Ohhhhhhh boy, do we have some NEWS to share with you today!
To get you prepared for what it might be, I posted a teaser photo yesterday on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Did you happen to see it and take a guess for yourself?
I know – Decisions, decisions.
What YOU Thought
Although it may seem a bit dramatic, I thoroughly enjoyed sitting back and watching what YOU thought our big announcement is, via comments on Facebook. Let’s see how you did!
The most popular choice – by a landslide – was B. We’re Pregnant. I will admit to having baby fever a time or twenty two this year, but I can tell you in confidence that no, we are not expecting a baby.
I am not going to lie… seeing everyone’s excitement over the possibility of us welcoming a little one got me a tad excited for when we really do announce that type of news. I do not know exactly when that will be, but I can say that it will most likely be sooner than later.
Someone’s thrilled at the thought alone…
Okay, so we’ve ruled out B. Included in “we are not expecting a baby” would also implicate adopting one, which eliminates C. We’re Adopting.
Scott and I have actually discussed this topic before, a few times. We have said that after having children of our own, we might entertain the idea of adopting another child down the road. Granted, this is part of our plan. We can’t always live on a plan, now can we?
Back to the question… we are now left with answers:
A. We’re Moving – OR – D. We’re Starting a Business.
Last call for any guesses!
and the answer is…
drum roll please…
A!
Were you right?
Yup, you got it. Come mid-October, Scott and I will officially be living “Up North” just a river away from Canada. Holllllly moly, can you believe it? This native Floridian is going to FREEZE!
As you know, this past year has been a crazy one, and left us a lot of time to think, grow and pray for the future. After going out on a few limbs, thinking outside of the box, and being the true professional he is, Scott nailed a one-of-a-kind job opportunity with the Detroit Pistons of the NBA.
Scott and I met working together in the NBA, and it is exciting to know we are going to be thrown right back into it after a year’s hiatus. The first home game is in just six short weeks, and we have that exact amount of time to get packed, drive up, and settle into a new home in Motown.
Our New Home
We will be spending the majority of our time away from home in a place called The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, The Palace is pretty impressive, being in the the Top 10 Arenas in the NBA. Auburn Hills is located in Metro Detroit, which is a metropolitan area in Southeast Michigan.
Scott is leaving on Wednesday to get settled into the office and start scouting out areas to live, and we know we want to stay as close to the arena as possible. With a Farmer’s Market, a handful of community parks, and a Friday Night concert series, this city might be where we end up. Only time will tell, my friends.
I need to take a second to thank all of our close friends and family who have supported us during a trying time of our lives. From talks of moving to Philadelphia, then to New York, and most recently to Oklahoma City, you guys encouraged us to make the decision that felt right and have been there with us every step of the way.
With the opportunity waiting for us up in Detroit, I am confident in sharing that the right decision has been made.
Of course, we are going to miss Orlando. I have lived in this city for my entire life, with the exception of four years at school in Tampa at the University of South Florida. I am going to miss our friends, teaching at the barre studio, and especially my family.
Moving away from what I have called home for twenty-seven years is not going to be easy, but we are both ready to move forward and see what adventure is around the corner waiting for us next.
What I Am Looking Forward To:
• Having a white Christmas (Ahhh!)
• Settling down, and hopefully ready to buy a house in the near future
• Starting over in a new place, as a newly married couple
• Going to all of the Pistons games, watching Scott do what he loves
• Buying an entire new wardrobe! Should I invest in The North Face stock now? 😉
Thank you for sharing such a special time with us! I’ll be sure to keep you posted on how packing and the process of moving is going.
Questions the Day
• Have you ever moved to a completely new city, state or even country?
• Has a second city you have lived in ever felt like “home”?
Jamie Casalese
We are so excited for you two!! YOu guys are such a special couple and we know you will absolutely love it up there! I know Orlando will miss you guys but we will continue to follow your blog and watch for Scott on TV. Best of Luck. Hope the next BIG news has something to do with a baby bump 🙂
xoxo- Joe and Jamie
Heather
Thanks guys! We are going to miss you guys. I will definitely still be keeping up the blog, but we will need to stay connected with you to see what’s going on in Orlando! Hope to see you soon before we head out. xo
April
We moved from Kansas City to Orlando in 2003 – a year after we got married. So, I know the move is both exciting and scary! We are so happy for you both! And yes, not only do you need to buy winter clothes.. you will need to learn how to drive in the snow. It’s a whole new experience! 🙂 You’ll be visiting Orlando in the winter wearing shorts and a T-shirt when it’s 50 degrees out and think the Florida people are crazy for wearing coats and jeans. 🙂
Heather
Aw, thank you April! I know you guys made a big move, and obviously you are doing just find here. So glad we have become so close. You know we will be back and forth to Orlando through the years, and who knows…we could end up moving back! Never know 😉
Carolyn
So exciting! Hit up the Northface outlet in Orlando before you go! Everything winter is much cheaper in Florida! Especially in the summer. I got 2 pairs of Uggs one year at the Saks Outlet for $30 total!
Heather
Thanks!!! Yes, you better believe I will take advantage of the Outlets here before we go. Thanks for the advice. C’monnnnn UGG sales!
Brittani
congrats!! good luck on the move and all of these exciting new changes! Change IS a fun thing :)) i hope you will keep up with your blog??!
Heather
Thanks Brittani! We are really excited to start a new chapter in our lives… of COURSE I will continue blogging! In fact, I am really looking forward to being able to spend more time dedicated to it. Keep up the great work with yours! 🙂
Cat Melnyk
Congrats girl. I’m so glad he got the job up there!!!!! Lots of jackets and boots, I’m a tad jealous in the wardrobe department.
As for the questions…I moved to New Orleans for a year. It was very very cool but eventually I came home, missed my family and the beach and there’s less alcoholics here lol.
Heather
Thanks Cat! We are so excited! A little sad… but excited. 😉 Believe me I am starting the Winter shopping…NOW! Either way, hope to see you back in FL next May!
Gayne Dorio
good luck to you both!!! You’ll do great! It’s exciting and nerve wracking at the same time! It’s nice to go somewhere new and start over and see who you are out of your comfort zone. I’ve picked up and moved to new areas completely by myself and loved it and surprised myself at what i could accomplish and do in my new surroundings!
Heather
Thanks Gayne! Yes, we are both excited and nervous…but both are good feelings. Can’t wait to settle in a start in a new place!
Erica { EricaDHouse.com }
Congratulations! This is going to be such an amazing year for you both 🙂
Heather
Thank you, we can’t wait!!!
Melissa Berger
Congratulations to you both! We go up to Detroit every now and then (I have family up there). Some parts of the city are wonderful and other parts are scary, but that is like any big city! Change is never easy. We lived in 6 states over the past 2 and 1/2 years. We take forever to put things on walls and sometimes even unpack! Change is never easy, but exciting at the same time. There is a lot to do up there and new ground to cover. You both will love the new adventures ahead! Good luck to you both. Maybe we will see you up there on a visit! Here’s to a new beginning!
Heather
Thank you! We are so incredibly excited to start a new adventure. Thanks for the encouraging words!
Alisha
Congrats! My husband and I were living in Minnesota for the last two years and were married on June 23 in our home-state of Iowa and4 weeks later we relocated to Ohio- a LOT of life changes in a few short months. You can do it! I think your blog will provide you with a lot of support and encouragement throughout your move. Congrats again 🙂
Heather
Thank you! WOW – talk about transitioning, you guys are pros! I agree… I’m thankful for all of the support we are getting already.
kdo
I am so excited for you guys! I am going to miss you and your blonde moments soooo much! I promise to visit and I know you guys will love it there together.
Heather
Thanks KDO! I know…I will miss you SO much. I guess I will have to add my “Heatherisms” into posts every now and then to keep you in the loop… 😉
Eva
I got teary-eyed. I’m going to miss you!! I lived in Europe until I was 7, then Tampa, and you know now I’m in Orlando. I can’t imagine not being able to visit Tampa as often as I do. Going through my winter clothes this week… FYI. I can’t wait to visit Detroit though!!! See you at Barre!
Heather
I forgot you were in Europe, Eva! How cool! I know…I will definitely miss seeing your face at the barre studio! 🙁
Abbi MacFarlane
First of all, congrats! I saw your questions at the bottom and figured I would chime in. I moved to New Hampshire two years ago on a whim and it ended up being the best decision I ever made. In regards to your question about a second city feeling like home, it absolutely can! I just moved back to Florida and I miss Manchester, NH more than I ever thought I could. It really did become my home and I can see myself moving back there soon (people are going to think I’m nuts!). Anyways, I wish you both all of the best with the move!
Heather
That’s pretty cool, thanks so much for sharing your story and encouragement!
Pam Kuhn
Hey, Heather! So excited for both of you! My guess was that you were moving, but I figured it would be somewhere in the Orlando area – not a whole new city!
I’m sorry, but I’m going to be brutally honest answering your questions. I moved from Chicago to Orlando when I was 30, lived there for 21 years and it never felt like home. Obviously. That’s why I came back. Now, I’m the kind who gets attached to things (when I was 3, I cried and cried when my mom gave away our sofa), so maybe I’m not the one to listen to. But Chicago is where I was born and raised and it was and always will be my home. Of course, a lot of that could be because I’m a big sports fan and Chicago teams are my teams. Plus, I REALLY hate hot weather. What I’m trying to say is, everyone is different and just because I never considered my new city “home” doesn’t mean you won’t. Plus, I bet you will love the weather up here!
Best wishes to you both!
Pam
Kimmie :)
I’m sooo excited for you guys!!! Well, as you know I have moved TWICE to different states and I can tell you that they both have felt like home in some way. Chicago is for sure my permanent home, but Houston, where my family is, will always be “Home”. Orlando will always be where your home because of your family!!
Moving somewhere totally new is so much fun so just sit back and enjoy the free moments that you will get in between the packing, moving, unpacking, etc. Haha
When you guys are settled in I am coming for a visit!! Let me know if you all need ANYTHING!! It’s always nice to have “family” near by and you will always be my “sis” and Scott my “bro” 🙂
Love you both!!
xoxo
Kristina
OMG!! I did not think this was the news you’d share! I cannot believe you are moving. Wow! How exciting, and I’m sure it brings a whole host of emotions. We are going to miss you here in Florida at the Lady Blogger Meetups. I’m glad you have a blog so we can stay in touch! Wishing you both the best in your future in a new city!!
Heather
I know, right? Crazy! We are very excited, but I will certainly miss the connections I have made here… just when I was starting to fit in with you girls, too. Luckily, we can both keep up with each other through our blogs! I leave mid-October so hope to see you again before we leave for good. 🙂
Lori M
Well, you that we moved from FLorida to Minnesota after living there for over 20 years (and a southerner my whole life)…so at least I can say with perfect cofidence that it can be done. Couple of things to consider when purchasing winter items: flannel sheets (yum), down anything (jackets, bedding, etc), and a humidifier. I am constantly getting shocked in winter because the air is soooo dry! But it is fun getting to change your warerobe every 3 months or so. Oh, and if you get a house before Novemenber, plant tulip bulbs…they are so pretty coming up in spring.
Heather
Yay! Hearing that is very reassuring that we will in fact be okay 🙂 LOVE flannel sheets and down, so that totally works in my favor. Thanks for the tips, can’t wait for the future!