"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air..." - Ralph Waldo EmersonMy friends and family have always joked that they should write my address down in pencil. At least, they joked about it five states ago. Now they're serious. (Though, realistically, its easier now that everyone just puts my address into their iPhones).
An exciting promotion, my husband has been offered a relocation assignment to run Sandestin, Florida's Tommy Bahama store and restaurant. And this move will make the 10th state I will have the pleasure to live in (see map at bottom of post for the 10). We've got about three weeks left here in Charleston (for those of you who are a couple of states behind on where I actually live). Beautiful, white sand beaches, golf courses galore await us on the panhandle of Florida.
As I've been striving towards reaching my dreams here in Charleston, I realize this move could bring us closer to that full picture:
Live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood with nice schools and enjoy good friends with backyard BBQs and birthday parties.
True, this move will take me away from the great friends I've made here...and friends my boys have grown with over the last year and a half; so I am very sad to leave them behind. I will miss my Mommies Night Outs with these girls most of all! But I'm also not surprised to feel an excitement of the "new" that lay ahead. An old friend (from my middle school days in Hawaii) lives in the Destin area, a wonderful mom I'm genuinely excited about reconnecting with. And she has been so helpful in helping us figure out where we want to find a home. Throughout these days, I wonder...What will the area be like? The people? The restaurants? Who will I become friends with? Will we be able to walk to the beach? Have a place that overlooks the bay? How are the schools? Will I actually see my TN friends more now that we're in the same time zone? ;)
As all of these exciting thoughts run through my head, I know that nothing stays the same. Life is always changing and this change is ultimately good. Who knows, by the end of 2012, I could say GREAT! So what will life be like on the Emerald Coast? Does life drastically change when you have to get used to prime time television starting at 7pm rather than 8pm? Do I get to move the kids bedtime back an hour, start relaxing an hour earlier and thus me going to bed an hour earlier??? I'm optimistic and ready to take on this new world by the horns. Thankfully, I have all of you with me for the ride!
Bon Voyage!
Leah
Incidentally, this will be state #3 for both of my boys!
