Let the blog begin!

IT STARTS-
Our plan for Florida started over five years ago, before children, before marriage, when Joshua and I visited his parents in Fort Myers.  He warned me on the plane I would be hooked, he warned me that I would seriously like FL, but he didn't prepare me to fall in love.  Our plans to move were sidelined when we found out that (birth control failure) we were pregnant with Baleigh.  Our lives changed and FL become a dream rather than a plan.  More recently with Josh's government job and transfers becoming more a possibility, FL become a central focus and a joint mission.  The plan became, Christen finishes school, has third ( AND FINAL) baby and we move.  Joshua made the dream a reality.  Truck was booked, living arrangement ( HA!) were made, boxes packed, Christen graduated (let the sounds of HALLELUJAH ring out), Jasper was born, and before we knew it we were saying some sad goodbyes to friends and family.  While we knew we would miss everyone, we also knew this was best for our family.  It was 230 am on Monday June 27th, my mother in law was riding shotgun in my car with Jasper and and Payton in back and Baleigh was co-pilot to Joshua in the budget truck and we were heading to Florida.  Let the journey begin!

DAY ONE-
At 230 am were were crossing over Newport Bridge, with the Budget truck barely pushing 55 behind me, and a million and one thoughts racing through my head.  I gabbed with Barbara ( mother in in law) and tried to keep my mouth moving constantly talking about everything and anything other than the fact that I was driving away from my childhood home, my family and my friends.   I made it without crying, which to me means a few things, one, I have come to terms with the fact that I am starting a new life with my family, and two, this is truly the best decision.
We stopped the first night after 15 hours of driving in North Carolina.   We pulled up to the SLEEP INN, tired, hungry, with whining kids, dirty and delirious from the road.  The thrill of the trip had not wore off on the children yet and they jumped around the hotel room like maniacs!  Our eyes were barely open at 545 pm as we ordered pizza ( so NOT paleo) because we wanted a hot meal so bad!  I can not tell you what happened after that because after feeding the children, this Florida bound mama, passed out cold until 4 am.

DAY TWO-
Another early start had us in FL by 2 pm.  The smiles on our faces could not have been bigger as we crossed the border into the sunshine state.  Joshua was about 45 minutes behind us in the truck and we made our way to what we thought would be our beautiful home, Courtney Manor.  We held our breath as we pulled up.  I had a friend research the area, and from what she could see everything looked on the up and up.  The front entrance to Courtney Manor looked nice, a pretty white stone block with the name carved into it, pointed the way in.  The buildings were, OK at best, and Barbara and I looked at each other, our brows furrowed in confusion and fear.  This place did not look at all the pictures online...we continued to the front office passing some "interesting" looking people, children and dogs.  I am not dog prejudice at all, but the amount of pit bulls we saw in the two minutes drive over to the office, outnumbered the cars.  I was almost in tears when we got to the office.  Upon entering the office, I was told to sit and wait, that the girl who was supposed to check us in was in a meeting and the office staff was going to go show people an apartment.  I explained that we just drove 20 hours with three children and just wanted to see the place and sign a lease.  I was told to "just wait".  I sent Joshua a text with a frown.  he called immediately and asked the problem.  I told him what I saw, "a mix of Newport Heights, with old Tonomy Hill, a touch of festival fields and a smidgen of Oxbow, throw a palm tree in and you have Courtney Manor."  He had just entered FL and it started down-pouring, he said he had a bad feeling the second he entered the state.  This was not the start we thought we would have here.  I did not know what to do and when the girl came back she sat me down to start the lease.  The first paper I had to sign said that we were verifying we didn't have bed bugs.....ummmmm.   RED FLAG anyone?  I did not sign anything until I heard her say, " this lease is not valid until your husband signs."  So I started signing away deciding that we would make the best of this, and I would let Josh decide what action we would take.  I was handed the keys, and we made our way to the apartment, the apartment we were told which was "lake side".
Our "lake side" apartment, was newly carpeted, and was OK at best...the maintenance man accompanied us so we could do a walk through.  The screens were popped out, the sinks had plastic basins with cigarette burns, the counters were dirty and dusty, the tubs had large footprints in them from someone stepping in them with boots (? huh!?).  My eyes were welling at this point.  OH, and the "lake", a dirty watering hole out back with no fencing or gating around it and yes, probably had alligators, definitely had turtles because we could see one swimming through the contaminated and filthy water.  Joshua showed up...at which point he asked me what we should do, I was at a loss for words.  We went into the back bedroom and I broke down, sobbing because I felt as if this was all my fault.  It was my job to find us a beautiful home in FL...and this was anything but what we dreamed.  He said he refused to sign the lease.  We made some phone calls to our new friend in Jacksonville who had said the area was nice, ( which it was), and asked her which way on Collins road we should go.  She guided us up the street and what happened next....was a miracle.
  At four pm Josh and I got into the car with Jasper, Nana Babs stayed with the girls in the dingy scary apartment at Courtney Manor, and we drove up the street....this is what we saw...

....and we knew we were at home.  I walked in the front door and was greeted by Tammy.  I tried to get out the words, " Hi we just drove from Rhode Island and I have three children and my mother in law with me and we almost just signed a lease with Courtney Manor", but all that came out was, " You have to help me...." and then tears.  Tammy pulled me in her office let me cry and then looked at her availability.  We were told, poolside two bedroom, our courtyard three bed room.  The price was slightly higher than Courtney Manor, DUH, but Josh, jasper and I jumped on the golf cart ( HOW FUN!) and we headed to look at the apartment.  When we stepped into the doors, we were in love....

how could you not be!!  View from the veranda...
We immediately filled out the paperwork to get a lease started, went and got money orders....and then our world was put on hold.  The computers shut down and Tammy could not run our background check....another night in a hotel was necessary.  We sat with our stomachs in knots...we couldn't eat, could barely sleep, and my poor husband, looked twice his age as he rubbed his forehead, eyes and face in agony waiting to hear what would happen to his family.  We were told we would get a phone call about 8:30 the next day....  So we move on to...

DAY THREE-

Who can eat at a time like this...well two small children.  The girls tore up breakfast at la Quinta, eating everything from hard boiled eggs, to yogurt and Belgian waffles.  Josh and I sat there, in silence really, waiting for my phone to ring....8, 830, 9, 9:30.  We all sat around watching the phone.  At 930 I could not take it anymore and I called her, we were told the computers were still down and that we would get a phone call soon, they had sent it to a sister property to get things going.  At 1045 ....the phone rang.  "Christen?"  "yes that's me.."  "Oh hey hun Ya'll are approved" "THANK GOOOOOD!!"  We packed the car in under 5 minutes and headed HOME.  The lease was signed in under ten minutes and we had the keys to our beautiful next luxury apartment home.  Let the unpacking begin...

DAY FOUR-
Well... Can't say much for this day, unpacking!
Barbara and I did get some grocery shopping on base done...HOLY COW IT IS HUGE!  We were greeted on base by this beautiful and amazing image....

How fun! 
Back to packing.

DAY FIVE-

Time to decorate!  The house is unpacked for the most part, time to decorate the home.  Pictures were hung, the truck was returned to Jacksonville proper ( huge city) and we took the girls swimming in the pool!  What a busy day.  I can't believe how amazing this apartment is looking and how settled in the kids are getting.  Joshua and I went to the base to do some further exploration...the sheer size of this base is just amazing.  The CDC is under renovation, there is an RV park, a marina and so much more!  Further investigation will have to be made!  After swimming and our first cavegrilling (Turkey sausage and Steak!) in FL it was bedtime for the kiddies and adult time on the patio!  Let's just say the rum was not gone last night, but its almost all gone this morning :)