Anderson to Clemson, SC to Kalmazoo, MI to White Plans, NY, to North Augusta SC, to Apex, NC, Anderson SC. 20 Years. 6 whole house moves. The priority was trading time for money. I appreciate the career I have had to date. Kraft Foods kicked it off. Glaxo was good to me for 17 years. Great pay, benefits, managers, flexibility and travel to new lands. Not sure if there is a better company for these things. While there, I saw the re-orgs that plague big companies every 2 years or so. I did a great job of dodging them. I always told Kimberly that our time would come and we planned for it. That day came in late July 2017 while on a TC I was taking from the lake porch. My current position was eliminated. I walked into the lake house and told Kimberly it had happened. Our life was going to change.
We had 3 choices, stay with GSK in another position and continue the re-org watch, take the severance and stay local where would could end up in the same position in a few years or head back to SC. Kamdyn had been in 4 schools in 6 years and was headed for a new one the next year regardless. Our time for location changes was up. We needed to stay put for the next 10 years. The decision was gut wrenching. None of the other moves I questioned. They were not borderline decisions. I still second guess myself today (2019).
I turned down a position in GSK's Zebulon facility to pull up stakes and go back to SC to focus on family. Kimberly was actually the most on board with it. She could have swayed us to stay in Apex on most days. Apex was a utopia where minivans abound, everyone drives a nice car, 2 kids dog, and a corporate job. All professionals at nice schools that shop at Whole Foods. Great people. Neighborhood parties and camaraderie. It sounds great and it was great. We even had a lake 10mins away and a separate lake house 1:15hrs away. The spreadsheet said we should stay. I don't take that lightly.
But SC called us back. It is hard to explain and fairly hard to justify without a "just because it felt right". Things started to happen as our guardian angels lined up the details. I got a job. We sold our Kerr lake house in zero days. Apex house sold in zero days. We found a new house in Anderson quickly for a great deal. Kimberly got a new job that secured our kids in a great school district.
The transition was one of the most difficult things we have ever done. There was no magic relo package. I packed up the lake house by myself while Kimberly worked. I started a new job in Jan 2018 in SC and lived there while Kim was left in Apex to manage her new job and the kids. I lived with Nanny a while. I handled renovating our new house. I was still employed with GSK until March '18. I had 2 full time jobs. Worked 11-12hr days juggling both jobs. Ate dinner alone. Drove back and forth to Apex almost every weekend. I drove 3 moving trucks and towed a boat to SC. I tried to convince Kamdyn it was for the best. I wasn't very convincing because I wasn't sure myself. Kamdyn worried so much she gave herself spots! Karcie just wanted to stay and live with Ms Colleen. I wanted to quit and go back to the way it was. Honestly, I am surprised I didn't. If Kimberly had not kept telling me it would be ok and if I had not had tremendous support from family and friends I would have.
School in Apex got out on a Friday in June. We finished packing over the weekend. Stayed in a hotel Monday night. Signed closing papers and drove to SC on Tuesday. Apex was now in the rear view mirror. What started on a sunny summer day at the lake after a fabulous Holland Farm lake day the weekend before had now concluded as the movers unloaded the last item. A long 11 months.
I sit here in May 2019 a year after the transition looking back. I still have days I wish my family was back in the Apex utopia with my plush GSK job. Less now. I see Kamdyn with her SC friends. Her text message, snaps and house party alerts signal her transition is made. Her spots are long gone. She makes straight 100's at her new school. She has a middle school attitude but she smiles just like she did in Apex. Karcie is her giggly self. She made straight 4s and is doing great at teh school where mama teaches. I wish there was less TV time and more playing with kids her age. We can work on that. Kimberly picked up with old friends and new. She keeps our social calendar too full. Her first year at Spearman has been wonderful. I don't travel anymore. I have not been away from home on a school night since we moved. My boat is steps away. Fishing could be better, but Ill get there. Job is ok. A better opportunity is around the corner.
Some may have relaxed when the last box was unloaded in June. I didn't relax until it was evident the decision did not affect our girls.
Our focus has now shifted. Careers are now secondary to family. We are going to enjoy our family every single day and give thanks for the blessings we have. We will not wait to enjoy tomorrow for the sake of enjoying today.
