We Moved to Asheville, NC! Home Tour & Catch Up

Sometimes It Ends up Different, and It Is Better That Way

As if this year wasn’t crazy enough, we moved to Asheville where we don’t know a single soul, lol. The truth is that I have re-written this post a handful of times. There is a lot to say on the topic of why we left, how we are doing, and what the future holds for us.

Back in March when COVID was shutting everything down, Mike’s hours were getting cut and traveling from Virginia to Maryland was restricted. My hours were still normal in Baltimore. As vendors, we weren’t allowed to use hospital PPE, so our team of 5 was given 2 N95 masks to wear for cases. Our manager told us to choose wisely who received them (lol), and I was lucky to receive one. That also meant that I was covering all suspected and COVID + cases.

Oh, Baltimore

I was in Baltimore to learn all things trauma surgery, so I was happy to be in cases, but COVID definitely made things weird. I had to come back to the hospital after 8pm to restock trays every night. They looked at reps like the plague because they knew we were in-and-out of multiple hospitals every day, lol.

If you know anything about downtown Baltimore, you know it isn’t a place you want to be walking around after dark as a female. Especially while crime was spiking and the sole entrance to Shock was a solid 15 minute walk from the employee garage. My plan was to cruise through the next 6 months, come back to VB, and have my own piece of the territory as a rep.

In reality, there was no option to “cruise” through the next 6 months. I loved my job as a trauma sales associate, but there were plenty of struggles behind the scenes. Still, there is no feeling like putting on lead, walking in the OR, owning the room, and directing every step of the case.

Troubleshooting a missed targeted interlock on a 36-week pregnant woman with active contractions, OB waiting for you to finish the case so they can c-section in the OR. Without breaking a sweat. I had finally reached that level of “not gonna sh*t my pants.”

The End Goal

For 8 months in Baltimore, I woke up every day and thought about the end goal: Moving back home to Virginia Beach to be with my family and Mike.

The thought of moving home got me through 20-hour days, frustrating surgeries, downright verbal abuse and thrown instruments from surgeons. I didn’t care what people said or how they treated me because I was there for a purpose. I wasn’t giving up until my time was served.

Texas or Asheville

Mike was frustrated (rightfully so) about the cut hours, travel situation, and worrying about my safety. He started applying to jobs all over the place. I had no idea he was applying all over the country until he got an interview in Asheville, but I distinctly remember him telling me. I said something like “oh yeah right, volumes will come back up and I’ll move home after this associateship or sooner if I can get transferred”. You’re joking if you think I’ll move to Asheville!

Yikes, bad wife, right? Then he said, it isn’t a matter of if we are moving, it is where. So, texas or asheville?

Forward Thinking

Mike is always thinking about our future. It is something I respect so much about him. Whereas I am guilty of thinking about the here and now.

The truth is that I didn’t want to go to Asheville, but I didn’t exactly want to be in Baltimore either. My last day in Baltimore, I sat in the parking garage at MedStar and cried to my mom. I mean hyperventilated. Did I make an enormous mistake resigning from the associateship? I interviewed for 9 months to get this position, and millions of people are losing their jobs.

My dad and uncle willie drove up in June to move me out of my 500 sq. foot apartment. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so happy lol.

Everything Moved Quickly

It all moved quickly, or rather at true MG speed. 4 days after I came home from Baltimore, we put our Virginia Beach house on the market and drove down to Asheville. Within 24 hours on the market, we had 3 offers. While we were in Asheville, we ratified a contract on our new house.

Our Virginia Beach house closed in mid-July, while I had COVID. We moved into a hotel for 2 weeks. Then, we closed on our Asheville home the last week of July and moved in with my parents.

Since we closed in July, Mike has been spending every day working on the house in Asheville that he isn’t working in Norfolk. Finally, on Sunday, September 27th, I moved in to the Asheville house full-time. This is the first time in a year we have lived in our own house together full-time lol!

Saying “See You Later” To VB

Virginia Beach will always be my home, but I am happy to be starting this new chapter with Mike. He has always wanted a mountain home. I mean, I was thinking like a vacation home… But after a year of watching him stress over working nights, traveling to Baltimore, cook and clean for me….it is beyond time for him to have his dream.

After all, some of the best blessings are born out of situations we never even asked for.

In Virginia Beach, I watched Mike grow as a PA and serve as the Director of the Emergency Medicine Fellowship he had graduated from only 5 years prior. He introduced me to all of his incredible co-workers, and we will treasure those friendships forever. I’m so proud of him, and writing all of that out just makes me even more so!

My Career Future

In Asheville, I have interviewed with 2 medical device companies, and I still hold my Virginia real estate salesperson license. I am looking for the best opportunity, but I’m also enjoying my time spent acclimating to this new place.

Thank you for your prayers for us! It has been a wildly eventful year, but I know the very best is yet to come.

Video Tour on IGTV

To see the video tour including the unfinished basement, head to Instagram and follow along on Youtube!

Stay tuned for Sunday’s post. It will be more details of the house and neighborhood. 🙂

xx, Chels