I'm certainly a bit overdue. I'd say that there are primarily two reasons. I have been busy with all these upcoming changes, but as usual the biggest reason I haven't been writing is that I'm processing. Yes, processing the changes ahead. The house was well received judging by the fact that we had 7 offers within a week! So we are definitely moving, having accepted an offer over the listing price. :-)
There are so many emotions, and they range far and wide. A lot of wonderful things have happened in my life here in California. Let alone I've met some awesome people. Lifelong friends don't come along every day. It's difficult to leave such a place and not have mixed emotions.
I've visited numerous places in the States, but I've only lived in two states - Washington and California. I am a west coast girl. The US is so big there are many cultural climates, if you will, within it. When I visited Memphis, TN, probably 20 years ago, the money was the same as WA and the language was sort of the same. But it felt like the similarities to my Seattle home stopped there. Florida, where we are headed, is not the deep South, but geographically and otherwise it's a long way from California.
I can't imagine my home being anything other than the west coast. It's strange. There is a tearing of sorts in me to leave this side. It's one thing to live in Europe, which I did for 12 years. But that's not some other place in America. Funny how my roots are so well established without me fully realizing it. That being said, I am excited about the adventure of it all. We are also going to be able to live well under our monthly income. It may sound odd to be excited about that, but I am! California is expensive. We can live here obviously since we have been but no frills. Our expenses here also didn't allow for any of life's surprises. And life tends to throw a curve ball or two from time to time.
It feels right to make these changes on a practical level. The emotional side goes back and forth.
