Big news! We’re extending our time in the UK! 

Our original assignment ended at the close of Dec 2017 but as we contemplated returning home we felt peaceful about staying (there’s plenty more for Andrew to do here work-wise and we like living in Poole) and honestly we just haven’t traveled enough for our liking! Our current plan is to stay through next fall. Andrew’s new contract ends in fall 2018 but we’re not sure exactly when we’ll be headed back to America the beautiful as we could opt to come home earlier or stay longer.

Right about the time we decided to stay our landlords informed us they were ending our lease as they decided to move back in.

It was a long process to find a new apartment as there wasn’t much available this fall that really got us excited.

The positive was that this time round we were better prepared for the task of apartment hunting. We knew most places are anti-dog and only want a six month lease. We did find a place in the historic part of Poole that we loved and even put down a deposit on it but the landlord backed out at the last minute! So we were back to square one 🙁 We considered a place in Bournemouth that was an estate house that had been converted into apartments: the tall ceilings were to die for and the updated kitchen was a dream, but our gut said ‘no, stay in Poole’. After lots of prayer and heartache, we settled on a place that is only a 15 minute walk from our previous abode, one that we had originally decided against.

Our lease ended on Nov 15th. There was a small problem with that date: we were leaving for France on November 11th, a trip that had been booked months in advance. Luckily we were able to get everything approved, checked, signed-off and rubber-stamped by Wednesday, 8 Nov so we could move in the day before we left for France. 

Goodbye, sweet home

 

Our last day in the apartment/terrace house. We were having fun and saying goodbye to our closet under the stairs aka Harry Potter closet and our kitchen (US flag). Note Andrew’s blue steel.

 

Our new place is north of the boating lake in Poole, which is north of Parkstone Bay and east of the quay (see map below). It’s a three bedroom apartment with a view of the lake and a nice outdoor seating area. The building used to be a 9 room bed and breakfast before the owner converted it into apartments, one on each floor.

 

Our new casa- front, back porch with view of the little lake and kitchen/living/dining. We are on the second floor. 

 

Moving was hard emotionally. We loved our terrace house so much: the view could never be beat. There was a ton that went into moving to the UK and that apartment was our sanctuary when life felt overwhelming and/or scary =  adulting + a new country, figuring everything out + not knowing what you don’t know. Having a space that felt like home made that transition and the stressful days at the beginning easier. After reflection and some tears, I reframed the move as an opportunity to stay in the UK instead of the disruption and heartache of leaving a home we adored. Cheers to chapter 2 of our European adventure! #grateful #thankful #blessed #adventure!

Now to unpack!