’ll next time!