Today Is The First Day Of The Rest Of My Life!

Today Russ and I started our new lives, free of the past and moving forward. We are no longer at our old church, we handed over the keys to our home to the new homeowner today, and we are free from financial indebtedness. All that goes with us are fond memories, a storage unit full of household belongings, and a bunch of sore muscles. Moving isn't for sissies! The further we get past age 40, the more we realize we need to put some roots down so we don't have to go through this every few years.

It was a bittersweet day. As we handed over the keys to our home, it was like putting a baby up for adoption. The home was a repo when we purchased it, so we put a lot of sweat equity into it. Not having the house payment will certainly help us while we are transitioning into a new career, though.

Just to show us it was indeed a topsy-turvy day, the weather participated in a little prank. It's April 6th, but the temperatures are in the 20s and the sky was often filled with feathery-snow, blowing sideways through the air. It seems I remember an Easter weekend when I was younger when it snowed. What happened to all those symbols of new life? They're still here-we just have to look harder for them. Our teeth may be chattering, but the tulips are telling the tale of Spring.

Speaking of the bitter cold-we have an additional treat. You see, we have both pets staying with us in an economy studio at the Extended Stay Hotel. This means Jazzy needs leash-walked at least 4 times a day. Did I tell you IT'S COLD HERE?!

We wondered how Libby (our 11 year old Calico cat) and Jazzy (our 16 month old Boston Terrier) would fare in this tiny place. Libby solved the problem for us. She is buried underneath the covers of our bed. Jazzy discovered the lump in the bed, and walked over it. Libby hissed and spit in an unfamiliar "voice" so Jazzy doesn't know who the "monster" is under the covers. So, they are both resting on the bed in peace. Will this last for an entire week? Doubtful. But for now, it's nice to be one big happy family.

I'll share more about our new lives as the days progress. Thanks for joining us on the journey!