Ready for a new year.  Less than a week away, we will be watching the fireworks explode over the Atlantic Ocean, after being launched from the Tybee Pier. Celebrating the close of 2012 and the arrival of 2013. I believe that 2013 holds good things for my family. The past few years have brought pain and pleasure. After some deep soul searching and a desire for a more meaningful life,  during the past couple years, we started making some big decisions. One was to unplug from what we had been building for the 5 years prior.  A dream that turned into a nightmare from the political powers that somehow had gained control over my happiness and well being. Sparing all the details, because whenever I talk or write about it, it makes my heart sink into depression and anger begins to rise inside of me.  But, to say the least, our dreams of freedom and living a fulfilled life were being squashed.

This started our trek to downsize our space, simplify our business and spend life with our kids, instead of blinking and then watching them move out as adults. We stayed in Virginia one more year to search our hearts and not move too quickly or make a rash decision. After that year, we were more than ready for new everything. Too many cold winters and grey months that would drag on till summer, had driven us both to this decision. Although that did make deciding which direction we would move in a bit easier. Logging onto Google maps and pulling up cities south of Virginia was our method of searching for a new town to call home. Coming across a youtube video for Savannah, we were intrigued with the area. One week later we came down for our first ever visit to the deep south.  (continued in Part 2)