Florida

We are officially here in Florida for the next 2 months. Unfortunately, there was an offer we couldn't refuse and it sent us packing for Chayse to sell alarms for the rest of the summer. When he brought the idea up last Monday (June 28), I had a feeling that it was what we should do. Then on Tuesday, I let him have a lot of time to himself while he sorted out the options and waited to hear back from other places. We also went to the temple to get more help on making our decision. So Wednesday morning after he picked me up from my volunteer work at the temple, we made it final. Chayse was going to drive out to Tallahassee in the morning and I would fly out a week or so later to join him for the rest of the summer.

We set to cleaning, packing and washing laundry and got along with the other things that needed to be done on Wednesday. It was a long day and we worked really hard and took a break at 5:30 to go to the gym and release some of the stress that we could each feel concerning us doing another summer with APX. Just before we left, Chayse had talked to his dad and we realized that I couldn't attend the family party for July 3rd because I had no ride down. And staying up there and flying out of SLC would defeat the purpose of getting things done that I wanted to around the house. Then we looked up plane tickets and were all around $350 for one-way. Then I started to cry. No more Eyla & Raya library trips for the rest of the summer, no more hard work on my garden, no more painting bedrooms (which, I'll admit, I need a break from! I'll post about that later!) and no more new friendships to be made in our neighborhood. No visiting Max for the rest of the summer in Provo (that's probably a good thing) and no visit to LA to see Jill and Andrew before the head up to BYU-I for their fall semester. BUT it did mean Chayse having a travel companion for 34 hours, not having to leave my hubby and sleep alone in our house and enjoying another city together as we adventure on in our lives together.

I can't complain. This apartment complex we are living in is very nice. And the rumor is we are moving to condos on the beach in Panama City on July 18. I'm fine with that. The wives out here are very nice and fun to be around and I don't get so lonely as I did when I was in Boston waiting for the hours to turn into minutes. It is 100000000 percent less stressful to be the wife of a sales rep and not a manager. I was worried for Chayse about the stupid things he had to deal with, worried about the techs finishing their jobs quickly and worried that Chayse wouldn't hit the numbers he wanted to. Now I am here to support him, make him dinners, focus on US and enjoy myself while I have the chance to relax again. I am being more useful that I was last summer, and even the summer before, since we have no internet or cable in our apartment. But I am doing well and am VERY proud of Chayse.

We arrived in Tallahassee on Sat morning around 2 am. Finally got to bed at 3, and then Chayse woke up at 8:30 for his 9am meeting before going out to sell in Valdosta, GA (of all places! Ha!) He didn't get home until 11pm and I was worried he wouldn't get in any homes. Boy did she show me up! FIVE SALES!!!!! 5!!!! And that's only with 15 hours of sleep since Weds night! It was just another confirmation that we are supposed to be here. It was the right choice, even though it wasn't our first choice. Then yesterday he did very well and put in 3 systems. 8 in two days! Wow!! Today they are in a licensing class for Alabama and I have hopes for him to put in 1. But if he just does 1 a day, I will be very happy.

Things have changed, but it's not all bad. I'll learn from this experience like I have from every other one. But until then, I'll be in Florida, soaking up the sun!!