2015 was a pretty intense year. Some of our biggest life changes [to date] happened this year. It was a year of shifts and healing, and truth be told, stability.
- Phil suffered a pretty major job disappointment at the beginning of the year. (January)
- This disappointment led to a potential job opportunity in Colorado barely a month later. (Beginning of February)
- We found out Phil got the job and we had two weeks to move! (Middle of February)
- Phil, Ender, and I packed up our meager belongings and hightailed it out of Maryland to Denver, Colorado (March)
- We flew back east twice for business trips (May and December)
- Ender turned 1 (June)
- I started my book (June)
- I joined Nerium International (August)
- We bought a second car; my gorgeous gold Toyota Highlander (September)
- My health issues began getting worse (July – December – yes, this was a big part of the last half of the year)
When 2015 started, I could feel the energies starting to stir. Phil was anxiously waiting to hear about a job in California he really wanted, and as I read the cards, I began to believe he wasn’t going to get it. We found out a week later that he didn’t. Two weeks later, I had a dream where I heard Phil tell me about the destruction of the company he wanted to work for. That very next morning, Phil showed me a report that said that company was going under and was about to get bought out. I can only imagine the panic we would have both been in if he had gotten hired. The Fates were kind and kept us away from that job for a reason! Two weeks later a dear friend approached Phil about a potential job opportunity in Colorado. The company she worked for had been trying to hire Phil for over a year, but he really didn’t want to work for a contracting company and stay in Maryland. So, Colorado was a welcomed idea for sure. I had known a new job opportunity was right around the corner so when I heard about this job, I started researching the area. I liked what I saw, and ended up picking out three different apartment complexes just in case. One of my best friends was over visiting when Phil texted me and said “they’re deciding today. I will know by the end of the day if I got the job or not.” I showed her the text and immediately sensed this was the change I had felt coming.
Less than 5 minutes later, he texted me again, “I got the job. We’re moving in two weeks to Denver, Colorado. Better find an apartment.” I took a breath in and while my friend played with Ender, I started calling apartment complexes. I called two and then got to the one where we live now. It was the best deal, the most open floor plan, and we decided to go with that. Within a week after Phil accepting the job, we had an apartment reserved – SIGHT UNSEEN – and had plane tickets purchased, as well as half of the utilities set up. Another four days later, we had our going away party where so many friends and old co-workers showed up. That party was one of the best I’ve ever been to! It was the best send off we could have wished for.
The day before the moving truck came, they called and asked if they could come a day early since we were expecting a massive snowstorm. That meant we had an hour to crazily pack up the last two boxes and break down the bed and Ender’s crib. We ended up having to ship two boxes because we ran out of boxes and couldn’t get anymore until after the moving truck had left. I’ll tell you what, we got awfully creative that day! And very stingy about what we kept and what we gave away. So much thanks goes to Caiti and Hannah for helping me clean and pack up the suitcases so we didn’t go over the weight limits. Both of our big checked suitcases were 48.7 pounds and 47.5 pounds. So very close to that 50 pound weight limit! Since we were going to be without our belongings for almost a week, we had to pack enough to get us through those days. By some miracle, our car arrived the next morning after we landed in Colorado. Waking up that morning and looking out our hotel room’s windows and seeing the snow covered mountains, I knew I had arrived home. I distinctly remember my eyes tearing up multiple times; the first step I took outside in the clean crisp air of Denver, seeing those mountains and calling them home, walking into our apartment and seeing the vast amounts of sunlight. We fell in love with Colorado and that love is ever growing. Ender has thrived as well living out here and I couldn’t be happier to see my little man running down the path, picking up sticks, or just simply standing there looking at the sky with a look of absolute satisfaction on his face.
A mere two and a half months later, we flew back east for a impromptu business trip and we celebrated Ender’s first birthday with Phil’s family. It felt strange stepping back into Maryland. It definitely wasn’t home anymore. Phil and I both couldn’t wait to fly back home. We loved the calm busy of Colorado compared to the stressed, tension filled environment Maryland now offers us.
In May, a childhood friend of mine approached me about a new product and company she had just joined. I had been watching her posts and finally asked her if I could sample. She sent me a bottle and I tried it for two weeks. The price turned me off, but I never stopped thinking about that night cream. At the end of July, Phil and I sat down and I seriously considered the ins and outs of being a part of Nerium International. August 16th, I took the leap and joined my friend’s team. I have never looked back. I have gotten my product for free, and am actually MAKING money, not throwing money away on this company. This is huge for me, I believe in this company, I am not a stupid sheep follower, I see the value in being on the ground floor of Nerium. In 5 years, I will be in the top 1% of the company. A company who hit $1 billion in revenue in just less than four years. One of the TOP 3 companies to ever do that. I am continuing to push forward with my business and the lessons I’m learning about self-discipline and consistency are incredible. I am learning more about myself as a person and I am sincerely happy to be working so hard for something I want.
Having sold our second car back in Maryland before we moved, we managed to make having only one car out here work. But as drs appointments and a desire to be able to get out and go to moms’ groups came up, we decided it was time to look at getting a second car. We found a steal of a deal at Carmax for our Highlander. As I drove that car off the lot, I fell in love with it. Ender is comfortable in the car, it handles amazingly well in the snow and other difficult weather. We certainly felt like we had reached a new level of adulthood purchasing this car!
Now, onto the final big thing that happened this year. A week after I delivered Ender, I began experiencing SEVERE back spasms. I also lost over 30 pounds in less than 6 weeks. I felt extremely nauseated every time I nursed him, and started dealing with intense anxiety. Postpartum healing is no joke. I didn’t do anything about it, because I felt like it was probably just my body trying to adjust after having strained through delivery and the nine months of pregnancy. My anxiety disappeared after we moved to Colorado (funny coincidence that…) but my back spasms continued to increase. I started seeing a chiropractor at the end of July. I found out my neck is straight, it does not curve inward like it should, and I have some slight scoliosis as well. Even though my posture and spine has drastically improved, my spasms have continued. A month and a half ago, I began noticing the spasms seemed to be connected to food. So, I set up an appointment with a primary care who also is a naturopath. Tell you what, Denver is the perfect place to be in when dealing with health issues. My chiropractor deals with a lot of chronic pain patients and I have found her to be incredibly knowledgeable about my fibromyalgia.
And then today happened. I had an abdominal ultrasound to check my gallbladder, kidney, liver, and stomach. Everything was normal except for my gallbladder. I have at least five (probably more) good sized gallstones and all of the back spasms have actually been gallbladder attacks. I now have my suspicions of having had gallbladder problems for a lot longer than just the past year and half. On Monday, I will be calling a surgeon and we’ll be discussing when to get my gallbladder removed. I certainly didn’t plan on 2016 starting with a surgery, but I am hopeful this will make me feel better.
So here’s to 2016. This past year held a lot of changes and I know 2016 will bring even more. However, I believe the changes coming this year will be even grander and more personal success related not huge lifestyle changes like this past year.
I wish you all a very happy new year and now it’s on to cuddling up in front of the fire with my little toddler who think it’s the most amazing thing to stare at.
