We Are Moving Back To California

If you have been here for a while, you know we do not do things the easy way (I am the one that has done 4 moves across the country). I have a toddler, a husband in sports (if you know you know). And I am a wife and mother building a business from my kitchen.

About 7 months ago, an opportunity came up for Troy. A role at a college in Santa Clarita, California, where he will be coaching college basketball and stepping into an athletic director role to help grow a high school sports program. And I need to say this because I am so proud of him. Troy has such an incredible work ethic. He has been in the sports space his entire life. He even played college basketball. And if you know him, you know that this is what he was meant to do. He is so good at it. And finally, someone saw that. Someone saw his worth and his determination and said yes, we want you to help us grow this. As his wife, watching that happen for him has been one of the greatest joys.

But I also want to be really honest about why we said yes to this. Troy knows how much I miss my family. As a 35 year old woman, I still want to go to my mom and dad’s house, and feel like a little girl. I still love to be taken care of. I’m an emotional person, that matters to me. That is not something that goes away just because you become an adult and have your own family.

St. Pete is one of the most special places we have ever lived. We moved here when Olive was only 1. She is 3 now. So basically every single memory I have of her little years, happened here. In this city. At that beach. In our home. With the most incredible village of women around us that I would consider sisters. And aunts to my daughter (shoutout to my St Pete friends)

Leaving that is really hard. I am not going to sugarcoat it.

I also want to share something that I do not talk about a lot because it makes me uncomfortable, but you are my safe space so here we go. Troy and I have both been entrepreneurs these past 2 years. He has been in sales, I have been building my business. And while that has been beautiful in so many ways, there is something really grounding about having one steady, reliable income coming in while the other person gets to build and create and show up as a mom first. This role gives us that. And it’s not something I can explain. I feel like if you’re a parent, you get that.

There is something else I want to say because I know some of you are going through hard decisions of your own right now.

When we moved to Florida, we thought that was it. The forever place. The roots place. And it was not. And at first that felt like a failure. But over these 2 years here, I have done so much personal work. Healing my nervous system. Going deep into my skin healing journey. Sitting with things I had been running from for a long time.

And what I have learned is that no decision has to be final. Not one. When you release that weight, when you stop treating every big choice like it has to be permanent, everything gets so much lighter. Florida was not a mistake. Florida was exactly what we needed for our family. Or else there would have always been a WHAT IF.

And now it is time for the next chapter.

I am scared. I will not pretend otherwise. Starting over is hard. Sometimes I genuinely envy people who have lived in the same place for 10+ years because their roots run so deep. Ours are still growing. But I also know who I am. I am resilient. I have been through a lot. And every single time we have done this, something beautiful has come out the other side.

So here we go. California, we are coming back.

If you have a big decision sitting heavy on your chest right now, I just want you to hear this. Nothing has to be forever. Nothing has to be final. Give yourself permission to say yes, try it, and see what happens. That is how experiences are made. That is what this life is about.

If you can remember any big decisions, I want to know how you felt when you made them. and the good that came from them below : ) I could really use some inspiration right now.

Thank you for being here. Truly.

With love from St. Pete, one last time (ok now I’m sobbing)

Jazz