Wanderlust Diaries: Adventures of an Enthusiast

Happy Gotcha Day, Lydia. 💜 Eighteen years ago, on November 10, 2008, in China, we met you for the very first  time. It is hard to believe that 18 years have passed since the little girl who changed our lives forever - became our daughter.  As you know, our journey began way back in 2005. There were so many ups and downs, so much waiting (longest pregnancy on paper!), uncertainty, hope, and much anticipation. But through it all, there was one thing we knew in our hearts - we were waiting for you.  Then one day, there you were.  Face to face. Cheek to cheek.  Your dad and I leaned in from either side and kissed your cheeks, squishing you right between us. Eighteen years later, we still do it. 😁 Come on, it isn't that bad! The moment we had dreamed about for so long - was no longer a dream. You were real, you were with us, and somehow our family felt complete in a way it never had before.  We spent two unforgettable weeks in China, and on November 19th, 2008...

Do you ever wonder why things happen the way they do? Or why sometimes the very thing you think you want so badly just doesn't seem to happen, no matter how hard you try? For quite some time, I was convinced that real estate was where my career was headed. I've always been drawn to the industry, and after moving to Florida, I thought this might finally be my opportunity. I made connections, submitted applications, updated my resume more times than I care to admit, and tried every avenue I could think of. But the doors just weren't opening. The reality was that getting into real estate would require some pretty significant sacrifices. Unless I was ready to leave my job at Wells Fargo Advisors, go to real estate school, get licensed, and take a financial leap into an incredibly competitive industry, as a beginner, it wasn't going to happen. And as the breadwinner in my family, that simply wasn't an option. I tried to find a way in through transaction coordination or e...

I recently came across this question in a book that I was reading, and quite honestly, that question stumped me at the time. I don't know about you, but I am nearly reaching my "mid-50s" and still trying to figure out what to do with my life (career wise). 😉 Since moving to Florida...ok, let me just get this out of the way...it is all that I wanted it to be and more. Our home, gosh, our home is our sanctuary. When I get off work, I am LEGIT weaving in and out of traffic trying to get home as quickly as possible...like I am going to be late for a date with my home or something. Truly, I am beyond grateful for it, and I am so glad to be here. Chasing sunsets and sunrises are some of my favorite things to do. 🌞 Oh yeah, where was I going with that? Since moving to Florida, I have been going through some changes. What changes, you might ask? Well, internal - specifically, spiritual changes. My goal this year is to get connected spiritually. I mean really connected. To sto...

We made it - to the beautiful SUNSHINE STATE ! Apparently, we made it out just in time as the winter weather showed up right after we left! Truthfully, I don't miss that AT ALL! It has been almost a month since we have arrived, and it has been wonderful.  Let's briefly chat about our journey to Florida, shall we?  Getting here was...well...challenging.  It all really began on Thursday—the day before our closing—when we loaded up the truck. It didn’t help that it rained most of the day, but somehow, we got it done. It took all day, every bit of energy we had, and we couldn’t have done it without the help of our neighbor, our daughter, and her friend. Truly—thank you. That evening, sitting in an almost empty house felt surreal. This was the home we had lived in for more than five years, now stripped down to bare rooms and echoes. We had built so many good memories here, and as I sat there reflecting, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude—for the time we spent, the life ...

                                                           Knock, knock. Who’s there? Opportunity. Opportunity who? You’ll never know unless you open the door. …and that’s where the adventure begins.  Isn't that the truth?  I have always tried to be a positive, look on the bright side kind of girl. However, there has been a restlessness in me that has awakened months ago...I am going to go ahead and blame it on Italy...yea, that is a good idea. 😉 So, here is the deal. I am a Sagittarius. I am also an Enthusiast (Enneagram). This is who I am. I adapt to change. I encourage it at times. I love adventures. I love my life, and I want to live it to the fullest. Don't you?  You get this one chance at this beautiful thing called life...and I don't know about you, but I don't want to blow it.  Have you...

  Last night, we had the privilege to go to a wedding here locally. It was a beautiful Catholic ceremony that was very reminiscent of our own wedding over 30 years ago.  Throughout the service, John and I would gently nudge each other, or I would grab for his hand. One of the singers at the ceremony performed Ave Maria. John heard it first and then said, "Oh Claudine." That was my Mom's favorite song.  My eyes then gave in to the tears and they fell down my cheek. Big crocodile tears. At one point, I thought I would have to leave the building to just let it go, but I held my head high and took a deep breath and savored each lyric of the song...it was sung beautifully. I was glad to be there to hear it.  Some losses don’t scream. They whisper. I miss my mom in ways that are hard to explain. Grief doesn’t come in a tidal wave. It drips in slowly, filling up moments I didn’t expect to be so empty.  My Mom passed away 16 years ago in Ohio. She was in a nursing home ...