Jump Ship
I think it was 2004...or 5. My memory is literally the worst of anyone I know. I got my first credit card against all of my dad's efforts to advise against doing that. I decided I "needed to build my credit" so I bought 2 tickets to St. Thomas, USVI...and well...that's when my life changed. That is when I mentally... jumped ship.
I was with my boyfriend at the time, and to make a long story short, he proposed to me at the Marriott Frenchman's Reef in the most gorgeous place I had ever seen in my entire life. We were dangling from a cliff with ocean waves splashing from underneath and I've never in my life had such a dichotomy of feelings when he got down on one knee and asked if I would marry him. Apologies ahead of time if he ever stumbles across this blog but...I was so happy, it was so perfect, this place...if it weren't for my dog Pacey back at home, I would NEVER get back on that plane and them BLAM...uhhhh..."no" is all could muster. I was almost more put off that he'd ask and ruin my moment of perfection. I know I know, I'm a horrible person. Moving forward...
This was the start of a new era in my life. A dream was born (how cliche is that?). At that moment in time...just seconds before the proposal that ruined it for me...I was home. For the first time in my Navy brat life moving from coast to coast to coast...I had actually found my home...and I knew it in an instant. That is a feeling, you almost can't describe (obviously since it outweighed a proposal).
Fast forward to 2009, I met my hubby to be, we went through a few life struggles and happily came out on the other side, both of us better for it. He was well aware of my obsession with the Caribbean and I basically told him I was going to live in the USVIs and all we had to do was decide which island was right for our lifestyle, and how to get there and survive there. Obviously I wanted his help...obviously I wanted him to agree and come with me. To my surprise, he hardly second guessed it. He was on team Caribbean from the get go and the adventure...began.
Dreams are great, they warm your little heart and make you all cozy inside and for a fleeting moment all is perfect in the world...and then reality hits and you realize that in order to achieve that dream, you really have to make some hard decisions and get down and dirty and do some hard hard work. Did that matter to me, not one bit. I was in it to win it. The faster we get there the better! So the 10 year plan...turned into a 5 year plan...which turned into a 3 year plan...which turned into a December departure, turning then into an October departure and finally we landed on July, 2017. 8 long land locked years had gone by since I fell in love with that color blue that you can't even describe unless you've seen it in real life.
So here we are, months from our departure. We landed (decision wise, not physically yet) on St. Croix and couldn't be happier. Gorgeous isn't she... : )
Upon a recent visit to Houston, two of my dearest friends (who just happen to be married) convinced me that I needed to write a blog. "Why aren't you telling everyone who WANTS to make this their reality, how YOU are making it YOURS?! This is a no brainer..." uhhh...ok guys. A couple months later I reluctantly began this exact blog.
I can't forget to mention my other friends, who I have technically never met in person but have no doubt that one day I will...Katie, and Jessie (on a boat). If you love the Caribbean, the ocean, sailboats, bad ass chicks, or anything of that nature, please check out their blog. I wouldn't do them justice if I gave you a synopsis of how they got started. It is a MUST read, addictive, and has highly influenced my decision to document mine and my husband's journey. You want to be them...trust me.
Read it here:
