The last two and half months have been insane. From the day I stepped on the plane in Hong Kong to the day, exactly two months later, that I signed papers and closed on my very first property, it's been a mess. I don't say this in a negative way, however. I actually think it's been a glorious mess, if there is such a thing. Ironically, dictionary.com defines "mess" as
1.
a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition:
The room was in a mess.
2.
a person or thing that is dirty, untidy, or disordered.
3.
a state of embarrassing confusion:
My affairs are in a mess.
4.
These are about the furthest descriptions from the truth, but if you twist the meanings ever so slightly, it begins to all make sense.
an unpleasant or difficult situation:
She got into a mess driving without a license.
I am usually in no way, shape or form, "dirty or untidy." I'm the complete opposite as I want everything in it's place, color coordinated and sparkling clean. I keep my house this way and I try to present myself in a similar manor. My car, though, has literally been a mess lately as I've been living out of it, lugging suitcases from one house to another, packing boxes of my household items and transferring them from storage locations to the new property. In this way alone, my life has actually been a mess.
I don't feel that anything in the past two months has been embarrassing, confusing, unpleasant or difficult, but it has certainly been the fastest progression of moving from one country to another, finding a job, buying a home, and getting into a new relationship that I've ever in my life experienced or known anyone to. Who else has "pulled it together" quite so quickly?! It's insane to think about all that has been accomplished in the short time that I've been home. I take absolutely no credit in any of it though, and I want you all to understand that it's only my faith that brought me this far. The Lord has laid everything out for me and simply by trusting Him and listening to a very well developed intuition that I've been able to experience more blessings in a few weeks than many have in years. I AM FORTUNATE.
Since I wrote a bit about the "first date" that occurred on Valentine's weekend, I would love to share a little more about the past three weeks of my life.
After an amazing first three dates with the new guy (Garth Brooks concert on Friday night, oysters at Arts on Saturday afternoon, and charcuterie at a SIP in Mt. Pleasant followed by a brisk walk along the Pitt Street Bridge on Sunday evening-Valentine's Day), we are in a good place. My life is in a good place.
The Wednesday after meeting "my man," I was able to meet with another gentleman who I'd been introduced to through my friend and realtor, Wendy Thrower. Side note here, I could not have asked for a better person to represent me and to assist in the search for my first home. At a meeting one afternoon at her house, I met her friend who is married to a dentist, the person I met on that Wednesday afternoon. Our introduction was because the wife liked me very much in the short time we visited and she knew her husband needed an office manager. From what she saw and what she'd heard about me, she thought I'd be perfect for the job. Although I have no experience with anything medical and the extent of my knowledge of dentistry is that I love my teeth and take pride in keeping them healthy, Dr. Hudgens offered me a position to take this role starting in June when I finish teaching at Pinehurst.
It's funny because when I interviewed at Pinehurst, I told the administration that this would be for only the six months remaining for the 2015-2016 school year. I felt called out of the classroom and I knew some changes were going to soon be made, although I had NO idea what that meant for me. When I got the call before meeting Dr. Hudgens, I was asked, "Do you want to make a career change?" I never thought I'd be moving so far from the classroom, but I think it's an amazing opportunity and I'm so very excited to begin this new adventure. I am organized, I am positive and upbeat (the majority of the time these days), I am good at making connections and so I think I can help with his PR, I love a challenge, and I need to learn about running a business since my goal is to start my own consulting firm (this isn't a new thing, but rather something I've been considering for quite some time). It's crazy how it all works out though. Starting in June (should God not surprise me with another twist in my story), I'll be managing Hudgens Dental in West Ashley, working Monday through Thursday only, wearing scrubs each day and enjoying an hour and a half lunch break (who in the world takes this long to eat lunch!! We teachers are used to cramming it in in 7 minutes or less!) I am thrilled to pieces for this next step and so look forward to learning more about the business world (and I'm not going to lie I am stoked to have a four day work week and free dental).
On Friday the 19th, two months to the day after stepping on that plane in Hong Kong with so much uncertainty, I signed papers and closed on my first house. It was an amazing feeling, and not nearly as frightening as I thought it would be. Although the property was completely empty, not even a refrigerator in the house, my friends and family, including the new guy, came over for a champagne toast and a blessing, given by my amazing mother. We stood around for several hours (no seating in the house yet) and chatted about the past, reminiscing about the "good old days." I was a little worried about the new guy because a) he doesn't drink and b) my friends' stories, I thought, would surely scare him away. He hung in there though and later said he really liked everyone. Lucky for me, they liked him too.
A week later, my guy asked me if he could call me his girlfriend. This is not something I expected so soon, but it felt right, and so I said yes and we became an official couple. So strange after being single the past four years!! You know, the Lord's timing is always right though. I wouldn't have been ready for a real relationship before now. Everything is seriously just falling into place.
This past weekend was a whole different kind of mess because it's when we started filming the HGTV hit show, House Hunters. I can not begin to describe the fun I had this weekend, although it was certainly exhausting. On Friday before school, I moved the little I had in my new house to one room all by myself because they wanted the house completely empty for the shoot. On Saturday morning at 8:30, I went to my best friend Sarah's house for the interview session. This lasted until about 2 or 2:30 with Sarah, my sister and then Sarah's three year old also getting to be filmed (I can't wait to see the cute clips of Wheeler and I on the tire swing.)
After a morning at Sarah's, HH treated us all to a fabulous lunch at EVO, my favorite pizza place. We did a little filming there too with T'Lene, Sarah, and I catching up and planning fun things to do now that I'm home.
Sarah left us and then T'Lene and I went Downtown with the crew. We walked along the Battery and down Church Street for some more filming. The point of this was to highlight the beauty and charm of Historic Charleston, but also because in a dream world, I'd be buying down there. We actually walked down by a house where I used to "babysit" and keep the dog, and then two doors down where Daddy almost purchased before I was born...oh how life would have been different! ;)
We finally wrapped up by 6:30 when we were frozen on the waterfront. I think we got some beautiful segments down there, even if we had to suffer through the cold.
After taking T'Lene back to the north area, I raced over to Mt. Pleasant to be with the new guy and his family for dinner; since it was so late, they'd already eaten, but had saved me a plate. I really enjoyed being with them all again (our first meeting was at a birthday party for his niece, Hannah). His parents are extremely nice, down to earth people, and I think his sister and I have a lot in common. Her book South was given to me as a housewarming gift. I'm excited for her next book release, Salt and Iron, here in a few months.
Back at it early on Sunday morning, House Hunters arrived at 8:15 for the filming at my new house. Of course we had to pretend I was seeing the house for the first time and that it was uninhabited, so the crew helped me get the table and chairs as well as the sofa into the driveway. We left the appliances in, although I bought them, and fibbed saying they came with the property. We shot take after take of us (T'Lene, Wendy, and I) driving up to the house, getting out of the car and walking to the door, in the door and through the living room, to the kitchen, outside, to the bedrooms, in the bathroom, and so on. I should quickly say that the local coffee shop, The Orange Spot, has a killer Chai Tea Latte and an equally awesome green smoothie. I see lots of Saturday morning walks down there to get my morning fix. We purchased snacks and bevs from them both mornings of the filming.
By 1 pm, we were starving and went BACK to EVO for day two of pizza. When we returned to the house we were tired, but continued filming until about 6 pm. The crew was so amazing and helped me get the furniture back in the house, then when they left I rearranged the other items I had shoved in the one bedroom (now moved into another room for filming purposes). I was ready to crash last night, but managed to stay up to watch the series finale of Downtown Abbey. Today is Monday and I should be at work, but I took the day off so I can get to the doctor to see about some pain management (the move hasn't helped and I've been dealing with major pain for a few months now). I'm going to try and take it easy today, although there is so much work to be done to get the house ready for when House Hunters returns in a few weeks.
Even with all the "stuff" that's been going on and the fact that most people would be a little stressed over juggling so much, I'm excited and thankful for all that has occurred. Although it's been a crazy whirlwind, I feel extremely blessed to say that this house, this life, this mess is mine.
I am so happy for you Hannah! God is amazing!
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