A Slower Pace

I have been travelling to Kentucky three to four times annually for a few years now. Every time I have gone, I have been impressed with the slower pace, the friendliness and the lower cost of living. During a recent trip this summer, I took a greater interest and began doing research on the possibilities of moving the family there. My company has a presence there so that was one piece of the puzzle. Another piece was the incredible appreciation in the real estate market in California — so much so that I would not be able to afford the house I live in. What’s up with that?

The other pieces that were appealing were the friendliness of the people, the family values atmosphere and the slower country lifestyle. All these combined, proved to be a draw for what we are looking for and what is best for our family.

This summer, I took my wife and oldest daughter out for a quick trip to determine if this was something our family could actually do. We discussed the pros, cons and options — almost to the point of overkill. We finally determined, as a family, that a move to Kentucky would allow the family greater opportunities for the long term. We were now all on the same page and I could pursue career options with my company in Kentucky.

Fast forward through meetings, phone calls and interviews. I now have a position with my current company in Louisville, Kentucky. Luckily, the company is paying all relocation costs (another benefit and piece to the puzzle). We found a house and property and are closing in the middle of December. The move is during an inopportune part of the year, this being the holiday season and all, but it will get us out there before the beginning of the year and allow us to settle a bit before new school and new work starts.

That is the current state of affairs. A few weeks and counting.
…..Dan

Below are some basic facts that will help you understand where we are coming from in our decision to leave Thousand Oaks, California for Louisville, Kentucky.

We are a family of five living in Thousand Oaks, CA. My wife, Maria, is a full time stay at home mom with her hands full raising two girls and a boy. Enabling her to stay home was one of the biggest and most important decisions we faced several years ago. We have been blessed that we have been able to make it work through all the struggles. That focus, commitment and sacrifice is a core to what we believe in. You could say it is a precursor to this decision to leave the home we have created here in California for a slower pace of life in the countryside of Kentucky.

My employment is a non-typical (for California) 3 minute commute away. Luckily, I have been able to take advantage of this by coming home for lunch, attending school performances and coaching kids’ soccer. I have been blessed with a great employer however, I will not retire any time soon staying here in California. We are not rich but also don’t live paycheck to paycheck. College funding needs some attending to and our last vacation was a modest jaunt up the California coast hitting Best Westerns along the way.

The kids are spread out in age so one attends middle school, another is in elementary and another is in pre-school. They get the typical suburban tract home neighborhood experiences — playing in the front yard, watching tv and quarreling with each other as siblings do.

Church attendance is a semi-regular occurance — more frequent than just Christmas and Easter but not your die-hard every week. Values are important to our family and we routinely teach the kids prayer, manners and respect. As with kids, this needs consistent reinforcement. Hopefully, you catch us on a good day. I am also a realist.

Extracurricular activities are cyclical — kinda like church. We are very good home bodies but when we get out we enjoy local hikes (under 1 mile — the little legs get tired), the zoo, the beach and trips to Home Depot and Target. Oh yeah, and Grandma and Grandpa’s house along with also visiting Opa.

That’s about it. It’s a pretty good base to start with.
…..Dan

Where does one start when creating a documentary of a family’s decision to check out of the rat race? A lot of homework has been done to get us to this point, but the journey is just beginning. We are still in our old home, old job, old schools and old lives. What lies ahead of us is a new life that will include a transformation to a completely different way of life — a way of life we intend to be better for our family, our kids, and ourselves.

The intent of this blog is to document the journey, share the experience and encourage others who might be of the same mindset. We’re jumping into the pool first to test the water. Along the way, we’ll let you know how it is.

Thanks for joining us.
…..Dan