And so it begins…

I have a HUGE calendar spread out on my kitchen counter. It details the next eight weeks of our lives as we prepare for a move to Ecuador. Wait. What?

Yep. Mike has being dreaming of a move south – somewhere in Latin America – for several years. The timing was right. The country was right. God opened all the doors and we are walking through.

Although we started planning more than a year ago, it is just recently we entered a countdown. All the pieces fell together and it is finally time to pull the trigger for our first long-term stay.

So the calendar is full of pink and green ink; my way of detailing who is doing what and when. There are Xs and check marks and blacked out blobs, but all in all, we are progressing. We have gathered all the required documents for temporary residency and shipped them off to their respective places. We have compiled a list of must-haves to stash in our suitcases as we decide what goes into storage, what goes with us and what goes… somewhere else. And yes, peanut butter is a must-have!

We expect to return several times in the next year as we sell off properties, sever business links and visit family.  So, as they say, nothing is permanent. We view this as an adventure. A logical step for the next phase of our radically changed lives. We are looking forward to this new chapter with excitement, enthusiasm and a bit of trepidation.

My mom – and many others – are whispering in my ear that it is my time to write again. I’m dipping a toe in here. I hope you will join me for the ride!