Friday Night Leftovers (The "we're moving... holy cow!" edition)

gooooodness. 

There is a lot to write about. 

Overwhelmed is an understatement... but it will be okay.   It WILL be okay! :)

• Last Thursday, Ryan interviewed with a big insurance company down in Jacksonville, FL.  We basically threw everything we had (financially anyway) into this interview- (as its not cheap flying down to Florida). 
• Yesterday (Thursday- which was a week after his interview)  I got a call that went something like this:

                   Ryan:  "Ash?  Hey.  I got a phone call."
                   Me:  "Okay." 
                   Ryan:  "We got the job."
                   Me:  "Okay.  No you didn't.  You did.  Oh my gosh.  HOLY CRAP."

•  He is starting June 22nd.  We are in Michigan.  This job is in Florida.  My mind is a wreck right now!
• I am thrilled beyond words about finally- finalllllllly- getting out of this state.  If you know me at all, even just a smidgen, you know that I've always longed to live back in Florida.  (or really anywhere other than Michigan). 
• Surprisingly, I've been very emotional.  There are a lot of people here that are like family to me.   And thinking about saying goodbye makes me incredibly sad.  And then there's this whole pregnancy thing.  Yeah... I'm 7 months pregnant, and having to switch doctors... heck- hospitals, states!  I am super nervous.  I have a very trusting bond with my midwives and OB- I mean, I trust their word like its everything- it will be hard to put my baby and I into someone else's (a strangers) hands.  I keep reminding myself that women have babies in bathrooms and out in fields.  I am not moving to a 3rd world country here... its Florida- they have fabulous medical care.  I will be just fine. 
• As soon as I got the word that we'd be pulling out of Jackson, MI on June 16th/17th (still not for sure on the date), I had this urge to purge.  I have garbage bags all over my house, filled with things that I am appalled to say that I've kept for so long.  For example... I found those stretchy mesh undies they give you after you give birth- a whole stack of them- under my bathroom sink.  I've been cleaning and emptying drawers like crazy.  And yet, looking around, it doesn't look like I've made a dent.
• This is such an off/odd fact- but something I've been thinking about lately.  My mom had Meghan and I in St. Augustine, FL and then moved up to Michigan when she was pregnant with Emily, the 3rd kid in our family.  We're in the exact same boat- I had Maeve and Henry here in Michgian, and my 3rd, will be born in Florida.  It's like a flip flop or something.  I'm taking this as a good sign- :)
• one of the most exciting things for me, about moving to Florida, is the prospect of promoting and starting up a real photography business.  I haven't done any real pushing or advertising up here just because Jackson is such a small area and I'm afraid to step on anyone's toes.  Unleashing myself (haha :) in St. Augustine, where I know NO ONE (other than my parents:)  will be super exciting.  I actually just created a fan page on facebook- ashley rita photography -that's listed under JACKSONVILLE, FL ;)  If you'd like to "like" me, I'd like that a lot ;)