Category Archives: Relocation Updates

Finding a Church After You Have Moved

Posted on by
11

This one was always going to be a tough one for me simply because my church home in Appleton, WI seemed almost perfect. I had met my best friend there, was baptized there, was in the choir off and on for 10 years, taught Sunday School, led my Homeless Shelter ministry… and so many more wonderful opportunities had happened at Appleton Alliance. So where do you start as the new kid on the block? I will take you through our journey and how we hope we have found the church home we have been looking for.

First, we did search online for non-denominational churches, as that was where we had come from. You have to start with what you know first, then move you way up to see if there is something new or different you would like to try.  The only Alliance Church we had found we had no interest in, so from there we had thought about attending a Church our friends attend in Lakeland. The only issue I knew we were going to have is that it was about 30 minutes or more up i4, and I just didn’t see myself driving it all the time, seemed to take awhile the time we drove past it on the way to Sarasota. If we committed to it, and it was too far, I would make excuses not to get to choir or anything else outside of Sunday service- I didn’t want it to start that way.

Second, we prayed about it. My first church here wound up being the “Mary, Queen of the Universe” because my Mom and Bob wanted to try it out on their stay here. I am no longer Catholic, so even though the Church was beautiful, it wasn’t for me. I am a VERY contemporary gal, and I enjoy my worship time with some lively music, plus I truly feel my soul lift up and off the floor when I hear a moving song.  For me, singing is my outlet of speaking to God, so it was very important I find that place I can do that again.  Yes, I sing in my car and in the shower, but nothing like with a choir or a sanctuary filled with believers… that is just something special that I hope everyone gets to feel in their lives on this Earth.

Third, ask at your old church. When I was home this past October, I couldn’t stop smiling while walking the old halls of my Church. At that point I almost wanted to move back and fall into the routine with Choir that I was craving by this point of the move. I saw my Pastor and asked him to recommend a Church for myself in Orlando, since the search was going cold. He suggested “First Baptist of Orlando” which I had heard of, but honestly never gave it any attention because I am not a Baptist. He said they had great programs, huge church, that I should look into it. 

More excuses went by, until finally Craig and I tried it out this past Sunday.  First, we timed the drive, as it ran us about 20 minutes down the other direction of I4- and it didn’t seem to long since it was a Sunday morning.   It was just past the Universal Studios area, so we had an “idea” of where it was located, on top of having our handy GPS to guide us the rest of the way.  We decided to try out the 10:45 service, as the 9:00 was listed more as a traditional one. Again, I wanted to feel the beat and get my praise on- the long and traditional hymns weren’t going to do it.  We checked in as “new” at the informational desk, then found a seat around the front of the church on the main floor. Yes, the church is so huge it has a large balcony, and televises it’s services for those who cannot make it to church. As we sat there, I started to feel a growing pain in my stomach. I really missed Appleton Alliance, and for the first time in a long time, I was VERY, VERY homesick. There was no familiar smiling face to greet me, no choir member to bump into for a hug, and the feeling of “alone” was starting to creep in. I squeezed Craig’s hand and just prayed this was the right one, as we were both tired and broken from not having a Church home for the past 7 months. Yes, people can be and feel broken when they don’t have that fellowship of Christians every week, hearing God’s word and learning from it… I had missed so much of it.  We enjoyed the service, as it was their Missions Sunday, which means they celebrate all the Missions they do around the World in helping the poor, feeding the hungry, and getting out God’s word to those who have never heard it.  It was inspiring, and it almost felt like a “Welcome Petermanns” service, even though it had nothing to do with us. Or so we thought.  After Service we were encouraged to go to Faith Hall and see where God could use us in any of the many outreach programs they have. We signed up for helping the homeless and a couple of other really neat programs. I will follow up on those once they have happened.

Fourth, and finally, talk to the friends you make here. Ask where they go to church, and if you are brave and they say they don’t, invite them to search with you or attend one YOU have been thinking about yourself.  Most information these days does come from the Internet, so ask your friends and family who live in your new city and state about where they attend- search groups that have your same faith in mind to see how they can help you. Ultimately, it is your choice and your WILL in the end to get there and start that new journey, and believe me, it IS a scary one. But here’s the thing, I am SUPER excited to meet new people at this Church and get connected with those who can help me on my spiritual walk. I have fallen down so many times that I am surprised I have found God’s hand to help me back up again, but we are all sinners and knowing you have that relationship with him is half the battle.

So in conclusion, I loved the Pastor, the size of the Church is a bit big, but I am going to work with it, and I love all the ministries they have to be a part of.  I love my Disney, but Christ leads my life, not Mickey, and I don’t ever want that impression to be given that Disney is more important. It is my hobby, it is my happy place, but my treasures lie in Heaven.  We will be taking the girls this week to see what they think and going forward from there, my hope is that this IS the one, but only time will tell if it is truly where the Petermanns are meant to be. God bless your day!

Getting that First Florida License Plate

Posted on by
16

Yep, you all caught me… I have been driving around with WI plates on my car for the past 7 months. Why? Well, cost was one thing, and the possibility of buying a new car was another.  Since we made the choice to live out our old car for as long as we can, it was time to get that Florida License Plate.  Since all of you who relocate here will have to do the same, here is my story and how it all went. Enjoy!

We headed to the Osceola County Tax Collector’s Office which was located about 30 minutes from where we live off of Highway 192. They opened at 8:00 a.m., so we chose to get there early to beat the rush we expected to see.  Most times in WI, our Department of Motor Vehicles would have at least 20 people or more lined up before they opened, so we wanted to make sure we could avoid that if we could.

We got there by going around 192, taking the John Young Express Way instead, arriving a little after 8:00. We chose today, a Thursday, because we figured they wouldn’t be as busy like a Monday could be. As we approached the parking lot, it was quite full, so I was fully intending on being there until lunch and possibly even get some blog work done on my phone.

Since we were transferring my WI Title to a FL Title, I had to bring in my title, proof of FL insurance, and of course my vehicle. They went over my information at the front desk, then she walked us out to my car where she confirmed the VIN number as well.  We had made a copy of our insurance policy so that she could see all of mine and Craig’s info in case they had any other questions- we also had our cards as well.  At the front desk she did not ask to see my license, but then gave us our number and where to go when called.

As we sat there, we were amazed with how big and beautiful the building was. This was far from where we had gotten our drivers licenses, and since you can ALSO do that here as well, we will bring Kyra when she is ready HERE, instead of the hole in the wall we went too. We were maybe with a handful of people in the waiting room, and purposely timed how long it would take to do this process for you our readers. We sat at 8:19 a.m, and we were called at 8:30 to enter the “Brown Door.” Yeah, they have colored doors for certain things I guess. I joked with Craig that there was just a hole in the floor behind those doors and if you chose the wrong one you just disappeared. LOL Yeah, that’s my humor.

We were chosen for Attendant #11, which was our lucky number, so we saw it as a good sign.  We had a great guy (FINALLY some friendly service) who took our title and insurance info and started with question “Do you realize how much this will cost you today?” Yeah, we knew. I wanted to say “Yes, I knew, and that’s why I wasn’t here in June” but we had “heard” that they can give you a late fee for waiting on getting them, but NOTHING was said about such a fee- so be careful what you read or hear.

We got to choose if we wanted the Title printed today or mailed to the house- I said I would prefer to have it in my hands today. I was already spending over $400 for this, so what’s another $12.50? After that was agreed upon, we got to leaf through a VERY large binder with FL License Plate options.  For every cause and organization in FL, they must have a FL License plate fore. They all ran about an extra $30 if you wanted the special kind. I opted out for the normal FL plate, which there were three to choose from. I went with the “In God We Trust” which seemed fitting for our journey and adventure here.  He then printed out my Title and brought my FIRST FLORIDA LICENSE PLATE!!!!!!!!!! I was so geeked out it was seriously ridiculous. But hey, it was one of the last things I needed to have for my FL residence, so yay, it was finally done!

Total spent was $413, and we had to bring it in cash because they DO NOT accept VISA. Which meant they didn’t accept my VISA DEBIT CARD either. I will need to renew them this June, which they do by your birth month, but I can pay the $70 payment online and avoid having to spend the gas to come back. Keep that also in mind that if you move here in February and your birthday is shortly after that, it may be smarter to wait and get the plate AFTER so you don’t have to pay the $400 charge one month, then another $70 so close after.

We literally walked out of the building at 8:47 p.m. – THAT is how fast it went. Here I was all ready to sit there on my phone and pass the time away, and it was so incredibly simple. Don’t be intimidated by the amount of cars in their parking lot, the building is huge and handles many things, including registering to vote! Which I just realized we forgot to do…. we were so happy to have this done that we completely forgot to do it. Oh well, I will go back… I can now because I have my FL plate!!

Here is the blunt truth on things… if you can’t afford to get your plate right away when you move here, then wait.  As long as your license plate has CURRENT tags on it, and you are abiding the traffic laws, you should have no reason to be pulled over. It is said you are to get FL plates within 30 days of moving here, but no one knows when you moved here. Now, we had our FL drivers licenses right away because they were affordable and we needed to prove we were residents for our theme park passes.  I have heard some who got pulled over with an out of state plate and a FL license and nothing was said, and others were given a warning to get the plate within 30 days. There are so many cars here with a plethora of out-of-state plates that it really doesn’t matter unless you have a traffic violation or heaven forbid you are in an accident.  Please understand I am not TELLING you to wait, I am just giving you the low down on how we saw this all play out for us.

Debunking the Relocation Myths

Posted on by
8

Since I don’t want to be known as the “doom and gloom” on relocation, I wanted to debunk some of the myths that people associate with moving to Florida. I hope this clears the air on certain things, and it may even possibly leave you with more questions.. but that’s what the comments section is for, so, enjoy!

Myth #1 – Florida is ALWAYS Hot and Humid

I can now say after living here for 7 months that it indeed gets not only cool, but VERY cold. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was back in my winter coat that I swore I would never wear again.  So much to the point that I had my mom ship out mittens and a much needed warmer coat for Emily.  Yes, it gets hot during the summer here, and yes it gets humid, but as they say here “You don’t shovel heat.”

Myth #2- You’ll Miss the Snow

Ummmm, what? Miss the cold, and the “Let’s see who remembers how to drive on the icy roads?” kind of snow? Did I miss something? Yes, it is certainly pretty to look at when the first snow fall hits, or during Christmas time, but ask anyone dealing with it now… it just isn’t so pretty anymore. It is a wonderful thing to know that I don’t have to drive on those snowy roads anymore.

Myth #3- Living Close to Walt Disney World will make you sick of going

As someone who lives very close to one of the main gates, I can tell you that like everything else in life, it is all about moderation. I don’t go every day, I know you all think I do, but I don’t. Maybe 3-4 times a week, but that’s counting an hour in one park on a Monday then on a Thursday lunch with a friend. I purposely do it this way so it stays exciting and fresh or I may tire of it, and nobody wants that.  Meets with friends keep it fun and exciting as well.  Most locals make it into a side job, whether it be blogging, podcasts, books, or shows.  Life goes on, whether WDW is next door or not.

Myth #4- You will always be dealing with Tourists

As one who lives close to a Tourist highway here, I can tell you that when I am in my own neighborhood, I wouldn’t ever be able to tell whether I lived in FL or WI. It’s usually a safe neighborhood and even with vacation homes in the area, people are never there because they are spending time in the Parks.  It matters the time and season, during the summer I told you all how insane 192 was with tourists. But the minute fall hit, it was incredibly quiet and very enjoyable. You learn what to avoid, and what is more of a “local” area.  Once you have it down, you don’t have to deal with them unless you are putting yourself into the Parks, Sea World, etc…

Myth #5- It will never be as good as the home you left

I wanted to address this myth because I am living proof that you have to give yourself the time for a place to speak to your heart.  Anything new is scary and downright terrifying, and until you can break through that first month, then another, and so on… then it all seems to get clearer to you.  Some leave wonderful homes and places that they loved but seek a new adventure in life, while others leave hard memories behind, searching for a new life and new chapter for their lives. Whatever you come to FL for, give yourself enough time to make your FL home your new home. When I get discouraged, I have to remind myself WHY I wanted this adventure and calmly take a breath and speak to a close friend.

Myth #6-  Relocation anywhere is really expensive

Ok, it depends on where you are moving from and to. If we are talking specifically from somewhere in the U.S. to Florida, it can be an affordable plan if executed correctly. Save at least no less than a year’s worth of whatever you can save, then dictate money for your new place, the move itself, and wrapping up ends in your current place.  There are many ways to make it affordable which we have our own blog posting about.  Don’t get discouraged by the money, but embrace the challenge of making it all work.

Myth #7- Renting is Wasting Your Money

Yes, I have heard many say this and it always puzzles me. Why on earth would I buy a home when I haven’t even lived in the state yet? I don’t know what the cities and counties are like, so in my opinion renting is the smartest thing to do for the first year of relocation. Granted, most have to rent sight unseen, meaning we haven’t walked through the place, but you do your best to protect your investment in your security deposit and so on so you have your bases covered when you do get here.  If you don’t want to spend a ton, find something small and affordable so you can rent while at the same time save to buy a home.

Myth #8 – Living in Florida is Expensive

Again, it’s all on how you see it. I rented a duplex in WI, now we have a home. So I knew that renting a home here would cost more than a duplex, but thankfully it wasn’t drastically more. I do know the rent I pay is less than some apartments here, so I feel we have a great deal with a 3 bedroom home with a 2 car garage.  The groceries were a shock the first time I went to Publix, but again, that was Publix. The minute I went to Wal-Mart, it was just like prices from home at the WI Wal-Mart- so nothing new there. Gas prices always vary, no matter where you live, and our utilities seem about the same. Our water is incredibly cheap here, and our Cable bill is actually affordable here.  The only thing that you have to get used to paying for that you won’t at home is your WDW Annual passes, or for any theme park here. There is so much more to do here, so you will never be bored. Hence, so much to do means that much more money there is to be had for it.  Do what you can afford to do, but I feel that besides the theme parks, there isn’t that much difference in our cost of living from WI.

Myth #9- It isn’t Safe Here

Now, with WI there was crime, but in Appleton we had maybe a shooting once every 6 months. Green Bay, Milwaukee were the higher crime rate areas.  We live in a relatively safe neighborhood, I haven’t seen anything that has made me uneasy or scared yet. There are many safe areas, you just have to seek them out and get to know those around you. We have several who watch our neighborhood like hawks, so it’s smart to get into some type of neighborhood watch.  I feel WDW is safe, I have never felt scared there at all. I didn’t feel scared at all either at Sea World or Universal- now granted you don’t move to the theme parks, but there are many areas around these Parks that are safe.  Now, you don’t want to move to Pine Hills, or as they call it here, Crime Hills, but you can find places that are safe. With any place we have lived, we lock down very tightly. 

Myth #10- You Can’t Go Home Again

I wrote about this before, but it has to be explained again. I have been home only once now since moving here, and I can tell you, you CAN go home again, but “home” will forever be changed. The people I visit there now mean more to me than ever because that is my only chance to see them.  The casual hellos at the Malls or the get togethers for girl chat turn into memories and moments that are forever precious to me.  I think people feel that if they relocate, that they will never be welcomed back to their old area if they return to visit, or perhaps even to live. As the old saying goes “If they behave that way, they were never your friends to begin with.”  Yes, some may be angry with you for moving, but it is the pain they hide that you won’t hear about until after you have left.  If you get home sick, be prepared to embrace it and go home for a hug and some love.  Moving is not a death sentence for your friends and family you leave behind, but merely a pause button until you see them again.  

I hope this has helped some of you with your relocating plans here or wherever the wind may take you. The reality is that you won’t know how you will handle any of it until you get here. So as you pack your bags and your U-Hauls, pack your strength, your courage, and your will because THAT is what is going to  make or break your life here. I can’t wait to meet all my neighbors once you get here, God bless your day!