Moving to Florida: What It Means

Back on Matt and I's "Disneymoon", we met a very nice woman during park opening at Epcot. She was a Florida resident and actually had a lifetime pass of some sort to the Disney parks that she obtained when Walt Disney World first opened. While boarding Soarin' with her, the woman told us that she's retired and "just woke up this morning and felt like riding Soarin'." I remember Matt and I looking at each other and both of us saying, "That must be the life!" After we exited The Land pavilion, we watched the woman casually stroll right out of the park. It was a moment that has always stayed with me, because until then I'd never actually thought about what it might be like to live so close to the parks.

Today, it somehow just dawned on me that Matt and I are going to be able to live like that woman. We can have our date nights at the Boardwalk! We can hit up Aloha Isle if we're craving Dole Whip! We can even walk into Animal Kingdom on a hot day, enjoy Kali River Rapids, and then go right back home to get dried off. I really cannot believe this!!!

I also realized today that I am going to live an hour away from New Smyrna Beach. YES! I want to cry just thinking about it. I miss that place so much, and it's been over 10 years since I've visited. I can go there and lay on the beach, play in the waves, just like I've always imagined doing again.

Friends and family are going to be able to come visit us in an area with endless things to do. In Sturgis there isn't much to do, so we always end up leaving town to find unique activities or restaurants. The Orlando area is overflowing with killer bars, theme parks, recreational activities, vegetarian-friendly restaurants (something we're not used to having), and so much more.

I don't know what it's like to go outside in the middle of winter and not feel the need to wear two pair of socks, snow boots, a scarf, gloves, thick hat, and a winter coat. The only snow we'll be seeing in Florida is on Main Street, U.S.A. during Christmastime. After this past winter, I'm actually very much okay with not seeing snow every day for 5 months out of the year.

Yes, there are some downsides to moving away from Michigan. We're moving away from our family and the comfort of "home." Yes, I know that Florida IS SO HOT in the summer, but Michigan is SO DAMN COLD in the winter. I don't want to have to bundle up like an eskimo to take my dog outside for 3 minutes. Yes, moving is a humongous pain that is already stressing me to the max, but in the end it will all be worth it. I'll finally be living my dream with my husband right by my side.

1,150 miles to go...

Best Day Ever!

Monday really was the best day ever. Seriously.

Out of the blue I received a call from a recruiter for Disney Entertainment offering me a full time job with the Disney Company starting August 2nd. Of course I said, "Yes! Yes! Absolutely! Yes!"

I'll sort of give you the run down of what has been going on since, and what will be going on in the near future.

Just minutes after I accepted the job offer, my email inbox was bombarded with loads of paperwork that I needed to electronically read and sign. A great part was a video from Bob Iger saying, "Welcome to the team." What is my life?! It's so good!

My husband and I have been trying to sell our house FSBO since we found out that there's a good chance that I would get the job. On Saturday we had a showing, and this week we have three. I've had a lot of people inquire about renting or land contract but we're just not interested in that option. We'd consider a land contract if we trusted the buyer, but we certainly will not rent it out to strangers with us being 1000 miles away. I feel confident that we'll figure something out before the end of July.

I have to go down to WDW for onboarding July 28th or 29th. Then a few days later will be my first day of orientation. I'll be going through a "Traditions" class where I'll learn about the company, and then take a tour of Magic Kingdom along with other new hires. My first week of work will consist of me doing some core training for the role I'll be doing. The next week will be more in depth and I'll get to become good friends with a lovely Princess from Arendelle.

If we don't have a solution for the house by the time that I have to start work, I will end up going down to Florida without Matt, rent a car, and live with someone until he can join me. That is our absolute worst option. I really don't like that because it would mean I'd be going through the move without Matt. I think the first few weeks being away from Michigan will be the hardest. I'd really love to have my best friend there to be my support system.

Having to tell the bank that I'm leaving after seven years was actually something I was really dreading. I was totally surprised when everyone was really happy for me. HR wants to run an article on me in the company newsletter. So crazy! Usually when they make the announcement that someone is leaving the bank it goes something like, "So and so will be leaving us on July 1st. We wish so and so luck in her future endeavors." Not mine. Nope. Mine started with, "Congratulations!" It felt good to be acknowledged at the bank after seven years of feeling somewhat invisible. It just took me leaving to do it. Ha!

We're very lucky that Disney is paying for my relocation. It takes a HUGE stress off of Matt and I since movers are very expensive. Being able to downsize what we have is actually a really fun process. I love getting rid of the excess in my life and focusing on what I really need.

That's all the information I have for now. I promise I'll update you guys whenever something new and exciting happens.

Overwhelmed and Overjoyed

I'm laying in bed and I should be sleeping. Instead I'm finally allowing myself let it go and be truly emotional since Tuesday when I got some very big news.

Disney invited me to officially apply for a job with them in Entertainment, and tomorrow I have my phone interview.

I can't tell you how overwhelmed I am by all of this. I'm excited, scared, nervous, so thankful, shocked, overjoyed, and confused.

How did I get here? I don't know how this is actually happening. Despite the fact that I've always had the gut feeling that this is what I'm supposed to be doing, I suppose I let myself believe that there's always a chance that I'd never make it. It's always been my biggest dream. Somehow I'd convinced myself in this little place in my mind that I wasn't good enough. And now I'm trying to fully accept that I actually AM good enough!

All of the tears have been worth it... including the ones overflowing right now as I smile. All of the late nights with my husband talking about my passion for Disney. All of the strange looks I've gotten from some people when they heard me tell them my dream. All of the times I've let my imagination take me away to the moment when I would be told that I actually did it.

And now finally, tomorrow, there's a very good chance that I'll be told that very thing. I don't know how to handle all of this. I mean... it's a dream. You're not supposed to actually achieve them... that's why they're dreams! I'm learning that as cheesy as it sounds, dreams really can come true. I just can't believe it could happen for me.

On top of all of this overwhelmingly joyful feeling, I'm so stressed at the idea of actually moving. It's not the living in Orlando part that makes me nervous. It's not working at Disney that makes me nervous. I just don't know how to get our house sold, pay for movers, find Matt a job, and find an apartment that won't break us... and all in such a short period of time. The cost of living is so different there than it is here in Michigan. The adjustment is going to be tough. I just keep trying to have faith that if it's meant to be, it'll all come together.

Something kinda strange, but I've been thinking about Rapunzel a lot lately. I feel like I relate to her so much more right now than I ever have. Just like Rapunzel, I have imagined what this would be like my whole life. I've done everything I can to get to this point. The part from Tangled that I keep playing over and over in my head is this...

Rapunzel: I've been looking out a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?
Flynn: It will be.
Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?
Flynn: Well, that's the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream.

What do I do once my dream has come true?