We're Moving to Canada!
Hey there, welcome to my blog! I'm experiencing slight deja vu to my Xanga days but I promise this will be more exciting and interesting...and Kelly Clarkson will NOT be the background on my page...but she might make an appearance at some point.
So as you all may know, my husband James, my dogs Ella and Copper, and I are moving to Calgary, Alberta for James’s job. We found out a couple of weeks ago and now that things are starting to move forward, it's actually starting to feel real. We're not just browsing rental properties online in Calgary but booking flights to house hunt, starting to pack, and heavily researching how to transport our dogs safely by air—which is stressful AF in itself.
As James and I started to share this news with our family and friends, emotions started to hit me and my stress level began to rise. I realized that if I didn't want to live in a state of chaos in my brain for the next couple of months, I should probably start writing out my thoughts in order to process everything and stay sane. So here we are, in the middle of my first blog post about this exciting, scary, happy, crazy, wild adventure we're about to embark on to the west side of Canada. Far, far away from my family and the only place I've lived for all thirty years of my life.
What I first want to call out before I dive into my anxiety and not-so-positive emotions is how truly thankful I am for the family and friends that are being so supportive of this move. James worked SO hard for this promotion and we spent a ton of time talking through the pros and cons of uprooting our lives for something completely new. We've had people go above and beyond for us to make sure we see as many people as possible before we leave and honestly his company—Enterprise Rent-A-Car—has provided us with the most incredible relocation package. Thank. The. Lord.
Making a move like this is a huge life event. I'd say it's pretty equivalent to planning a wedding, making a career change, or having a baby. I'm going to compare this to when I was planning our wedding a little over two years ago. Here's how everything usually unfolds:
You get the big news and privately freak out a bit over champagne and then call immediate family and friends
You announce publicly and EVERYONE is so excited for you—liking and commenting on your social media, texting, calling, etc.
A week or two after the high wears off, you realize the laundry list of shit you need to accomplish and start having mini panic attacks thinking there's no way you can get this all done within your timeline
Once a week you down a full a bottle of wine, cry a little and binge-watch Netlfix in hopes that The Office or Friends will bring some joy back into your life
As the event draws near, it becomes apparent who really is there for you and who is not. Due to the chaos, you're almost too caught up in the logistics of everything to notice but it slowly chips away at your heart and you feel emotionally confused as to why you were there for these people in their big moments but they can't pull through for you.
Unfortunately, #5 is hitting me the hardest at this point in the process. I've never left Michigan before and a change like this is a BIG DEAL when you're established in your job, your family and friends are within driving distance, and you got a dog sitter any time you need a night away. All of the things that come together to make stability. So with that said, not having support from certain family members and friends is borderline heartbreaking.
I've had many people tell me I'm such a good friend and I do appreciate hearing that because I know I'm a good friend. I've dropped everything to be there in times of need and I've put others' feelings before my own. Now, this isn't me asking for a pity party, it's me realizing that I need to stop holding the same expectations to others that I do myself. I will not change who I am and how I prioritize the needs of those I love. I will not stop going out of my way to be there for someone in their time of need because they can't or are not willing to do the same for me. I just may shift the amount of energy and length of time I commit to said person(s) but I'm not going to quit on them.
As I count down to December 30th—the official day that I move, I will take many deep breaths, enjoy as much Diet Coke as I want, and be intentional with my time here in Michigan. I ask that my family and friends be intentional with their time too. Please reach out and make plans with me. Please call me. Please text me. Please remind me that you love me and you're excited for us to go off on this adventure together. And please come to visit!! You know I'll always be down to take visitors up to the mountains. Need convincing? Go to my photos page to see our trip to Banff National Park this past September and for updated photos once we move and start to explore.
Thanks for bearing through my first post and I hope you come back to get a continued glimpse into the craziness of our move and the incredible experience we're about to have in Alberta for two years!
xo, Stef
