A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS FOR PORTLAND GRACE...

Just in case you did not pick up on it from my social media posts and multiple 'see you later" events last week - let me let you in on the secret - Portland | Grace (aka me and my laptop) is off on the adventure of a lifetime (Nah !). We are off to work overseas, but we will attempt to squeeze in as much adventure as we can while in London. 

I have started and stopped this post several times. Each time I sit to write this, I am reminded of one more friend; aunt; cousin I am yet to inform or my mind wonders to the exhausting to-do list surrounding a move (FYI: my brain and body is so tired - it took about five minutes to accurately remember how to spell "exhausting"). The first time I sat to write this post - the weight of what we were about to undertake hit me like a ton of bricks and I had crippling panic attacks. I set the computer aside and buried myself in other things (read:work work work ).

Second attempt - 5:02 a.m. on a Saturday.  Not sure why I am awake this time of day. Lord knows I need all the rest I can get. I am too exhausted to check off anything on the to-do list and too wired to go back to sleep (another symptom of the panic attack - Jesus take the wheel). It has been two months since a post graced this space and now seems like the best time to get you caught up on what we (the laptop and I) have been up to lately. Let's start in May.

May was wedding overload; Closed out May with a birthday celebration planned by my friend "G". June was a whirl wind of travel. Spent some time on the East Coast. That was when this whole moving thing was birthed (getting to that soon). Then it was off to Hawaii  it was work related, but thankfully I was able to tack on some personal days to explore and lay on the beach. Yes ! travel guides and pictures will be arriving soon. Mid-July to date has been a blur of interviews; paperwork; work; work; work and packing.

The third attempt at this post picks up almost a month since attempt two.  I am sat in my temporary apartment in Camden and after a morning spent wrapping up some work matters for Dallas and trading emails with my new team; now seems like the perfect time to wind down this post. Since attempt number two  - I have managed to stuff the last sixteen years of my life stateside into ten duffel bags and two carry on. My brother got married (it was an amazing day - see pictures here); I have had five panic attacks, but I am finally embracing the reality that there is no going back now. This is the choice we made and now we got to live it out. 

The hardest part of the decision to move - leaving the community we formed stateside. Walking away from friends that had become family; random coffee chats about life and faith ; building community (and serving community). Random dinner plans ending at Japanese grocery stores and karaoke. This was a tough decision and whenever we cross your mind - call us (nah we don't do call so, text us) and say a prayer - we are leaving comfort and familiar for a lot of unknown. There are some parts we are excited about, but lots that is terrifying. For this blog, it will continue and hopefully be better than ever. The print shop will wind down for a few months while I assess how to run it from across the pond. Definitely follow me on instagram for any the highs and lows.

Cheers to new beginnings....