New Horizons - And Why I Have Been So Quiet
The year I quit drinking, I decided I was going to drive up to Lookout Mountain and welcome the first sun of the year. I wanted to start the year on a positive note. I'm a firm believer you get back what you put out there, good or bad. New Years was never really my favorite holiday anyway. Overpriced booze and disappointing memories were most of how my New Years' Eve's were spent if I wasn't slinging drinks behind the bar watching my friends and customers get sloshed. This new tradition has quickly become one of my favorites (other than when the alarm clock goes off, but coffee cures that).
2013 the start of a new tradition. Selfies are not our strong suit.
In 2017 on Lucy wanted to get up with me.
We aren’t smurfs, but my cell phone camera was not the best 2014.
And so this year, Jace, Sienna and I (Xander is officially a teenager and opted to sleep in) went up to our place an welcomed the sun of 2020 coming up over the horizon of Colorado's eastern plains, taking in the view of the horizon we've seen for the last eight years. As we soak in the new sun of the year shine on upon our faces and warms the mountainside, it's a little different this year. It's a little bittersweet. After calling Colorado our homes for our entires lives (that's right, we are both natives), it looks to be that we are now looking at a new physical location for our homes. Jace has been offered a job in New Zealand, and he has accepted.
2020’s sunrise brought the most beautiful colors we have seen yet. Thank you Colorado for this gift.
What’s funny is that in October, both of us were feeling run down. He, from his job, me from mine and balancing careers and family life was much more challenging than we ever anticipated. One night I said, "What if we just sold all of this? Sold our house, all the stuff, and moved to a different country and simplified our lives." "Sounds good to me!" Jace said. We laughed, as being pseudo responsible adults with children, this wasn't an option. Be careful with what you put out there; it might very well come back to you.
I’m 100% sure that Sienna’s thoughts are, “Just because you quit drinking, I’m not sure why we have to suffer.”
At this point, though, it's not 100%. As many of you know, Jace was born with a congenital heart defect, and because New Zealand has public health care system, they need to make sure all the immigrants are healthy. We are working with an immigration specialist with Jace's job to make sure we can get in. If the visas are accepted, we will be starting to move our lives across the world. The answer could take as long as late April 2020.
2020, the year Jace actually took a photo too.
What does this mean for Colorado Kate? Well, I'll always be Colorado Kate, no matter where I am. Clearly, for the time being, I will not be taking any additional wedding clients in Colorado for 2020, unless flying me out to your wedding is an option I'm there. In case you want to ditch your Colorado wedding and elope in New Zealand, I am there for you!
In the meantime, you can look here for me documenting our possible move to a new country and what that involves. Will I drum up new business for weddings in New Zealand? I'm not sure as I have further research into what starting a new business in NZ will mean and the tax implication, but for now, I will use my blog and photography skills to take you on an adventure with my crazy crew. Next New Year, we just may be spending it in Gisborne, New Zealand, and watch the very first new year sun of the world on our new horizon.
Here's to 2020, remembering to put out in the world what you want back.
