Moving to America, specifically New York City, is a thirty-two year old dream I’ve kept quietly in my pocket. Naturally my Husband knows this, so when a job in his Weehawken office came up he said we could go if I wanted to. Wow move to New Jersey? Thirty minutes from Manhattan? Um lemme think about it…NOT!
Of course I wanted to go, bloody hell I’d already packed in my head the moment the words left his lips! Bizarrely, I’d recently taken a trip back to Manhattan after 25 years. How did so much time pass I wonder? It was a generous gift from Mark for my 50th birthday. Lisa & I spent five wonderful days there & I have to tell you my love for that city was as strong as the first time. There was no question about it, we had to take this incredible opportunity while we had it. Not just for both our careers but most importantly to give our family the adventure of a lifetime. Hell yes, let’s go on this amazing journey & see where it leads! Surely this dream come true is meant to be.
Then the actual moving process began. Beginning with a Bible sized visa application, research of towns & schools, renting our house, selling the car & ending with two skips of rubbish removed from our home. As you can imagine the To Do list was rather long. Never the less we did it, we did it all on our own & we got here to the U.S of A in one family sized piece. Well minus my DSLR camera, that I accidentally left on the plane…ouch. Twelve suitcases, seven carry-on bags, three children and two wrung-out adults landed in New York at 1am then shuffled slowly through U.S customs and hailed an over-priced cab to Jersey. Knackered didn’t begin to describe how I felt at this point.
Literally a day later we were in our new home & the sixth member of the family, Blue dog, had arrived too.
If you’re expecting a happy uplifting story next, click away now…
I thought organising our move to America was the hard part, that turned out to be a walk in the park compared to the constant body-blows we’ve taken since.
Remind me again why I thought it was such a brilliant idea to move my family of five to the U.S? I’m struggling to see the point now & although last weekend was a highlight of our time here, there has been more upset again this week.
WHERE TO BEGIN?
First off I have to say, our new neighbours are incredibly kind & genuinely helpful. When we moved into the street some of them popped by to introduce themselves bearing gifts of scrumptious food! Since then they’ve given me rides to the store, had us all over for dinner, loaned Mark their car & printed off endless forms that I needed to complete. Trust me, I’ve had to fill literally hundreds since we arrived merely to exist in this country. Without this precious information (which is repeated ad nauseum) my children couldn’t attend school, we’d have no bank account, internet, no T.V, no utilities. Nor would I be able to work, drive or even buy a car!
Don’t get me started on the extra vaccinations the children needed for school! Oh & then the super important “wellness” check they MUST have every year. This composed of a full blood & urine work up, EKG, weight, height, sight, hearing & questions about their emotional stability. All three kids having this barrage of tests, amounted to a full day in the Pediatrician’s surgery. I’m incredibly proud of how well-behaved my children were throughout the entire process. All of this important stuff had to be submitted to the school within 30 days or they’d be chucked out. This is no joke, I have the warning letter to prove it.
Naturally any medical attention in America requires private healthcare. Shame I can’t get that without a social security number (& a gazillion in the bank!) isn’t it? More paperwork & bureaucracy to knot my guts for weeks. And remember while I’m jumping through those hoops, there is the relentless enquiry from school “have the kids had their shots yet?” tick tick tick…
Meanwhile Mark & I are hearing crickets from his company. No help what-so-ever has been forthcoming. No advice at all & worse still, nowhere near enough money for the move. We’ve eaten so much into our savings just to get by, there’s little chance we’ll be seeing much of America on holiday any time soon.
I keep it together because we hear so many great things about the school system here. The thought of moving the kids again or them sensing how upset I truly am, keeps me strong. But then the shit hits the fan. I noticed Lucia struggling with her homework & realise she hadn’t actually learned any of it yet. After I spoke to her teacher it came as a massive shock that he discovered she is more than a year younger than her classmates. What the hell? Did I happen to mention how many forms I’ve completed that include our personal details? How many times I’ve written the children’s date of birth is beyond ridiculous yet they got this wrong? She’s in a class above her year! By the way her teacher shared this bombshell with Lucia present in the room. Can you imagine her reaction? She was inconsolable. I’m still shaking my head as I type these words.
I suppose the misnomer of coming from Year 3 in the UK & going into 3rd Grade in the U.S is confusing but surely they’ve had kids immigrate from England before? Am I being unreasonable?
The trouble is Lucia didn’t want to come in the first place. It’s been a battle of tactics to keep her happy although she still cried every day for the first three weeks. After all that upset she had finally turned a corner, bonded with new friends in her class & even had a play date. Now can you imagine her distress at over-hearing she’d have to leave her new class? SHE WAS IN BITS.
I could kill.
*break in transmission
Mark just called from work to see how Lulu was this morning, it’s her first day in the new class. I just burst into tears.
I guess that was coming, it’s been almost two months & I hadn’t cried yet – Will make coffee & breathe…
Moving forward on a positive note (coffee can do that you know) it’s true the people we’ve met so far are utterly delightful. Kindness is in their DNA here & it’s not the superficial “Have a nice day!” rhetoric. This is genuine concern. I could tell you a dozen stories of truly bright moments off the top of my head but there’s one Woman in particular who has gone above & beyond generous.
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS
Whilst desperately trying to fulfill the vaccination requirements for school, I was directed to a charity organisation for help. Since we didn’t have the magic social security number yet, we couldn’t get private insurance. The school wouldn’t stop hassling me but I flat-out refused to pay a Doctor $600 per child for jabs that are free in most countries. I had to find another way.
*NOTE TO MY UK READERS – SAVE THE NHS PEOPLE!
Anyway, I called the number I was given for people who can’t afford to vaccinate their kids & spoke to the nurse in charge. OH.EM.GEE This Woman is an angel, a calming, understanding, empathetic angel from heaven. Her name is Diane. She set up the appointments & has been the rock of gibraltar ever since. She personally put a stop to the confrontational phone calls & letters I’ve been getting from school & actually told me to say “whatever” to the next person who hassles me about it. The children are now almost finished with just the final two Hepatitis B shots left to do. Furthermore it didn’t cost a cent & Diane even threw in a therapy session for me heeheehee
THE SHIPPING DISASTER
You may have caught my Instagram Stories covering The Great Shipping Disaster but if not here’s a re-cap.
Having no furniture for two months is not so bad, although they did say it would take one month but who’s counting right? Well Hubs actually. Sleeping on a mattress on the floor really messed up his old knees poor thing. In any case it wasn’t the worst thing in the world to deal with & watching him roll out of bed every morning was kinda comical if I’m honest, shhh keep that to yourselves obvs.
In hindsight I should’ve saved the money from shipping & insurance, sold all our furniture & started from scratch. It’s only stuff, not worth crying over. Hey ho, live & learn right? My hope at the time was to make the children’s transition smoother by surrounding them with familiarity from home. Dumb. By the second month the point was moot anyway.
Then one Friday I emailed the U.S side of the shipping company asking if they had any news on said stuff. Knock me down with a feather if they didn’t reply straight away – “yes it will be delivered to you on Monday.”
Wait what? Helloooo? Shouldn’t you have notified me it had docked or at the very least gone through customs? I mean seriously, do you call this six thousand pounds worth of service? Righteo, we jumped to attention, Mark worked from home that day to help me unload the truck. Yes that’s right, we got the cheap service where you do it yourself. Naturally the truck was four hours late without a word from them. Hadda chase them up of course didn’t I? yaaaawn.
Then it arrived YIPEEEE! But no not yipee, BOOOOO. Loads of our pieces are broken or damaged. The bed base we so longed for snapped at every corner beyond repair. This bed is antique, I searched & saved for three years before buying it. Totally useless now, destroyed actually, however it was one of the items I named on the insurance. Sadly my two MCM Ercol chairs which I lovingly restored, are not. One chair has all four legs snapped off with half the spindles in the back broken too. The other has one arm snapped horizontally! How on earth did that happen? Good Lord that would take some effort don’t you think? Not that the shipping company gives a hoot. Unceremoniously passing me over to the insurer, I suspect they’ve washed their hands of me. I emailed them several times but they’re not having a bar of it nor are they taking any responsibility. As for the insurer, I’ve begun the process & read through their requirements for my claim. Unsurprisingly they’ve all but asked me to pop a vein so I don’t hold much hope there. By now you all know how I feel about forms. Regardless of that I’m under no illusion that they’ll give me a penny without first putting me through the wringer.
I’m so depleted right now, I’ve had a “period” for a month straight. My first in three years. That’s what stress does to you right? Blind Freddy could see it but I must buck up & get fight club fit. We need this money now more than ever. Just out of curiosity, have you ever heard of anyone getting their insurance claim paid without hassle? Nah, me neither.
My Spanish neighbour who claimed for damage on her moving insurance just called me for a pep talk.
“Do NOT give up! They will try to break you, make you quit. Don’t. Be strong & get your money. I WAS LIKE YOU, UPSET & ANGRY. it was so horrendously stressful even my Husband TOLD me TO STOP it’S NOT worth it. BUT I KEPT GOING AT THEM, MORE & MORE UNTIL IN THE END I got my money & you will too”
TO BE CONTINUED…
These shots are in beautiful Ridgewood, taken last weekend when the weather was glorious. The dress is from Finery London. See it here in a previous post. The pink Balenciaga style mules (barely seen) are from Mango (previous post) & the bag is Estee Rose (this post & this post)
As for me? I’d be lying if I said I was good, I’m OK. I’m old enough to have learned that nothing ever stays the same, even bad stuff. And that’s good. Regarding the shipping company & insurance?
Watch this space…
Thanks for reading darlings xxx
Comments ( 51 )
Emerald
What a nightmare! But you’ll soon put this behind you. The important thing is you’re there and you made it. And yes, don’t give up with those insurance leeches. They’ll do anything to avoid paying up.
It’s an adventure of a lifetime and you’ll soon be over the teething problems once you know how your new home “works”. I remember moving to Japan for eighteen months. After my honeymoon period which lasted less than two weeks I was miserable and homesick: I couldn’t find vegetarian food and I found the working culture weird. But once I settled in, learnt some of the language, found my arty crowd and yoga studio I loved it. Like yours, mine was a life-long dream and I’m proud I did it (I only had myself to move though!).
And yes thank God for the NHS! I’m behind with my posts, but I owe my blog and readers a big one about what a national treasure we have here.
Looking forward to your posts! Xx
PS: An obvious question, but have you ever had any PPI on cards, etc? If you have and haven’t claimed then that may bring in a bit extra. But I’m sure you already knew about that. 🙂
MT
Oh gosh Emerald, Japan! That is so awesome! I’m blown away you did that, it must’ve been incredibly frustrating not knowing the language. I’d love to visit Japan, the kids are fans too. We’re big into Anime & Japanese art in our house. I’d love to see a blog post about your time there 😉
xxx
Emerald
Oh, lovely blog post idea! I’m on it. My blog’s been a bit sparse of late, but there’ll be a post about that too soon.
Rozanne
Crikey Michelle, what a roller coaster ride… To put it mildly. I don’t know what to say except, hang on in there for your dream, keep the feistiness kicking with a healthy side of self-care… And I am dispatching a bloody massive hug to you across the Pond. But not via the same shipping company who f*cked up your stuff, as I want it to arrive in tact x
Annabelle
Blimey Michelle! Hang in there, girl. I know you are a tough cookie. Moving to the US sounds like a nightmare. I’m sure you will love it once you’ve finished with the forms and hoops. I’m guessing my eventual move back to Oz will be slightly less complicated but I don’t expect smooth sailing. Hope the kids are ok, especially Lulu. Hope Jasper is enjoying it. Annabelle, x.
MT
Thanks mate, I think we’ve turned a corner now. You wouldn’t recognise Lulu from the week before, she’s completely over it! Bloody kids put ya through hell, then the next second they’ve moved on 😉 She loves her new class, happy as Larry.
I’ll be curious to see how you do get on moving back to Oz Annabelle. It’s having children that adds that extra element of madness, although you have friends & family to guide you so hopefully it won’t be too tricky. xx
Lisa the sequinist
Oh my friend. It breaks my heart to hear of how stressful and unsettling this has been for you and the kids. I know it will eventually be fantastic, but you have a field of shit to trudge through before you get to the promised land! But you will get there, and it will be soon. No matter how much you hate the endless slew of paperwork, get your money, honey. THAT you certainly deserve, and the insurance companies make it into an obstacle course because they know people are fundamentally lazy. You will overcome. Coffe, wine, rap music, and your MT grit will get you through this. I promise we’ll look back and laugh one day. 🙂 Much love to you and the family.
MT
Heeheehee Oh how you write…I’m hosing off that field of shit as we speak 😉 Yes we will laugh about it all, very soon & I look forward to seeing you on your home turf darling girl xxx
Catherine, Not Dressed As Lamb
MT I just don’t know where to start – having seen your furniture arrival on your Stories the day it happened I’m just devastated for you… you said it was only belongings but that’s the stuff that makes a house a home, I can’t imagine how heartbreaking it must have been!!!
As the others have said it really is a case of just hanging on in there, I’m sure the worst is over and once the kids get more settled and make more friends it’ll make you much much happier and more content. (You said on Whatsapp that Lulu had a good day so that’s a start!)
I’m amazed you sound as upbeat as you do, I think I would have murdered someone by now if I were in your shoes — thank goodness for Angel Diane and your lovely neighbours!! Feel free to vent any time you like, it’s the least your IRL and blogging friends (and those who are both) can do for you.
Wishing you all the good luck and good vibes and good fortune my wonderful friend xoxo
MT
Catherine you have been such a rock throughout this entire move, thank you sweet friend. Even Keith asked if he could do anything! I hope you tell me to shut up when I get too much too bear 😉
I can’t imagine how I’d have coped before the internet! Being able to vent & ask for advice with immediate response has literally saved my soul on more than one occasion, as you know. When I was torn between leaving Lulu in the class until Summer or moving her now, you girls jumped to attention. All that wonderful back up & support helped me decide & it all worked out perfectly. Thank you so much xxx
Cathe Lartigue
Oh Michelle. I wish I was living back in New Jersey because I would have made the drive from Pennington at any time to come and help you.
With the furniture–you NEED and you MUST act like a crazy person–threaten to sue. Honestly, the squeeky wheel gets the grease over here.
But, your neighbors will remain your strength and remember that you need to be strong in front of your daughter–especially since she didn’t want to make the move. You’re so close to the city–concentrate on that. I’m sending good karma over the State line!!
MT
Ah Catherine, you are the best. Thank you so much, it’s true I do need to go ballistic to get the insurance. At least it’s a great way to offload my anger 😉 As for Lulu, she has settled down already would you believe? Now we have three happy children which makes all the difference in the world. Actually, the eldest Kiki, just asked if we can stay because she really likes it here now…Oh boy, gotta laff xx
suzi
Michelle, I live in California but have family in NJ. I thought to myself, when you moved, that those people in NJ have no idea what a treat They have in store if they are privileged to know you.
It is a shame your husband’s employer did not have a process in place to assist. As others have said “hang in there” and give’em HELL Michelle!
MT
Aw Suzi that’s so incredibly kind of you! Thank you MWAH!
I can’t believe how genuinely lovely everyone is here. Do they put something in the water? 😉 It makes me want to do something to help other people making the move. I was thinking of writing a “Top 10 Tips for moving to the States” what do you think?
suzi
Absolutely, new career! Just don’t stop blogging, we need you!
MT
No Ma’am! 😉
Sara
Oh honey what an initiation ! Our kids were told the same about being in the wrong year and we had the same weird step change – if it makes you feel any better – friends in Palm Springs who moved from Blighty and fought to keep their kid in the right grade ended up unhappy as he was the youngest kid there and graduated too early – so if you go the whole way through the system lulu will probs benefit in the end xxxx
MT
Oh wow really? How does this happen so often? You’re the fifth person who’s told me they had it happen. I don’t understand at all but hey ho it’s done now & little Missy Moo is completely over it. That’s so typical isn’t it? xxxx
Bonnie Melielo
When I saw you were moving to NJ I thought, at least she will be in a friendly state! Seriously, not just that I grew up there but from friends who have moved there and on subsequent visits back over the past 40+ years I can truly say New Jersey ROCKS friendliness! Alaska, not so much. I can’t even imagine the hassle and heartache you have been and continue to go through. I hope it improves and you will have the glorious time you have been dreaming of!!
MT
So very true Bonnie, NJ is THE BEST! I’m so glad we decided to settle here, the kindness of the people has made all the difference. I think we are over the worst of our issues, apart from the insurance claim but I’ve got my head around that now. I’m not letting them drag me down! xx
ratnamurti
Wow. What a horror story. Hopefully all will come right, Michelle, and that life will just keep getting better.
MT
Hahaha yeah a bit 😉 It’s behind us now though, moving forward I’m feeling positive. The children are really happy & that makes me happy xx
Clare
OMG Michelle! Sounds like you have really had a horrendous time! I really really hope that things pick up soon and you get your life sorted and start enjoying being in the States. We miss you here and Emily sends Lucia a big hugxxx
MT
Wahhhh how naive was I Clare? Geezuz! Moving with kids is nothing like moving without. It adding an entirely new level of hell that I was not at all prepared for. That said, we’re definitely past the worst of it & the three kids are all doing great. Mark & I have aged a decade mind you 😉 But I can get botox for that heehee Lots of love to you & the fam xxx
Lizzy
Oh Mt, you poor thing. You must be emotionally and physically exhausted. As Lisa said though, you will look back one day and realise that it has all been worth it. I am astounded at your strength and I know you are the heart, soul and backbone of your family and I take my hat off to you. As we all know, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and you are one strong, wonderful woman and a brilliant mother. Lots of love my darling friend xxxxx
MT
That means so much coming from you Liz xxx
samantha
Seriously sux… Seriously disheartened for you… you know the saying “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”…this is those wobbly first few steps… the weather will warm up, you’ll all fall into a routine, the kids will find their footing, good times will be had… this will make you all (even) more resilient… eye on the prize: an opportunity to experience a bit more of the world. Give it a year and then reassess. You might stay, you might go back… either way an adventure will have been had.
Keep Calm and Carry On!
MT
Wise words Sammy, you are right on the mark as usual. Thanks my love xxx
fatima
Oh my GAWD!!!!! I dunno what to say and wish I could give you the biggest hug ‘Chelle. That is one EPIC chain of events and I can’t imagine how stressful it has been for you all. I know it’s been rough but try not to let all of this tarnish what is an AMAZING move, a really BRAVE step and the BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS are coming. With any shift or change, there will come these moments of utter madness but stick with it, you are doing SO GREAT! Big love my friend x x x x
MT
Thank you darling, you’re so right it’ll be worth it. I feel the tide has finally turned & good things are on their way xxx
Maria | passion fruit, paws and peonies
Oh my lord what a terrible time you’ve had so far. Things will always turn around as you say – and thank god for that right?! In the meantime, eat well, sleep loads and cuddle each other all the time. Ridgewood looks glorious – at one point in the future you’ll feel fabulous about the move – keep going my lovely xxx
MT
Thanks Maria, I have started to feel better about it all & see a brighter future. Lack of sleep has added to the stress, I find it hard to switch off when I’m worried. Then my tinnitus gets worse from tiredness & it all goes horribly wrong. This week I’ve made a concerted effort to wind down early, switch off devices & try to relax before bed. I’m sure it will help xxx
Tracey
Hey up Mrs,
I watched your stuff arrive from the UK and was as horrified as you! Bloody useless company – go at them full barrels .
I know it sounds corny but surely things can only get better and I’ve a feeling things will start to turn in your favour.
It’s a great opportunity for you all but especially your kids. …I mean growing up near New York. Living the dream!!
Sending lots of positivity & love
Tracey xx
MT
Hey Chickadee 😉
Well it’s funny you should say that Tracey…Things have really improved, especially with the children. Lucia has already made firm friends in her new class, one little girl lives in our street! Jasper went to the MET on Friday for a school trip & absolutely loved it! The MET, get him? And the big turnaround from Kiki – she asked if we can stay because she really wants to go to Ridgewood High! OMG! Your positive vibes have definitely helped my friend & thank you for your support (sharing on ig etc)I really appreciate you xxx
Sue
Michelle I read your article last night and really felt for you. Wanted to respond and say sending hugs and calming/cheery thoughts but needed a keyboard not a phone to reply on…. What a baptism of fire. Can’t believe that there is so much red tape and that your husband’s company did so little to help your move/relocation and getting the kids settled. You’ve come this far which shows what a strong lady you are, the best is yet to come and I am sure that things will turn around soon. Can’t believe the amount of vaccinations the kids have needed, although I knew American kids have more than here. Don’t let the insurance company grind you down. Keep strong and keep fighting. Thinking of you all and hoping for some fun and laughter in your lives soon. Thank heavens for good neighbours.
MT
Thank you so much Sue!
The thing about getting all the extra vaccinations isn’t that I’m anti having them, it’s the bullying tactics they used. The constant barrage wore me down & it was completely unnecessary, you know what I mean? As for Marks company, well I have nothing nice to say about them so I best keep my mouth shut. Hopefully this little blogging business of mine will take off & we can enjoy the fruits of my labour instead of solely relying on his. It’s all about hard work & I intend to put my heart & soul into it now that I’ve sorted the children. Wish me luck! xx
Sue leatherdale
Michelle I read your article last night and really felt for you. Wanted to respond and say sending hugs and calming/cheery thoughts but needed a keyboard not a phone to reply on…. What a baptism of fire. Can’t believe that there is so much red tape and that your husband’s company did so little to help your move/relocation and getting the kids settled. You’ve come this far which shows what a strong lady you are, the best is yet to come and I am sure that things will turn around soon. Can’t believe the amount of vaccinations the kids have needed, although I knew American kids have more than here. Don’t let the insurance company grind you down. Keep strong and keep fighting. Thinking of you all and hoping for some fun and laughter in your lives soon. Thank heavens for good neighbours.
Terri
I assume your husband wasn’t on his company’s health care plan since you were in the UK and didn’t need private insurance, but has he checked to see whether all of you can be enrolled now that you are in the US and do need it?
MT
Ah yes that’s correct Terri. We are now finally on a health plan, or to be more precise we have insurance (it took ages to set up!). Unfortunately we pay the bulk of that which is incredibly high. Our take home pay has dropped substantially as a consequence yet the cost of living in NJ is far greater than anywhere else in the U.S. When we made the decision to immigrate here we knew health care was a must & the company didn’t offer it. Despite that we believed the opportunity was worth it. However the time it took to set up & figure out, the fact that we needed a ssn & the extra cost of ventolin for Kiaras asthma came as a shock. The company never once guided us through any of it which subsequently prolonged the agony & fear factor. We could’ve avoided a lot of angst had they simply advised us. The first inhaler I bought for Kiki was $70 with insurance! It’s about $7 everywhere else in the world & free on NHS. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive that but I will find a way around it.
Nancy
I admired you already for taking such a huge step with a family. You are strong enough to get over this, in two months time everything will be so much better, believe me!
MT
Oh thank you so much Nancy, that’s very kind! xx
No Fear of Fashion
I followed most of this on IG stories and I feel so sad for you. Was the way the school treated your son perhaps something positive?
You know clichés like “come rain, come shine” didn’t become a cliché for nothing. Hang on in there darling.
Greetje
MT
Yes you’re right greetje, Jasper is doing really well. He even went on a school trip last Friday, to the MET no less! Loved it of course. Thank you for all your support & always reminding me of the “upside” – My next post title perhaps? xxx
Susan B.
Oh Michelle, I’m just catching up and am SO sorry you’ve been dealing with all of these problems! Yes, our private-insurance-reliant health care system sucks. And your damaged furniture, what a heartbreak! I hope things take a turn for the better soon and that you don’t sour on us completely! 🙂 Hang in there….
MT
Oh Susan I would never sour on you lovely American’s! I think it’s all starting to turn around now anyway, or perhaps I’ve started looking at the positives? In any case things are brighter this week that’s for sure. Blogging has been my saviour, getting it all out in one fell swoop was a huge relief. Although I cried, it was cathartic & the outpouring of support on the blog plus across my social media, really helped immensely. Reading other people’s similar stories made me realise I wasn’t alone or doing it all wrong & that YES it does work out! xx
Midlifechic
Oh Michelle! Not being a Stories watcher I assumed that you would all be completely settled in now and moving smoothly on with your new lives… I can’t believe what a difficult time you’ve had. So often we all say we’re having an absolute nightmare but you truly have. In the end this experience will bond you all tighter as a family. Years ahead from now you’ll all look back and tell the stories and in time you’ll laugh and roll your eyes. It was a fascinating read by the way – a great piece of blogging although that probably doesn’t help right now. I’ve said all along how much I admire you for following your dreams like this and my admiration has now quadrupled. You will get there. Forwards is the only way forwards so forward you go. Xxxx
MT
Aw thank you so much Nikki, that’s really supportive of you. You’re absolutely right of course, forward is the only way…I just wish moving forward hadn’t been such a minefield to navigate. Looking back I remember saying to you that I didn’t feel “brave” for moving. Blimey how naive was I?
Thankfully, I feel we’re through the worst of it now. The children are happy & Lulu has all but forgotten how upset she was changing classes. Mark & I have already started making jokes about some of the stuff that’s gone down, I guess that’s a good sign right?
And Nikki, thank you for the praise. It really does make all the difference to hear that about my blog, my baby, my business & now my lifeline to sanity 😉
xxx
Helen Hobden
Oh no, poor you! Listen to your Spanish neighbour and stay strong – you can do it!
You have got me nervous though – we’re meant to be moving to Connecticut in September!
Good luck.
And I love the dress btw 🙂
Helen x
MT
Hi Helen,
Apologies for my tardy reply, I’ve been putting together a case for the insurance & it looks like we’ll get a bit back. I think it did really give me motivation to hear everyone’s support & encouragement during this time. I hit the ground running so to speak. Also probably wouldn’t have included video & extra paperwork in the claim had I not been forewarned by my neighbour. Isn’t it great when Women support each other? Don’t worry about the move to CT, just be prepared as much as possible so there are fewer surprises. You’ll be fine xx
Tanna
Hang in there, Mama. My husband moved here with his family (mum, dad and 2 younger brothers) when he was 20 from England (he’s 46 now). I would say they don’t really own much of the furniture they had shipped anymore, so really it’s not that important in the end. The health insurance was also majorly confusing and complicated for them. I wish I could tell you how long it took for them to finally feel settled but they did buy a house 3 years after the move, developed businesses and are well-known members of their community now. It will happen for you too, but not without a lot of perseverance.
MT
Thank you Tanna! I’m so sorry I’m only just responding to you now. I did read your lovely comment as soon as you posted it & it did make me feel better so thank you again. A lot has changed since I wrote this post believe it or not. Isn’t that always the way? I feel the purge may have helped me more than I first thought. I got a hell of a lot of inspiration from everyone here & on Instagram & Facebook comments & private messages….it was like a huge collective hug! Got my shit together big time 😉 I’ll go more into detail later, hope you stick around xx