The Journey: Part One

"Life is just a journey."

~Princess Diana

After over a year of preparation, the actual journey has begun.

We picked up the U-Haul trailer on Wednesday, July 5th. This alone was a journey (more on this later in a different blog post).

That night, our friend, Mary Hodge (who would come to our rescue over and over during this process) stopped by to help us carry boxes and bins down from our faux trailer (I taped out the measurements in our dining room) to our U-Haul trailer.

A little later, Adam and Diane showed up to help. Every time someone visited, we sent them away with something of ours that would be difficult to part with if it was going to anyone other than our friends!

After a little more packing, we took a break for something to eat and drink. With so much to do, it was difficult to take time to eat dinner, have drinks, socialize, etc. I had to remind myself that it would be the time with friends--those last drinks together in our Kentucky, MainStrasse Village neighborhood--that we would remember. This mattered more than packing two more boxes.

Post-packing dinner and drinks with Adam and Diane

The next day, there was a revolving door of friends stopping in to help, to pick up things we weren't taking with us and to say goodbye (or to say "until later"). We are so lucky to have such amazing friends!

While I spent a lot of time preparing and planning and packing, when the day of our departure finally came, we were still not prepared!

In my mind, everything would be packed and ready to go on Friday morning. Most of it was. The trailer was packed full--and I mean like a game of Tetris. And yet, there was still more to get in. Such a frustrating feeling. Paul and I both realized that we could have purged even more things. Throughout this process, we have truly learned what it means to say that our things own us. I have felt so weighed down and bridled by our belongings over the past few days. I've read about a few people who have made the move with just a couple suitcases. I found myself wishing we had done the same...then I remembered our scuba gear. We love our scuba gear...

Friday morning, I had two tasks still to complete: take the dogs to the vet one last time and pick up our new scuba tanks that were on back-order until the day before. The Jeep was connected to the U-Haul trailer, so I was car-less. Once again, Mary Hodge came to the rescue and let me use her car.

This is Mary Hodge before I dropped her off at work so that I could use her car
(also pictured, Maxxton and Hendrixx--in the backseat)

I took all 3 dogs to the vet to have their exams and get their certificates of health. St Croix does not require that animals are quarantined, but they do require a Certificate of Heath within 10 days of arrival. Since our road trip and stay near Miami is 7 days long, we decided to get them as late as possible (in case anything goes wrong to delay our trip). It was sad to say goodbye to the only vet my pups have ever had (Deer Park Veterinary Hospital)! Everyone came into the room to give hugs and pets and get sugars from the pups. They printed a copy of all of their records for me to pass along to their island vet.

From the vet, we went to pick up our new scuba tanks. Why would we buy scuba tanks at a time that we were trying to purge and decrease our belongings to a bare minimum? Tanks are much more affordable here through our beloved Scuba Unlimited than on the island. We are also preparing for a decreased budget...we'll be able to dive with all of our own gear for just the cost of an air-fill!

After that, I picked up Mary Hodge from work to return her car, and I was back home to finish packing.

Mary Hodge (fresh from work) and me (red-faced, sweaty & exhausted).

We were exhausted. We had run out of room before we ran out of things, and we were completely out of energy. Our friend Barb came to the rescue this time. She showed up and helped us carry down the few remaining things we could squeeze in, throw things out we decided we could do without, and accept a few gift items from us that we had intended to take, but could not fit in the trailer.

We worked as fast as we could and left 3 hours after we had hoped to leave. We were sweaty, tired and out of patience...and not nearly as organized as we thought we'd be. So much for enjoying the journey!

But, we were on the road.

Regardless of what happens, this will be an adventure. An adventurous journey--and that's just what life should be.

Some Other Beginning's End

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
~Semisonic "Closing Time"

There's a little bit of pain in every transition, but we can't let that stop us from making it. If we did, we'd never make any progress at all.

~Phil Schiller

I've always been amazed by how the universe has a way of preparing us for transitions in life. Things seem to always get more painful right before a big life change (and right before it gets even better)...and this helps us welcome in the new. For example, the last month or so of pregnancy is the most uncomfortable for the majority of women (or so I'm told). This prolonged discomfort helps women face the fear of a painful childbirth. Teenage years can be a difficult time between parents and children--which helps soften the pain of children moving out of the house. Even many illnesses help prepare us for death (ourselves or loved ones).

The same is true in other instances of life, as well. I'm in that stage of the transition, and it's tough.

I have been talking about moving to an island for years. It's now less than a month away! So many people dream of dropping everything and moving to a tropical island. Just today I was told:

     "I admire you for doing it. It's something I always wanted to do but never had the courage."

I can't even tell you how many people claim they would love to do what I am doing. In fact, as I was typing this, someone stopped in my office to wish me luck and tell me that she envies me. I wonder how many people really want to live on an island? How many really would move to an island if given the opportunity? If you're thinking, "yeah, I'd love to be able to move to an island," I wonder if you really would.

Today is my last Monday at Oak Hills Local School District. It's such an odd feeling. The last 6 months have been odd.

Last week I was cleaning out my office and I found some framed photos of the team. I've been on the cabinet leadership team here for over 10 years. Of the people who were on that team when I started, I am the last remaining.

I have been a part of meetings about key decisions for a very long time.

For the last few months, the team has been planning for next year (a year I won't be here). I have not been invited to those planning meetings. I'm not complaining--it makes sense that I am not in those meetings--it's just weird.

It has been bittersweet as some people reach out to say goodbye (I was serenaded in one meeting--Boyz II Men, End of the Road), and the eLearning Team is planning a "Last Hurrah Happy Hour." Today, this email went out:

I'll miss my work best friend, Christian Long. But Google Chat is always at our fingertips and instantaneous! I'll also miss the Oak Hills team and the job that I've loved for the last 16 years!

Today I finished cleaning out my office. Here's the box I will carry out with me (just like in the movies!):

As I get closer to the date we drive away from Cincinnati, Ohio, I am feeling more pressure and more stress. Stress does not usually get to me, and it kind of bothers me that it is.

Many of my friends have said they want to get together before we leave...and I do too! It's a difficult thing to balance. There are very few days left to pack up every little thing we own and prepare for a long road trip, followed by a flight, to a new home over 2000 miles away. So many last things that need to be finished, accounts closed, insurance canceled, address changed, companies switched (banks, cell phone carriers, doctors, vets), etc. Can you tell that I'm beginning to feel the pressure? Of course, the invitation is open to come help me pack! 😉

A couple of my friends--Beth and Nancy--came to the rescue and took it upon themselves to plan a little going away party for us. Such a sweet gesture--it means so much to me. I'm lucky to have such wonderful friends! Can't wait to post more pics and stories after the party.

This is Nancy and Beth...our party planners!

And our Scuba Unlimited family is also planning a send-off. They canceled the First Friday event of July (the day we drive away), and replaced it with a Last Friday event (our last full Friday here, and the last Friday of June). Thanks to Becky, Josh and Craig for this! We feel loved. 💛 (more on this in a future post):

I have always believed that the journey is more important than the destination. I have to remind myself of this every day. While I am feeling some pain right now in this transition, it is worth it. I am realizing a dream that has been brewing for many years. That is progress, right?

St Croix, here we come! 

Plans and Plan Bs....All Flexible.

Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase.

~Martin Luther King Jr.

Now that we have a dependable island Jeep, planning can resume.

One-way tickets have been purchased! We fly from Miami to St Croix on Thursday, July 13, 2017. This is the first time I've ever bought one-way tickets...such a strange and wonderful feeling.

Here's the plan: We'll pull out of our parking lot in Covington, KY for the last time on Friday, July 7th. Our island Jeep will be pulling a 5' x 10' enclosed trailer, packed with our belongings. And...size does matter! The trailer must fit inside a shipping container. Interior measurements of a shipping container are  19'2" (L) x 7'8" (W) x 7'9" (H). Our trailer's exterior measurements are 13'8" (L) x 6'6" (W) x 6'11" (H). Plenty of room to spare.

We'll drop off the Jeep and the trailer on Monday, the 10th to Paradise Freight. Paradise Freight will ship the Jeep and the packed trailer from Miami to St Croix. They will leave Miami on Thursday the 13th, and arrive in St Croix on Monday, the 17th. They'll be held up in customs for a few days, then ready for pick-up on Friday, July 21st.

If things go according to plan, this is how it looks:

I believe the key to enjoying this trip will be to stay adaptable....so many things could require a change to the plans!

Our big move starts with a last goodbye to our current home in Mainstrasse Covington, KY. We'll head out on a 6 1/2 drive from Covington to Woodstock, GA on Friday the 7th. Not quite half-way to Miami, but a perfect stopping point so that we can spend the night with my sister, Lisa.

• Things that could require a change of plan:
• We had to special order a trailer this size--it SHOULD arrive about 2 weeks before we are scheduled to drive away.
• We've never pulled a trailer with a Jeep Wrangler, and this is a lot of distance to cover. We have an extra day as buffer, and some wriggle room for dropping off the trailer (Wednesday is the last day for things to be added to the shipment). 

Saturday morning, we'll get up and be on our way from Georgia to Miami, Florida--about 10 hours. If we need to, we can split up this part of the trip, as well. We'll arrive in Miami Sunday night or Monday morning.

Monday, July 10th, we'll deliver our Jeep and trailer (packed full of our belongings) to Paradise Freight. They have been very helpful so far in the process--quick to respond to emails and phone calls.

• Things that could require a change of plan:
• I'm not really sure, but until all of our cargo is dropped off and approved for shipping, I feel like there are so many things that might not go as planned?
• There is a lot of paperwork required for shipping a vehicle and a trailer full of belongings.
• I am working very closely with Paradise Freight to try to alleviate any chance of missing paperwork. They have been very helpful.

For the next few days, we'll relax and play in Florida. I still haven't booked a place to stay....any suggestions? We'll probably use Airbnb.

• Things that could require a change of plan:
• We haven't booked a place yet, and we are travelling with 3 dogs...

On Thursday, our friends, Diane and Adam, will fly from Cincinnati to St Croix with a layover in Miami. Their second flight is our flight. They are coming along to help us fly with 3 pups (and vacation in St Croix as our first visitors)!

Our friends, and volunteer travel helpers, Adam and Diane. We're so lucky!
Back row: me & Paul, Front row: Adam & Diane

This will be the first time I've flown with pups. Hartman & Maxxton will be carry-on, and Hendrixx is Paul's support dog.

• Things that could require a change of plan:
• The airline told me that flying with animals is first come, first served (a limited number are permitted on each flight). 
• There is one more flight from Miami to St Croix on the 13th, just in case we get booted.
• None of the dogs have ever been on a plane...need I say more?

Once we arrive in St Croix....ahhhhh....we can breathe. We're home. Now we just have to wait for our things to arrive. We'll rent a car for the interim until our Jeep is ready for pick-up.

• Things that could require a change of plan:
• I have heard from several people that shipments often do not go as planned or scheduled.
• I have to fly out for some training on Sunday, July 23rd. If our belongings aren't ready for pick-up on the scheduled day (Friday, the 21st), Paul will have to find someone else to help him retrieve the items.

I feel like we are as prepared as we can be. There are lots of things that could happen that would require us to change our plans somewhere along the way. I've tried to work in enough pre-planning, extra time and plan Bs to allow for this. We'll just have to remind ourselves to relax and enjoy the process. All we can do is have a little faith each step of the way.

Handling some Bumps in the Road

One who gains strength through overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.

~Albert Schweitzer

If everything went perfectly smoothly all the time, what would I learn?

I took my Jeep to the mechanic to make sure it was ready to pull a trailer from Cincinnati to Miami, and to be sure that it was "island rated." When I arrived to pick it up at the end of the work day, I knew it was bad news when the mechanic said, "I left it on the lift so that I could show you a few things."

Flashback: On the way to buy the Jeep, I said to Paul, "I'm not sure why, but something about this doesn't feel right to me. I don't have a good feeling about this."

What did the mechanic show me?...

...A whole lot of rust!

The frame was rusted. My mechanic recommended that we not drive it anymore...much less from Cincinnati to Miami with a trailer behind it. Sadly, this was not meant to be our island Jeep.

I took it to All-Terrain Outfitters in West Chester, Ohio, just to be sure the prognosis would be the same from "Jeep People." And it was. Jacob tapped a few times with his hammer, crawled around under it a little and told me that it would probably take close to $4000 to fix the damage.

All-Terrain Outfitters has all 5-Star ratings on their FaceBook page, and I couldn't agree more! Jacob offered to help me shop for a Jeep, and volunteered to go look at them with me, if I found something local (I clearly can't be trusted to pick a road-worthy Jeep, after all!). He also recommended that I look in Tennessee (or Georgia) for a Jeep...places where they don't salt the road each winter. My sister lives in Georgia, so this was definitely an option.

In planning for this move, everything is interwoven and there is so much that needs to be done in preparation for shipping a vehicle. I need to be sure the island car is ready to tow a trailer 1200 miles. I need to start getting insurance quotes, fill out paperwork for it to be shipped, etc. Less than two months before the move, and I'm back to step one with a vehicle.

I set aside all purging attempts and concentrated on finding the perfect island car. I knew I still wanted a Jeep, so I started searching the Craigslist sites in Tennessee and Georgia along the travel route to my sister's place in Woodstock, GA.

It didn't take long to find this ad:

I sent the information to Jacob (along with a couple other Jeeps) and he was quick to respond with: "The white one is a little more tempting to me. Seems to have a bit better value to it."

After several communications with the seller, my intuition said he was an honest, trustworthy guy. Even so, I felt a little "once bitten, twice shy" about buying another used Jeep. I expressed this to my sister, and she echoed my feelings (Wayne is the mechanic and Joseph is the seller):

With my sister in Georgia doing all the legwork, soon we had an appointment for the Jeep to get checked by a mechanic, money ready to purchase if all went well, and paperwork ready for signatures.

The next day, the white Jeep was in the air with Wayne the mechanic (from Atlanta Undercar Specialists) underneath. It turns out this Jeep is in great condition. And after several hours of running around, my sister pulled my new Jeep into her garage.

This Jeep is four years newer and is a 6 cylinder (the other was a 4 cylinder). So, even though there was a little stress involved in this last-minute discovery, I feel that we are better for it in the end.

I learned a lot about buying a used vehicle through this process...and we are more prepared now. It's always the bumps in the road--and learning how to overcome them--that makes you stronger! 

Anchors Aweigh (and Things Away)!

My favorite things in life don't cost any money. It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.
~Steve Jobs
The things you own, end up owning you.
~Tyler Durden

It's getting real!

Now that I am officially employed and we have a home, I feel like there is so much that needs to be done. So many things need to come together in the right time for the next thing to come together. This move is like a tapestry in that everything we do, every decision we make is a part of the whole, and it is all woven together--individual threads holding onto each other to create the whole.

When you move 2000 miles away, partially over land and partially over sea, one huge consideration is...

...Things!

What do we take? What do we need? What things are worth a 2000 mile journey to our new home?

Several months ago, I sold my beloved Metallic Ray of Sunshine--a beautiful limited edition orange convertible 350 Z with which I thought I'd never part. You might think this would be a perfect island car, right? After our first visit to the island, we realized that there are many roads I would not be able to drive down in this car. Some roads require a 4-wheel drive. A Jeep seemed a much more practical car for the island. Luckily, I've always loved Jeeps, as well. So, we sold the Orange One and bought a Jeep.

We've also been purging our belongings for several months now. This process starts out easier and gets more difficult as you go. I even bought a book on the concept: Clutter Free by Kathi Lipp. I like to read a chapter of this book right before I go through an area to purge. One concept she describes in the book is emptying an area and asking yourself what you want to keep rather than what you want to discard. She also challenges you to make decisions about what you want to keep by asking these three questions: Do I love it? Do I use it? Would I replace it? Once I am finished with this book, I have several others to look into (recommended by friends who know I am purging): Project 333 by Courtney Carver (her idea is to wear only 33 things for 3 month), The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, Enough: Finding More By Living with Less by Will Davis Jr., and The Minimalists, who have a blog, podcasts, a book, etc.

It feels pretty amazing to own less. We have four garbage bags of clothes to donate, as well as extra kitchen supplies, DVDs, knick-knacks, etc. I'll keep you updated as we continue this process.

In the meantime, I challenge you to fill a box this week of things you can donate!

But, what about all of the things we are keeping?

This is where timing becomes art. It is a dance.

We decided to purchase an enclosed trailer and pack all of our belongings in the trailer (this was an idea passed along to us from a friend).

We will tow the trailer behind our Jeep to Miami, FL. The trailer and Jeep will be shipped to St Croix from Miami through Paradise Freight. I've been in contact with Charlene from Paradise Freight, and she has been extremely responsive and so helpful. If you take a look at the Paradise Freight Facebook Page, it looks like others have had the same positive experience.

We will drive to Miami Florida and deliver the Jeep and the Trailer to the shipping doc on Monday (Wednesday is the deadline for things to make the Thursday shipping date). The ship leaves the port on Thursday and arrives in St Croix on Monday. We can pick up our belongings on Friday (the Jeep has to go through a mandatory customs inspection). Every week, this is the same schedule.

We'll fly from Miami to St Croix with the pups and two friends who have volunteered to help out. We'll rent a car until we are able to pick up ours and begin learning all the details of being caretakers for our new island home.

Moving to St Croix would be easier if we didn't have any belongings we wanted to take. However, there are some things we really want to have--items that own us: scuba gear, games, clothes, tools a few mementos and some colorful, unique tile tables we think are perfect for a Caribbean home. We are continuously decreasing the load and taking only those things that we love, we use regularly, or would be more expensive to replace than to ship. We plan to be out doing the things we love about our island...not spending time at home with things. :)

Visiting St. Croix (and how it changed all of our plans).

You don't always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go, and see what happens.

~Mandy Hale

Trust who and what you are and the Universe will support you in miraculous ways.

~Alan Cohen

I am typically pretty comfortable living with some ambiguity. I have a great deal of tolerance for not knowing exactly how or when something will work. I can walk in the right direction and keep my eyes and heart open to recognize and grab opportunity as it's presented.

I am learning to understand that living with someone happily means understanding when "planning" that way is uncomfortable for someone else.

In the last few months, I have been confused as my boyfriend insists to me that we do not have a plan. We have a plan...to move to St Croix in August. We've been selling things and saving money in our Island Fund bank account. This was the plan. But he needed more.

So I started developing a budget to determine what income we would need. Searching employment sites, etc. I found a job that seemed like a good fit and sent out my resume.

We also identified a list of homes we wanted to see (easily done, since I check the RE/MAX site every day).

The next step was the best step of all. We needed to visit the island. St Croix...here we come!

We had multiple objectives for our visit:

1. I had a job interview,
2. House hunting,
3. Meeting new friends,
4. Learning more about St Croix.

ü Job interview: check. I spent an hour and a half on the beautiful 34-acre tropical campus of Good Hope Country Day School. I met staff and students who were all happy to tell me the positive things about their school. I felt at home there.

ü Visiting houses with our realtor: check. We learned so much about how much we don't know! Many of the homes we thought might be a possibility looked different in person than they did online. We found one that we thought might be a good fit. It had lots of fruit trees, and a fully fenced 1/3 acre (two things we'd love to have. If you look closely, you can see bananas in the tree). Even this place seemed overwhelming...

ü Meeting people: check...I really think it's impossible to NOT people on St Croix. It seems like everyone is so friendly and the island is so social.

ü Learning more about our island: Check. Our visit was timed to coincide with the Centennial Transfer Day Celebration--100 years from the day that the United States purchased the US Virgin Islands from the Danish.

We explored, went lionfish hunting, chaney hunting, diving, and snorkeling.

Dirt "road" we explored accidentally 
(I never claimed to have a good sense of direction!).

Ruins from an old sugar mill plantation

The reef has one less lionfish to worry about!

Chaney we found while snorkeling just a little north of Frederiksted pier.

We went with a plan. We met all of our objectives.

But our plan? Out the window.

The job I originally applied for is not the offer I received. I am really excited about this new opportunity. I love that it happened this way...I'm not positive I would have applied for the position that I was offered. I'm thankful that the Universe used the other position to get me to consider this one! I may be the next middle school math teacher for Good Hope Country Day School! I am excited about the idea of witnessing the magical moment when a kid has that a-ha experience. I am also excited to think about my new colleagues becoming my new friends.


And we found a home on the island--but we are not purchasing any of the homes we looked at. In fact, we are not purchasing a home at all, yet.

We met a friend of a friend for lunch. He had moved to St Croix around 4 years ago and we wanted to learn what we could from him, and also make a new friend. He has been the caretaker of another family's property, living in the attached apartment while he cares for and maintains their island vacation home. He went on to explain that he needs to come back to the states in August--the same time we are moving there. In a crazy turn of events, after emails and video conferences, we are thrilled to become the new caretakers of this beautiful island home! We now have a home on the island--with a pool and amazing views.

It's amazing to me how everything seems to be falling into place! When that happens, I feel like I am headed in the right direction and the universe is right behind me, like the wind at my back. Researching and planning are both important in a move like this. But perhaps even more important (at least for us) is a visit, an open mind, and trust in who you are.

Now we have a home, a job offer, and a moving date: July 28, 2017.

Feeling Close from 2000 Miles Away.

Life is about change. Sometimes it's painful. Sometimes it's beautiful. But most of the time it's both.

~Lana Lang

I have talked about moving to the Caribbean for several years now. I enjoy challenges and change and I believe in making life what you want it to be. I have courage. And yet...

Have you experienced those moments as you prepare for a big life change when you think, "Oh man...what am I doing? How can I know this is the right decision...the right thing for me? What if I'm wrong?" I think this is what they call cold feet.

It happened. And it lasted. For at least a month, I went through some real self-doubt. I admitted this to one person...and not until after it passed.

I am making some sacrifices for this life change:

• Leaving a career position that I spent the last 17 years working toward. I will make 1/4 - 1/3 my current income when we get to the island. I'll be starting over. 
• Saying goodbye to friends and family and putting almost 2000 miles between us. I have wonderful friends who feel more like family and I'm very close to my siblings.
• I have spent my entire life living within 60 miles of where I grew up. I am moving to a different land mass, a different climate zone, a different culture with a different history. I am leaving the familiar.

During this time of questioning, I did everything I could to feel close to the island--to embrace the island girl I claim to be. 

So...how does one go about feeling close to an island that is so far away? It's easier than you think! I'll tell you how I do it, and you can figure out how it applies to you and your island.

I downloaded a radio app, TuneIn radio, so that I could listen to radio stations live from St Croix. One of my favorites is Isle 95. I love this because I hear "local" commercials, DJs, etc.

I also followed and liked Facebook pages of businesses and people on St Croix. I especially looked for pages that go live. My favorite is Love-Croix. He travels around the island while going live and engages with viewers. If you look at the comments on the video below, mine is the first one and I am thanking him for "feeding the soul." This was right in the heart of my questioning phase, and seeing the island and the positivity of Love-Croix was just what I needed!

Each morning I check the listings of houses for sale on St Croix using the St Croix RE/MAX site. It is fun to look at the house styles (exterior and interior), read the directions to get there (lots of "turn left at the big blue fence," etc...most streets aren't named) and to see what's available. This particular site also has lots of information: maps, info about lenders, etc. We have a lot to learn about things like hurricane insurance, earthquake insurance, building requirements, etc.

Speaking of real estate...Beachfront Bargain Hunt, Caribbean Life, Tiny House Big Living...I look for the episodes set on St Croix.

I also subscribe to newspapers and blogs of people in the area. I don't watch or read a lot of news as a general rule (I feel that's a key to my happiness), but it is nice to keep up with what is happening on my island.

I also think of myself as Crucian and support Crucian businesses (act "locally"...but from a distance). So my rum choice is always Cruzan or Captain Morgan. This isn't much of a sacrifice!

Another great way to escape to your chosen island is to read a book set on that island. There is so much you can learn this way. I have found several good books set on St Croix, and when I pick up one of those books, soon enough I am no longer sitting in my apartment in Cincinnati, Ohio. I am walking along Dorsch Beach searching for chaney and listening to the waves hit the shore. It is one of the most effective ways for me to escape to St Croix.

And of course, there's always YouTube. I've found music videos from St Croix bands like Mercy Child and their song: Life on St Croix. And Travel Channel's Real: St Croix. It's also interesting to watch some home-made videos about the island. There's one that shows the devastation of Hurricane Hugo in 1989. You can see Moko Jumbies dancing, scuba divers, street carnivals, and so much more!

It's an exciting adventure. I am courageous. But let's be clear...it's scary sometimes. Parts of it are painful. But mostly, it's beautiful. And when you find your heart has moved to the island before you have, there are so many ways to feel connected...to feel "there."