About a month ago Darrin received an email from another company asking if he would be interested in being the Project Manager for the new Embassy being built in Oslo, Norway. Project Manager is something he has been chasing for a few years now, so the opportunity was definitely a possibility. He started the interviewing process, turning in his resume, talking with different people on the phone, skype calls, emails, etc and day by day the offer seemed more and more likely.
I don't really pay much attention to Darrin when he says, "Hey want to live in...............?" It seems there are always different offers to go places and we never go. So I don't think much about it. I know it won't really happen, it's just talk.
However, this was different. And within the next couple of weeks we had to make a huge decision. Stay here in the Dominican or take the job in Oslo. Every day we went back and forth. "No, let's stay here, we are so happy here. We love our house, we have Maria which is perfect for now, we are just getting settled in, making friends and knowing the city. We love going on beach trips, and we are just happy here. Ok, lets shake on it. We're not going."
The next day we would get a call and the new company would offer something else. The next day we changed our mind. "paid for private schooling at the International school - an awesome school, a Project Management position, an increase in pay, and an office in Arlington (which if we ever want to be back in Texas, we have to make the move sometime) I think we have to do it, it's too good to turn down."
Every night for a week was like that. Never, have we ever, had to make such a hard decision. But we went with what we felt was right and knew Olso was the right decision for our family.
The past couple weeks have been a little emotional. With friends and co-workers sad to see us go, it made us think twice about making the right decision. We told Maria, whom we love and the kids love. The first thing she told me is "Me triste" I'm sad, and I lost it. I cried for about 2 days off and on thinking about leaving her. Unless you are in the same position or have had the same experiences, you might not understand it, but she has been like family to us this past year. She lived with us Monday-Friday and we all adore her. I have tried to look for her another Nanny job so that I know she is happy while we are gone, and I have had several women want her, but she is not interested in another Nanny position. She said Grayson was her last baby. Leaving her will be the hardest thing about leaving here and we will all have to adjust from not having her around.
We have slowly been packing up. Since the company furnished our place we don't have to worry about packing and shipping all of the furniture. And since we know that we will not be taking much when we leave we try not to invest in much. I always think we just have clothes and a few toys, but then I open up another drawer or closet and find more junk we have collected. Luckily we have been able to sell a lot of our big things: TV, rugs, kids big toys - bikes, kitchen,, swings, a cooler and some kitchen things.
Here are some pictures of our last couple weekends. One weekend we went with some friends to their beach house in Casa de Campo. It was beautiful, if I lived here we would be there every weekend. And we got to go out on their yauct for the day. At one point Darrin and I looked at each other and said, "are we really doing this? Are we out in the Dominican Republic, on a yacht?? And it's free??" Life is good.
And the next weekend we went to Juan Dolio for a last family weekend getaway before heading to the freezing cold and snow!
I don't really pay much attention to Darrin when he says, "Hey want to live in...............?" It seems there are always different offers to go places and we never go. So I don't think much about it. I know it won't really happen, it's just talk.
However, this was different. And within the next couple of weeks we had to make a huge decision. Stay here in the Dominican or take the job in Oslo. Every day we went back and forth. "No, let's stay here, we are so happy here. We love our house, we have Maria which is perfect for now, we are just getting settled in, making friends and knowing the city. We love going on beach trips, and we are just happy here. Ok, lets shake on it. We're not going."
The next day we would get a call and the new company would offer something else. The next day we changed our mind. "paid for private schooling at the International school - an awesome school, a Project Management position, an increase in pay, and an office in Arlington (which if we ever want to be back in Texas, we have to make the move sometime) I think we have to do it, it's too good to turn down."
Every night for a week was like that. Never, have we ever, had to make such a hard decision. But we went with what we felt was right and knew Olso was the right decision for our family.
The past couple weeks have been a little emotional. With friends and co-workers sad to see us go, it made us think twice about making the right decision. We told Maria, whom we love and the kids love. The first thing she told me is "Me triste" I'm sad, and I lost it. I cried for about 2 days off and on thinking about leaving her. Unless you are in the same position or have had the same experiences, you might not understand it, but she has been like family to us this past year. She lived with us Monday-Friday and we all adore her. I have tried to look for her another Nanny job so that I know she is happy while we are gone, and I have had several women want her, but she is not interested in another Nanny position. She said Grayson was her last baby. Leaving her will be the hardest thing about leaving here and we will all have to adjust from not having her around.
We have slowly been packing up. Since the company furnished our place we don't have to worry about packing and shipping all of the furniture. And since we know that we will not be taking much when we leave we try not to invest in much. I always think we just have clothes and a few toys, but then I open up another drawer or closet and find more junk we have collected. Luckily we have been able to sell a lot of our big things: TV, rugs, kids big toys - bikes, kitchen,, swings, a cooler and some kitchen things.
Here are some pictures of our last couple weekends. One weekend we went with some friends to their beach house in Casa de Campo. It was beautiful, if I lived here we would be there every weekend. And we got to go out on their yauct for the day. At one point Darrin and I looked at each other and said, "are we really doing this? Are we out in the Dominican Republic, on a yacht?? And it's free??" Life is good.
And the next weekend we went to Juan Dolio for a last family weekend getaway before heading to the freezing cold and snow!
After 346 days in the Dominican Republic, we pack up and close this chapter of our lives. Tomorrow we head home to spend some time with family and friends in Texas where the kids and I will stay for the month of June. Then July 1st, we pack up and the Snider crew will take on Oslo, Norway!
Thank you to everyone who has been so loving and supportive. We have received so many calls and emails wishing us nothing but the best.
