{My boys on the plane departing Los Angeles to Boston, saying goodbye to our home in CA}

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Buckle your seatbelts...

This is a long and personal post...

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1 year ago this week, our family moved across the country from one coast to another.

What a crazy adventure. What a difference a year makes.

I would like to share a bit of our story here with you...

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As many of you may know,

we moved because my husband was offered a wonderful opportunity to grow his career.

Many of you may not know that I was scared on so many levels-

to be away from family, to leave my client base, to live in a place with a 4 month winter-

and a real winter, with snow and sometimes single digit temps-

But I decided to support his career growth, and leave our comfort zone.

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I also want to clarify, that when he first hinted at the idea of moving, I wasn't so supportive...

In fact I wouldn't even let him finish his sentence!

He had just returned from surfing and had run into his good buddy,

an old band mate, who he also worked and surfed with.

They began talking while surfing, and turns out,

his buddy was moving across the country to Rhode Island.

It was an excellent chance to grow his career- and also my husbands if he moved too...

while sharing this info with me, I could tell B was feeling me out, and subtly asking me my thoughts.

I was so resistant, it wasn't even a topic worth talking about in my mind.

I wanted to raise my kids around family, and all of our family lived in our area around S.CA.

My business was doing so well, Why would I leave it!?! How could he even ask me of this!

Not to mention- And this is not an exaggeration-

for years, I would literally wake up EVERYDAY and smile and say,

"I LOVE living here... ahhh...."

{I have lived in CA my whole life, you'd think I'd be sick of it.}

We didn't live in a mansion, we didn't have lots of fancy toys,

I just really loved my life, and I loved the light in CA.

And I could work all year round outside.

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 That evening I went on a run and allowed myself to replay the scenerio with Bry.

I was really agitated that he even brought that move up to me.

How could he put me in that position? Take my kids away from friends and family???

The grandparents will KILL me!

I was even more annoyed that I responded to him that way-

so closed off, so closed minded, so fearful.

That was not who I wanted to be.

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So I allowed myself to put my fear aside and really examine the whole situation on every level.

I quickly reminded myself of an affirmation I had been saying everyday on my walks-

"I am open to opportunities"

I said this affirmation many times a day, over and over.

The universe was listening, and an opportunity had now presented itself.

{ooopps... I guess you should be careful, or really specific what I wish for!}

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I came back home and told Bry I was ready to hear him out.

I agreed to be open to the idea.

That was in late January. In April Bry got an interview.

He accepted the job in May.

In June we flew the kids to RI to break the news to them and show them our future home.

In July Bry moved to the east coast and began work,

leaving me to pack up the house,

finish my last photo shoots, and find renters for our home.

I cried everyday, uncontrollably, on my runs.

I would start a run off fine and soon break out in to tears mid-run.

My life felt out of control, and I was entering the unknown.

Then we had to say goodbye to friends and family.

It was the hardest thing I have ever done.

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On August 1st, the boys and I flew across the country and into this new opportunity.

The rest is history...

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To say this has been an opportunity is an understatement!

Bryan has a life again! His health and happiness is better than I have seen in years.

His commute to work and back home each day back in CA was zapping his vitality into nothing.

Everyday he retured home and had nothing left for me and the boys, or himself.

Until moving, I didn't realize I was so unbalanced myself.

I was driving way too much, spending hours in my car each day

because we chose to live in a ruaral area, I was commuting my kids to schools in a different area,

then grocery shopping and going to a gym in a whole different city 30 minutes away!

I remember wishing I could have more fun in life.

It was all work and not much play.

We are so much more balanced on every level now.

This moved has allowed us to not only meet new friends,

have amazing experiences, travel to new areas,

but also stop and realize that we were on a hamster wheel of an existence.

We have promised each other no matter where we live, we will never fall into that trap, ever again-

Its just not worth it.

Life is about having fun and spending time with loved ones.

Finally we are not just working hard, we are now playing hard as well.

I am so grateful for this second chance.

I know I said I LOVED living there in CA everyday-

but that's because I didn't know I could have an even better existence!

{And I still get to go to CA. every 3 months to work and see family and friends,

Its the best of both worlds.}

I know my family reading this is thinking I am never coming back.

I'm not saying I am never moving back, I am just happy we have re-set the bar.

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I have faced my fears of moving, living on the other side of the country,

far from my original client base. I have grown my confidence.

Now when we return back to CA. (whenever that may be)

we will return with fresh eyes and a new lifestyle.

I can't believe its been a year.

When we first moved, a year seemed like such a long time to be away from what we called home.

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Now I am realizing more than ever that I can live anywhere

as long as I have Bry and my boys with me.

Home is what you make it no matter where you are.

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If you are still with me, reading along, bless you! :)

Have a great rest of your week!

Thanks for joining me on our adventure!

xoxo Shell