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Audrey JoAnn | Content and Copy Writer

Compelling Copy for Female Founders

SO, LONG DALLAS

July 1, 2016

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Our cute townhouse!

After living in Dallas for two years and in Texas for nearly six—which blows my mind it’s been so long—it’s time to say goodbye. My boyfriend, John, and I are packing up our things, giving our dog a heavy dose of her car-anxiety medication, and taking a one-way road trip to Nashville in a couple weeks, and we are so ecstatic. Also, terrified. But mostly ecstatic.

John has worked as a mechanical engineer the last few years but last year decided to go back to school to get his graduate business degree from Vanderbilt. And me? Well, if you know me, you know Nashville is sort of my soul-city. I spent a summer there and fell madly in love with the people and the neighborhoods and the lifestyle. Oh, and skipping the whole long-distance thing to be together with my man and our dog all under one roof doesn’t hurt, either. Things have all somehow pieced themselves together, and before we knew it, we’re now two weeks from one long car ride with one big moving truck.

It’s been a trip getting to this point alone—John studying for his entrance exam last fall, applying to school, getting in, and together deciding, Yep, we are actually doing this; me frantically emailing every publication in Nashville seeing if they need writers or editors, having mini-meltdowns over where we’re going to live and how we are going to move two apartments into one; John attempting to calm me down; me calling him a hoarder (which may be a little aggressive, but the guy has STUFF) several too many times. Can you tell who the alarmist is in this relationship? This move is going to be swell, said the control-freak, clean-freak, plan-keeping-freak girlfriend. (By the way, I did end up getting a freelance gig copyediting and writing for the city’s magazine, so that helped things like my blood pressure.)

We’ve kept everything under wraps until now so both of us could respectfully tell our jobs we’re leaving, and the over-sharer part in me is so dang relieved to be getting it out there finally. Now, I can unabashedly ask anyone if they know someone who lives in Nashville, because I need friends and stuff—so, do you? (Seriously. No shame in my friend-hunting game.) I also like the feeling of having everything out in the open. No secrets, no dancing around topics at work. We’re leaving, and that’s that. Bye, Felicia.

While it’s refreshing and exhilarating to be so close to this major move, it’s also partially scary, a bit sad, and definitely intimidating. So, naturally, I had this idea that I want to document it, everything: I want to write down all the good, the bad, the exciting, and the annoying as two twenty-something kids who love each other uproot everything, make a trek a few states over, change careers, move in together, and make a home in Tennessee. It’s something I’ve tried to research, literally Googling “moving with boyfriend to new state where we know two people what to expect,” and as you might imagine, search results were not plentiful, certainly not helpful.

Why not blog about my own experiences, and get John in here from time to time for his counterpart male perspective? I mean, really, what could go wrong? As they say, moving is so fun! Except that no one says that. Stay tuned–and, Nashville, we’re comin’ for you!

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Unit 5!

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10 Comments in Life

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Comments

  1. Ann A says

    July 1, 2016 at 8:57 am

    So excited for you guys! And I can absolutely relate to the moving-in-with-boyfriend-severe-anxiety-but-so-excited feelings ?❤️❤️

    Reply
    • audrey swanson says

      July 1, 2016 at 9:08 am

      Hahahaha that is the perfect way to describe those feelings! Are you and TJ moving in?! Or did I miss that you already have… haha. Y’all should come to our going away thing at Community tomorrow if you’re available! Would love to see you before we leave!

      Reply
  2. Julie Brown says

    July 1, 2016 at 9:41 am

    Super excited to read this and see /hear the authenticity in the true drama of it all!!! And it IS what life is…an exciting adventure that will unveil grit, determination, dedication, hard work and FUN! I know John will do amazing in his studies and you will find your peace of Nashville that keeps you unfolding in your unique way! Love you both!!

    Reply
    • audrey swanson says

      July 1, 2016 at 10:06 am

      It will definitely be an adventure, that’s for sure! Thanks for your support, mom! Love you. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kimberly says

    July 1, 2016 at 9:48 am

    Nashville has an incredibly active community on MeetUp.com It’s an easy way to meet people and fill voids in your social life until you make a close group of friends. Also, follow any and every venue on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram because they’re always posting private shows, impromptu parties, and acoustic gigs last minute. Good luck on the move!

    Reply
    • audrey swanson says

      July 1, 2016 at 10:07 am

      Those are fantastic ideas–thank you!

      Reply
  4. Molly says

    July 1, 2016 at 7:41 pm

    SO THRILLED FOR YOU!! Love Nashville!! You’re going to do amazing things!!

    http://www.mollyonthemoveblog.com

    Reply
    • audrey swanson says

      July 4, 2016 at 11:17 am

      Thanks SO much, sweet lady!

      Reply
  5. Andrea M says

    July 2, 2016 at 6:46 pm

    Congratulations! So exciting and good luck!

    Reply
    • audrey swanson says

      July 4, 2016 at 11:16 am

      Thank you so, so much!

      Reply

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Welcome! I'm Audrey, and I adore connecting with female founders and telling their stories in a way that matters & lasts for years to come.

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audskelton

Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands without a bump. 👐🏼 Wallace, trying to figure out what we’re doing out of the house. 🤨

First family walk in the books! All of 10 minutes. 🤪 (Also, does anyone else notice the rainbow over Wally?... My heart. 🌈🥺)
1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & mos 1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & most rewarding week of my life. Babies’ sleep schedules, y’all. They are not for the faint of heart.

Wallace is hitting all his milestones, has learned the alphabet, and is picking up Latin. Just kidding. But he CAN poop 3 times in an hour and a half 😎, and he eats like a champ, is so strong that we prefer to tag team diaper changes for now, and makes the sweetest, cutest noises all day long. (And night.) Like even his cry is cute. 😩

One of my friends called this time the “wet weeks”: urine, breast milk, spit up, night sweats, tears, blood, more tears. It’s a lot, and it’s temporary. So even in the hard moments, we are reminding ourselves that the hardest things are often the best things. 

And this really has been the best thing.

So, so thankful for a hands-on husband who’s been so involved in everything... there’s something indescribable about watching your partner care for your child and step into a big, new role like this so gracefully. And we are thankful for ALL of the support, near and far (... mostly far), from our family and friends and coworkers. What a week... here’s to continuing to figure it all out together as a family. 😌
At 5 a.m. my water broke and at 3:44 p.m. our worl At 5 a.m. my water broke and at 3:44 p.m. our worlds and hearts were changed forever. Everything in between was a gritty, fast-moving tidal wave of emotion, pain, instinct, and a kind of love I never could’ve imagined.

Welcome, Wallace Ronal Skelton. 🤎 You kept us waiting until you decided, very quickly, you’d like to be here. I’m still in disbelief that you are ours. 

January 4, 2021 • 7 lbs 4 oz • 20.5 inches • Sweet as can be.
Well, this baby friend doesn’t exactly have our Well, this baby friend doesn’t exactly have our sense of punctuality which realllly threw me for a loop after thinking & saying for months that I was certain he/she would get here early. I’ve drank 3 boxes of raspberry leaf tea in 3 weeks, walked dozens of miles, eaten way too many dates, done hundreds of squats and bench step-ups... and now I’m surrendering. You come whenever you feel like it, little one. I’m comfy enough and can still sleep through the night (minus a bathroom break or two) so we will just keep on waiting and letting you teach us our first lesson of parenthood: PATIENCE. I knew I could always use some more of it. 😉 #40weekspregnant #pregnancy
scenes from our blissful, muddy, much-needed morni scenes from our blissful, muddy, much-needed morning hike. ☀️🍂 in a year that’s felt like 5, getting outside whenever we can has been my favorite way to reset. so thankful to live in such gorgeous surroundings!
our first and probably only christmas just us thre our first and probably only christmas just us three! quiet and simple and a little sad but mostly filled with hope and gratitude. hope yours is special in all the best ways. 🤍
the most freeing parenting advice i’ve heard so the most freeing parenting advice i’ve heard so far? (and i’ve gotten a lot this year!) our children NEED to see us to mess up. they need to see us walk through mistakes, fix our messes, apologize, learn, and readjust.

as someone who very much realizes i’m nowhere *near* perfect but is also terrified something i’ll do might mess my kid up for life... hearing this advice has stuck with me so profoundly. i think about it every day, especially as we get closer and closer to becoming parents.

we don’t need to get it right. in fact, we’re serving them better when we get it wrong AND course correct openly. when we can admit our faults and say we’ll do better next time.

i had a friend tell me a few months ago she apologizes to her baby all the time. she’ll say, “i’m sorry that i really don’t know what you need right now, but i’m learning... i’m sorry that you’re upset, let’s figure this out together.”

and i thought that was a beautiful way to own and lean into the truth that parenting isn’t having the answers all figured out—at all. it’s guessing and learning as you go and being able to be humble enough to apologize to your infant when you don’t get it right (and then your toddler, and then your kid, and then your teenager).

these next 18+ years are going to be an adventure, i can already tell. lots of mess-ups. lots of sorry’s. lots of goodness. 🤍

oh, and... can we all agree that the worst parenting advice is “sleep when the baby sleeps”?! as the lightest sleeper ever, i don’t need that pressure in my life. 😅 

photo by @jilliangoulding
the body of the grinch but the heart of cindy lou the body of the grinch but the heart of cindy lou who. ♥️

(wrong holiday, i know—but let’s not pretend 90% of us don’t already have christmas stuff up already okay?)

however you’re celebrating & whoever you’re celebrating with today, i hope it’s special. happy thanksgiving, friend! 🦃🍂💛 #thanksgiving #35weekspregnant
simple joys today: 🍂a pecan praline almond mil simple joys today:

🍂a pecan praline almond milk misto in the @starbucks holiday cup.
🍂early monday morning grocery run with my husband for simple thanksgiving ingredients for our 2-person party (well, 3 technically i guess 😜) on thursday.
🍂cool mornings.
🍂fall colors.
🍂the charlie brown christmas album on repeat. (i honestly think this is my favorite album of all time. 😂 we even got it on vinyl this year. i listen to it from end of october through january every single year.)
🍂random fall-y at-home manicures.
🍂2 short weeks in a row.
🍂phone calls with family.
🍂baby hiccups, kicks, and rolls & starting to distinguish between knees, hands, and a booty sticking out of my stomach. 😂
🍂sleeping in.
🍂finishing up home projects. (y’all, WE FINISHED THE FLOORS. praise.)
🍂a clean home.
🍂daily walks & clean air.
🍂soaking in the joy of our last childless vacation/staycation.

so much to be grateful for. and this year it’s really the little things that are the big things. what are your simple joys you’re hanging on to right now?
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