The Big Move South

So when I lived in Michigan, all I ever wanted to do was get the heck out of Michigan! I hated the snow & gray winter weather more than ANYTHING and having to scrape off my car was seriously the thing that drove me over the edge every year. So, it was always my goal to move south...Tennessee, Carolina, Georgia, just somewhere WARMER! It took a lot of back and forth and some huge decisions on my part, but in July-ish I decided that I was going to make an "escape plan" for myself to finally make the big move. I created a spreadsheet of dates and activities that ultimately lead me to moving in with my sister, brother in law and baby niece at the end of October.

At the time I made this decision I was working as an administrative assistant for a GREAT hospital, but had been doing so for two and a half years with a couple opportunities to advance but ultimately didn't have "enough experience" and I felt stuck in a position I did not see myself growing professionally or personally in, so what better opportunity to start fresh, right? I also was single, most of my friends were in long-term relationships, married or getting married and I thought to myself, if I wait any longer I'll never be able to get away from this city I "hate" so much, let alone get out of state! I ended up meeting a fantastic guy which made my decision to pursue this adventure even more difficult but I went with it anyway, hoping that God would lead me. The story about my boyfriend is a WHOLE other chapter, so for sake of not making this blog post the LONGEST you'll ever read I'll just tell you it didn't end up working out and I'm currently single again.

So, I finally made the move down south and ended up just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina with my oldest sister, her husband and my sweet baby niece who at the time was just turning five months old. It was a tough transition, mainly because I had quit my full-time with benefits job and (thankfully) picked up a part-time holiday retail job making literally less than half of what I was before. The first month I had my boyfriend to talk to and he was always very sweet, telling me everything would be okay, but after our break up I didn't have that lifeline...and I was going through a devastating break up! I have a wonderful support system between my sister and brother in law here (and my sister's awesome friends) and all my friends and family back home...aaaand the ones scattered throughout the U.S.! :) But, there is something about having a best friend to sit, chat with and BAWL your eyes out with.

This leads me to how my Christmas vacation went, haha. My retail employer was kind enough to give me December 22 - December 28 off of work and we made the voyage in the sweet mini van back to Michigan (and I'm not being sarcastic...have you been in a mini van lately? It's not like it used to be kids! ha) Once back home I had a dinner with three of my dear friends from high school which lead them to ask what happened with my relationship with the "man of my dreams" (as I had often referred to him as) ...and after a couple minutes I lost it, I felt like a total boob just blubbering through dinner, but MAN it felt good to cry it out with my girlfriends. The next day was drinks with one of my very best friends and the waterworks happened again with both of us reliving some of the challenges we had endured in the last couple months. I had a couple more "break downs" if you will...and Christmas was a roller coaster of emotions but with my family and friends I was able to look past it all and appreciate what was at hand.

Once returning home I had a bit of a dramatic experience that could have set me over the edge but instead, I took the positive route and got my thoughts together and leaned on the one thing that could help me in times like this...and that was God.

So, there are a few things I've learned since moving here...it snows here, frost gets on my windshield (although a LOT less often), but ultimately weather happens pretty much everywhere. I actually like Michigan (and miss it at times), I've become extremely sentimental about anything/everything Michigan. I mean I've always been a Detroit sports fan & wear my colors proudly, but now the sight of the old English D on another person's hat or car I get an overwhelming sense of excitement and pride! Eminem or Kid Rock come on the radio...watch out, I turn it up and jam out! And lastly, "country boys" aren't all they're cracked up to be, they may have more manners saying, "yes ma'am" and holding doors, but deep down, they're just like all other guys. But, overall I'm not saying I hate it here and I HAVE to move back, because I don't feel I've given NC a fair chance (no income + no friends = little to no fun or excitement.) So, the full-time job search continues both here in NC and in MI...and elsewhere.