Sometimes you can plan, and plan, and plan some more and still hit a brick wall when it comes time to making that big move, or you may sail right to the end and wonder why you were ever worried in the first place. It’s all about timing and how the biggest thing you have on YOUR side when it comes to relocation is how much you want to give yourself. Take it from me, it is precious, it is imperative, to know WHEN to make that final move. Let me explain…

If you have read the blog from the beginning, you may have read a post about our indecision on whether to move 2010 summer, or 2011. Originally the plan was 2012, when Kyra graduated High School. But as life shows you, planning sometimes is just another means to make the time go by.  Craig was faced with job possibilities here in FL, but in WI they weren’t looking good. We could have packed up what we had, the little savings we had, and left for our dream… but what would it have cost us in the end? Kyra would have missed out on having one more year at a school she loved, and so would have Emily.  Facing a job crisis, as many of you probably know, is the scariest thing to face head on. We had to make a decision fast- stay in WI and hope we didn’t sink, or move to FL and hope we didn’t sink. With family, friends, and familiarity in our home town, it was easier than we thought on what to do.

With prayer and a lot of chatting back and forth with loved ones, we decided it was smarter to stay in WI for one more year and hopefully he would get a job soon. Not long after we made that choice, Craig was offered a job where he still works currently today. My point is that holding on and giving yourself the space, no, the PERMISSION, to wait is OKAY! Noone has a rule book on YOUR dream, so you have to give yourself the chance to live the highs and the lows. It is ALL a day to day experience that WILL make you stronger if you just give it the time it needs.

Now looking back, sometimes I wish I had waited until the original plan of 2012. More for Kyra’s sake of graduating with her class, and Emily having one more year of her school she liked. But when you are living in those moments, you can’t see the future ahead of you. You just see today and usually tomorrow, but I couldn’t see what it would be like for either girl. They are both thriving, but I wish Emily had more friends and I know Kyra misses some of hers as well.  If we had moved in 2012 though, Kyra would have missed out on her family taking the big step without her, as she would have been in college. All in all, I feel we made the right step at the right time.

With that said on schools, I do need to address something with timing for that. Everyone has a different child with different abilities. But if you have a child that needs special attention, for whatever it may be, and you LOVE the school you are in now- leave them there. Let them enjoy that school, because trying to introduce schools to children with special needs can be so hard on them and the family. If either of my children were in such position, I can guarantee you I would have waited to move out here until they graduated.  It’s hard enough for kids with zero disabilities to try and get used to the schools down here, I can’t even imagine someone trying to adapt with special needs. Again, you can’t see what will happen in a crystal ball, but if staying put means you keep your same jobs and life goes on as normal UNTIL you can relocate to FL, then I would highly encourage that. Following a dream does not mean interrupting a structure that is very important to a family’s survival- it means taking a chance, a step of faith, which in your gut you will know is right or not.

Relocating is not only a huge step, but it is literally changing your life on every level known. What you knew of the familiar stores, friends, church- it’s all wiped away and you now stare at a clean slate. For some, this can be incredibly painful. But you ask yourself, how can a dream be painful? Well, any step worth taking in life can bring on the craziest feelings you never thought imaginable. One day I will wake up and feel so blessed to live here, and the next all I want to do is head to Green Bay and have lunch with my Mom like I used too. It’s surreal, and sometimes I still don’t believe it’s happening. We are blessed that Craig’s job is doing very well and that he can work from home and was able to take it with us when we moved here- I know many are looking to move here for a better life and job opportunity. With that said, if you have a strong and well paying job where you live and you are hoping to move here and find “something” I would strongly advise waiting to find a job just as evenly paid before stepping foot in this state.  Why would you want to move here and then struggle to stay afloat? I would think it would be torture to see WDW all the time, but never have the money to go inside and enjoy it.

Its really simple if you think about it. Ask yourself are you ready for a new home, a new city, a new state? Are you ready for new laws, new ways people do things here, etc.? Are you ready to LEAVE your famliar city, friends, and family to explore what you hope will bring you joy? Are you prepared for a possible higher cost of living, or tourists when you head to the grocery store?  It’s sometimes so basic that we all make it more complicated than it really is. EVERYTHING we do has to do with timing, and relocation especially is one of the highest ones on that list.

We all have our reasons to want to move to Florida. For some it’s for a better job, some don’t want to ever see snow again, and some want to live near the magic of Walt Disney World. No matter the reason, I pray, and I BEG of you, to stop and think about what it will take for you to do it.  There will never be enough talking about it, never enough lists, to make sure that it’s the right thing to do, but in the end, you will know if the timing is right or if God is whispering in your ear “Please just wait…”  I promise you that if you give the time that is needed for it, you will come out the other end smiling, happy, and satisfied with the choice you made. God bless your day!