Wow! Where to begin? What a year it has been! I’m deeming it the year of embracing change and discovering what it’s like to live a purposeful, busy life, while facing new challenges and balancing things head on together. That sentence alone was a mouth full! So let’s dive in…
As many of y’all know, shortly after Mark finished chemo last year, beat Cancer (Hallelujah!) and found his way back to his old self, we had an opportunity come up with my job that would bring us to North Carolina. We’ve both always said we would love to relocate somewhere in the Southeast to experience change, and all 4 seasons. With Mark looking to start over with a new company in his medical career, and the housing market being so strong in Orlando, we figured it’s now or never.
So we took that leap of faith, sold our newly built home (eventually), and moved with our now almost 2 year old mini red goldendoodle, Archie, up to Winston-Salem North Carolina, where we pretty much knew nobody and had never been previously. That being said, it truly has been a year of growth and personal discovery.
While we found that we loved North Carolina and season change, we also realized we did miss living in a larger city, after trying this more rural, small town thing out for a year. People that know us closely saw us struggle with what to do regarding continuing to rent in Winston, relocate to Charlotte and commute, or just adapt to the smaller town life and build a house in a Winston suburb of Clemmons, NC. All the while, we really loved Raleigh, but being it was much further away from my job’s territory, we knew Raleigh was out of the picture for us for now.
Fortunately we followed our guts, were patient, and God, like he always does, had a plan for us that began to unfold over the last couple months. You may have read here, a few posts back, that we are so excited to announce that after much thought, experience, prayer, and an exciting work opportunity, we are moving to Raleigh, NC! We couldn’t be more excited for this next adventure and chapter in our lives!
So what changed that lead us here? I took a promotion with the Neuroscience company I’ve been with the last 5 years, and Mark is doing great, working extremely hard, with the Medical company he landed with out here as well. Being he has the whole state of NC and SC, it truly enables us to live anywhere in either state, and for me, anywhere in the South near an airport really!
I’m excited to start my new job where I will be working closer with many of my colleagues throughout the south, within the geriatric space, and am super passionate about being able to collaborate, and help others in this new role! Mark is so dedicated to his medical sales career as well, and I’m proud to say his area will finish as one of the top in the southeast and his team has the opportunity to possibly win the President’s club trip this year. He has been working incredibly long days and hard for it, and time will tell if it will pay off.
We decided to rent for a year in Raleigh, and were fortunate enough to find a newly built home with a fenced in back yard (Archie is really looking forward to that!), that we will move to in January while we test out the area, and come Summer time evaluate if we want to initiate the building process in that area, or wait till the end of our lease and purchase something then.
Of course those are our thoughts for right now, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last several years first hand, is that life can truly change for better or for worse in the blink of an eye and hard times will inevitably come again. Knowing that and living through it, I feel much more equipped to take those challenging times head on and truly turn the lemons into lemonade. We’re excited for what this year has in store for us three, both personally and professionally!
Creating content for y’all here continues to be a joy and passion of mine, as I’ve learned as well this year that there’s nothing that invigorates me more than a thoughtfully planned collaboration that inspires y’all! Some highlights from this year have been, hitting over 250,000 monthly views on pinterest, connecting with so many of you on a deeper level through Instagram DMs, seeing your messages and photos of new thing’s you’ve tried from Frapps & Frills that bring you confidence and joy, making friends with several other bloggers this year (love you ladies!), and seeing my work featured on Draper James, Gal Meets Glam, Talbots, Loft and Picnic Time to just name a few! I’m so lucky to get to do this with you guys.
Now for a Doodle update!! I love how you guys love him like we do. So…Archie continues to be the pride and joy of our world, bringing us so much unconditional love and support. Also just an FYI, he was named prior to the royal baby being named, just sayin! In 2020 once we’re settled again, we plan to pick back up on his training to become an official therapy animal so he can share so much of that joy he exuberates with others who need it most. Also, I don’t want to jinx it but I will say, we’ve really got European Travel on our minds this coming year. More to hopefully come soon!
Until then, Wishing you and your family nothing but the most happiest, healthiest, joyous year ahead and a very Merry Christmas! May you embrace change this year (scary or not), and become comfortable being temporarily uncomfortable, to truly live a purposeful, intentional life that is full of growth, discovery and gratitude. Sky’s the limit y’all!
Many Blessings,
Mark, Jessica & Archie Frappampina
SHOP
