ANUSTART

The good news? Anyone waiting for a spot at SASC or Faith Presbyterian will have their chance in January. Get by your phones!

The bad news? It’s because our time in Tallahassee has come to a close. Our family is moving to Knoxville, TN the week between Christmas and New Year’s.  Our house is going on the market as soon as  our Realtor is back from vacation in mid-November.

I wish I could say this is because of an amazing job opportunity- that we will make tons of money and we are essentially riding off into the sunset. It’s not exactly that. Don’t misunderstand – the market in Knoxville for what Jason does is significantly better than it is in Tallahassee. It is a bigger city with lots of private industry career opportunities as opposed to Tallahassee, which is completely contracting for the state government. He will actually have the chance to grow within a company  and expand his skill set, as opposed to scrounging for a contract every few years, with crappy benefits and lower than industry average pay. Something really different is what we were looking for when he resigned in July. A CAREER – not a job. We have several irons in the fire, and it is only a matter of time before he is working again.

I wish I could post pictures of a house we have already offered on, that is a huge yard with an open floor plan and tons of natural light pouring into the designer kitchen, but I can’t. We are currently scrounging for a short term rental that will simply take our dog (and kids!) Three months of unemployment doesn’t look super great to mortgage companies (even when you have impeccable credit) I get it. Those pictures will have to come next Spring.

I wish we had made this choice under different circumstances, but Jason has been actively looking for work for 3+ months. We first expanded the job search to other areas of Florida – Jacksonville and Pensacola... then Orlando. Then recruiters would mention other markets that were “on fire” for people like Jason in other states. So, we considered living apart while Jason would take shorter term, higher paying contracts and travel. The problem is, we tried it. For one week I took our kids to DISNEY while Jason went to Tennessee indefinitely for a family emergency. It was awful. At the happiest place on earth all my kids wanted was their dad. All I wanted was their dad. All he wanted was us. Mind you, this was seven days. There is no way we were going to last weeks at a time on just a few weekend visits. I commend the families that manage this lifestyle. It is not for the faint of heart -  which is exactly what I am.

After about 7 weeks, we said, “Fine. Open up to anywhere and we will see what is out there!”

And the calls came. Austin. All over California. The Midwest. But nothing felt right. We would browse the housing, cities, and school districts of the more interesting jobs that would call and just not feel as good about those places as we do about Tally. We would let the opportunity pass, and continue searching for either short term contracts away or local positions in Tally. Until one day a recruiter from Knoxville called with a request for someone who “loves to swim in data.” That is Jason. He loves data. He loves to do technical stuff to it. The job was intriguing. And we already know about Knoxville because Jason went to college there for a couple years and my sister lives there. We have visited and loved it each time we have gone.

And the clouds parted. Light shone down. Angels sang.

For the first time in months we felt optimistic about a job and a place at the same time. Genuine excitement at the thought of “anustart” (if you get that reference, I will miss you most!) I wish this choice didn't look like a choice born of desperation from the outside looking in. Because the truth is, we have options. There are still people calling Jason about Tallahassee jobs that would quickly restore our life to what it was. Or, bigger moves to more remote places that would change our lifestyle completely by lowering the cost of living while increasing our income... But none of those options feel right the way this does. If you had asked us when Jason left his job in July if we were planning to move, the answer would have been a hard "NO!" I am glad things have gone the way they have - it has opened our eyes to what we really need and want. The simple truth is, Knoxville is where we feel like we are supposed to be right now. I mean, look at the skyline!

We will miss the life we have made in Tallahassee. But, the screaming emanating from my front yard as my kids load up for school is becoming too regular of an indicator to ignore that it is time for a change. We need it. The kids need it. We built something beautiful here, but we aren’t done building. We need something different than what we can get here, and Knoxville has what we are looking for. I love that so many families have called Tallahassee home for generations, and this time last year, I thought we would be one. But whatever is running this universe has a different plan.

So, we are trading Disney for Dollywood. Beaches for mountains and white water rafting. Seminoles for the Vols! Sweltering summers for four definitive seasons (the cold will take some adjusting, but my winter body game is strong – I will survive!) The kids are excited for snow and for the first time in my life, I am, too! We will miss you so much, but we are excited for even more for this next chapter! To Tennessee we return!

 p.s. Anyone want to watch my kids while I paint or let me store stuff in their garage while we stage our house?!?!?  Moving with kids is no freaking joke!