Desperately Seeking (Jacksonville: spring break, apartments, leases)

[HParr]

I'm hoping for a response to this. I wish that I could find a pretty beach here. I wish that I could find the perfect community for my family to buy a new home in, somewhere like home, with that perfect family, thriving community feeling. It feels sad and ugly here, if I only knew where to go to see the beauty of smiling faces and pretty surroundings and happy normal families laughing and playing on the beach. Can anybody offer any input? It's like things aren't moving at a happy normal pace, something is wrong. Help! Somebody show me the light, I don't have the option of staying in Georgia which is where I have lived mostly all of my life (my kids have lived there always) due to a work relocation. But we were perfectly happy in our town and had everything going for us, my kids were succeeding socially, athletically, academically and in everyway, I just became vested in a government position with the county that we will be moving from.

[riveree]

So you were happy in Georgia, but you had to leave Georgia for a work relocation, and you are where now? Can you leave your job for a new job in NorthEast Florida?

We have beautiful beaches here, but living at the beach can be pricey, so people often live inland a bit and drive out to the beach.

Maybe you can clarify a bit what kind of feedback you are looking for...pose some questions for us?

[SlickP]

I don't understand what the poster is asking?

[WitchDoctor]

I've been trying to understand how the OP is "vested" in a county job in Ga and is being transferred to Fl. If everything was so perfect in Ga (and it sounds like it is) I'd decline the transfer and stay where I'm happy. Someone is going to have to fill the position that is being left behind.

[HParr]

Thanks for your responses. My husband took a job in Jacksonville. I am still working for our county in Georgia. The kids and I want to stay there, not here. I sure am hoping for words of encouragement from someone, anyone, this is terrifying.

[WitchDoctor]

Ahhh sorry. It never occurred to me that you both had good jobs. (I've never been in that situation.) I have nothing further to offer except my hopes that your family arrives at a peaceful solution to the awkward position you are in.

[technobarbie]

Originally Posted by HParr

Thanks for your responses. My husband took a job in Jacksonville. I am still working for our county in Georgia. The kids and I want to stay there, not here. I sure am hoping for words of encouragement from someone, anyone, this is terrifying.

I moved in-an-out of several states, but unlike you, I did this by myself and many times without having any family in the area. I can tell you that anticipation of the unknown is worse than actually doing it - especially if this is your first time. That's probably what your going through right now.

Moving to a different state builds character and a more rounded viewpoint of people in general. Once you get the move out of the way, you'll have months of adventures discovering new places and things to do. Your not moving to a place that has a large weather or culture difference. If you were moving to NYC that is a different story.

You'll look back on the experience, and think how silly it was to worry instead of enjoying the ride.

Outside of this, the best advice I can give you is rent for the first year, especially since your not familiar with the area. I see people making this critical mistake all the time. Several apartments also have three and six months leases. Renting sucks but you'll be thankful you did it. Renting also makes it less stressful, rather than trying to buy a house at the same time.

Oh and if you have the money buy a GPS.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by HParr

Thanks for your responses. My husband took a job in Jacksonville. I am still working for our county in Georgia. The kids and I want to stay there, not here. I sure am hoping for words of encouragement from someone, anyone, this is terrifying.

"There not here"? Which is "there", Georgia?

Assuming you meant you want to stay in Georgia, the only consolation I can offer is that NEFL and Georgia are not all that different !

If you were moving from the Midwest, you'd be in for some major changes, but you're only looking to move from "next door", so the climate, culture, etc., is not going to be vastly different than what you're used to. Jax is a typical Southern city .

[HParr]

Wow! technobarbie and riveree you are wonderful. I could talk to you both forever. I'm back home in Georgia today, we got back home last night from Spring Break down there in St. John's County. I woke up this morning and felt like I was having some kind of anxiety attack or something, I thought to myself, what in the world is the best thing for my kids. I so love it here in Georgia with all of my immediate family living nearby, we have a beautiful home, my kids are so happy, I have a stable job, but my husband is there in Florida and I just want for us all to be together, we have our ups and downs, but I definitely feel better when we are all together, I just feel like a fish out of water down there and like nothing will ever feel at home to me, I am actually scared out of my mind. I can't figure out what I should do. My husband just wants for me to get the house here ready and on the market and as soon as schools out move down there to the condo that we are renting right now. I just want to stay here forever. How can I ever grow? Will this not be a good move for my kids? Will this mess them up for life since I'm taking them from all of there friends and family? My kids are my absolute life and I love them with every ounce of my soul, they are the most precious, awesom kids that I've ever known, I can't ruin this awesome life that we've set up for them. My daughter is doing so awesome in high school, my son plays on multiple sports teams and is close with his coaches and team mates. Lord help me find peace and help me make the right choices and get a grip! What kind of mother finds herself this terrified to death? I feel like I'm going to crack up over this and that really scares me to death because I am my kids everything up here in Georgia. I find myself short of breath just talking about it. Is there any chance that you guys can calm me down and help me through this? Lord I"m looking for a miracle at this point. And did you catch my user id, I chose HParr, Helen Parr is the mother in the Incredibles, I'm hoping that I can become Mrs. Incredible through all of this somehow! Ha! I guess that at my age of 40 something I've got to grow up or something, it must sound very immature for me to have all of these insecure, unsure feelings. Help! I'm sure that you all must think that I've gone nuts already! I"m thankful for any advice that I can get, who knows you all may help me, one person through the most challenging time in my entire life, wouldn't that be something?!

[HParr]

In my last response I noticed that I spelled "there" incorrectly it should have been "their" and I spelled "awesom" and left the "e" off the end of that word, I can spell, I just got carried away pouring out my soul.