Big Things
One of my biggest blogging pet peeves is when someone says something like, “Something big is happening! But I can’t tell you what it is yet.”
THEN WHY DID YOU EVEN MENTION IT????
Ahem. I’m okay.
Anyway, something big is happening over here. And it’s been in the works for quite a while, but until everything was settled, I didn’t want to talk about it much (by which I mean at all).
We are moving to North Carolina.
Bart’s been accepted to Duke’s MBA program (a top ten program! What’s a blog for if not to brag about your smarty-pants spouse? No point at all), and so in a few weeks, we’ll pack up all our belongings and drive ourselves out to Durham, where we’ll spend the next (almost) two years.
Bart has wanted to do an MBA for nearly our entire marriage. Last year, he applied to BYU’s MBA program and was accepted and we came very close to going, but at the last minute, we decided we’d rather defer and have Bart try to get into a higher-ranked school if he could.
In the weeks before Ani was born, we spent a lot of nights working on his applications together. The day after we brought Ani home from the hospital, he flew to North Carolina to interview (I am so so grateful my mom was here). In April, Landen and Adam kept Ella for the weekend, and Bart, Ani, and I visited Durham for Blue Devil Weekend.
Until that weekend, I’d continued to have reservations about the MBA, but when we were there, I was completely sold. I’m thrilled about this new adventure for our family and for all the opportunities ahead for Bart.
He’ll be quitting his job and attending full-time, which means I’ll be the sole breadwinner over here. If you’ve noticed an uptick in sponsored posts over the last few months, that’s why. So we can buy groceries and possibly turn on the lights in our house until May of 2015.
We’re renting a little house (a house! You guys, I’m so so excited – I haven’t lived in a house since we sold ours back in 2009. The idea of having a garage is making me a little sick with excitement. Also a hall closet. I might possibly not have to store my vacuum in the pantry), and we haven’t seen it yet, so cross your fingers it turns out to be decent.
I’m ignoring the horrifying “boxing up our entire lives” and the heartbreaking “leaving all my friends in Austin” bits of the equation and just getting excited about a new chapter in our lives.
It’s pretty fun to move somewhere knowing exactly how long you’ll be there, since it really is encouraging to make the most of that time. I already have a very long spreadsheet of things I want to do while we live in North Carolina.
And of course, there is lots to look forward to after the MBA as well, including paying off mountains of debt (wait. . . I’m not really looking forward to that part), moving somewhere new (again!), buying a minivan (oh yes, I have no doubt I’ll be a minivan mom once we have three kids), and settling into a house (assuming we move somewhere that a normal person can purchase a house).
Also, I’m feeling happy that Duke’s color is blue, rather than the deeply unflattering burnt orange of UT-Austin.
YAY! I totally don't know you, but I did the "Whirlwind Weekend in Nashville" for your blog. We lived in Durham for two years while my husband did Duke Med, then we went to Vandy for an MBA for two years, and we just moved back to Durham last week for his last year of med school. I truly hope that we are in the same ward so I can actually meet you in person! I'm going to send you an email, look out for it!
How exciting! It sounds like a wonderful adventure for your family! Good luck, and I will happily continue reading sponsored posts knowing that you will not starve. 🙂
OK, I am so so excited for you! I have told Brad over and over that North Carolina would be an awesome place to live. I can't wait to see what adventures you'll have! And way to go, breadwinner!
That is so exciting! Congratulations!!
Congrats!! I live in Durham and love it! Can give you recommendations on things to do if you'd like 🙂
How exciting for you!!! Everything… the program, the HOUSE, and even getting sponsored posts is exciting. Haha. (Love the blog redesign, too!)
so exciting! congratulations to Bart!
I am so excited for you guys and can't wait to follow your adventure! (Big vague news is totally one of my pet peeves too) 😉
Congrats! That is such great news ~ Durham is an awesome place and I have no doubts you guys will love it. Make sure you come down to visit Charlotte!!!
As a Tar Heel, it pains me just a little bit to see you in that shirt. =) Congratulations & welcome to NC – I think you'll like it here!
how exciting… all of it! I hope you enjoy it and I hope you share pictures all the time of the beauty that North Carolina holds. My best friend lives there and I just fall in love every time I visit.
How fun! It's always exciting (and scary!) to begin a new chapter of life. We're mid-move ourselves right now. And by mid-move, I mean we left Florida and are in Utah on our way to California, where we hope to find a job. (Is it insane of us to move without having a job in place? We hope not!)
I can't wait to hear all about your fun adventures! And congratulations to Bart on getting accepted to such a great program!
Congratulations, that is exciting! North Carolina is beautiful. You've done a great job keeping the blog "real" while transitioning to more sponsored posts. Good luck with being the bread earner, your blog is great!
Oh my goodness, how exciting!! Congrats to Bart on his acceptance, and good luck with your move! 🙂
..and I totally hate when bloggers tease a "something big is coming up soon!" and it's like, why can't you just wait to tell us when it's ready to be announced? Or it ends up being something lame like, "surprise! I'm getting a hair cut!!!!" haha
How exciting! Congratulations for the move and your excellent attitude about it. You'll have such fun!
I have been reading your blog for a while and have never commented, but I just have to say, I live in North Carolina and I'm very excited for you! I love living here and I hope you will too. Duke has a beautiful campus. Congratulations!
Very exciting! I'm so happy for you 🙂
In the (unlikely) event I haven't yet expressed how excited I am you'll be a relatively short drive away, well, I am. Hooray!
(Also, it's possible our 3rd child will feel a little neglected in favor of the minivan we will surely get.)
Congrats! This is super exciting, although I'm sure you will miss Austin. Cheers to big moves this summer (you move East and I'll move West)!
I'm so excited for you guys! Our first MBA year went by really fast, I figure the second will be just as quick! Congrats to Bart (and you) for reaching such a great goal as Duke! Blue has always been my favorite color 🙂