How I Really Feel About Moving from Florida to Alaska
We're a military family who is moving from Panama City Beach, FL to Kodiak, AK...let's talk about why I'm ready for this change.
I have very mixed feelings about leaving Florida. For example:
Will I miss the particularly spectacular sunsets? Yes.
Will I miss the dinosaurs (i.e. gators) prowling the neighborhood? No.
As always, I want to lead with gratitude. So let’s look at what wouldn’t exist in our lives without these three years in the panhandle:
Our mini-goldendoodle/5th child, Chai
The Paring Down platform - from the podcast, to the social media, to this Substack
Friendships we adore
Incredible schools and teachers that have helped our kids thrive
A babysitter straight from Heaven
If I hadn’t felt entirely overwhelmed by moving somewhere I didn’t jive with weather-wise or vibe-wise, I wouldn’t have sought out the opportunities I did in order to pull myself out of my deep funk upon arrival. It was because of that overwhelm that decluttering became a monumental part of my mental health, which blossomed into an incredible business I’m able to take with me wherever we move. You all know how much I love making the Paring Down podcast and talking about intentional living on socials! Who’s to say it would’ve happened if we’d lived anywhere else?
I will miss my small groups on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. The friends who’ve made us laugh painfully hard and showed up for our family. The teachers who’ve loved our babies as their own. The neighbors who’ve looked out for us. Our babysitter who we trust more than we trust ourselves. I’ll miss our church’s children’s ministry, the wide sidewalks where our kids learned to ride bikes, and the convenience of a grocery store and Starbucks less than a mile from our house.
And of course I’ll miss the waterpark down the street, the library with LEGO club and low wait times, and being only one time zone away from my family in Virginia.
But if I’m being completely honest…I’m ready to go.
I’m ready to live in an area of the country that isn’t still tightly wound up in racism, political vitriol, and Christian nationalism. (Though let me be clear - we’ve met incredible humans here…even if a general culture is problematic, there are wonderful people anywhere you go.)
I’m ready to move away from an area with the highest rate of intoxicated drivers in the state of Florida.
I’m ready to be able to wear my beloved, cozy sweaters year round.
I’m ready for a slower pace of life back in Alaska, where we can enjoy the majesty of snow and pine trees and mountainous skylines.
I can’t wait to take my kids beach combing in their XTRATUF boots, and not listen to them complain about sandy bodies and sunscreen. I’m so excited to live in a smaller home with less square footage to clean and a gorgeous view. I am beside myself at the thought of a performing arts community (which is almost nonexistent in our neck of FL), weekend boondocking in our camper van, and immersing our youngest son in his Alaska native community. (He’s Yup’ik!)
I’ll never say “good riddance,” because my heart grieves the relationships we leave behind…but do I feel okay about leaving?
I do.
Thank you, Panama City Beach, for the memories you’ve gifted us. For proving there are wonderful people absolutely anywhere in the world. For pushing our family to become more steadfast in our faith and values, even if what we believe goes against the grain of our surroundings.
Kodiak, Alaska — we are ready for you!!
