Last week, Jesse and I were supposed to record an episode telling more of our story, but he had to go out of town unexpectedly and was gone for almost the whole week. In this episode, we share more about that, why we don't function very well when he's gone, but why I'm happy he was able to make the trip.

We also talk about books we're reading (my book was one I almost didn't share about!), my new non-coffee healthy "mocha" I've been drinking in the mornings, and a special offer on my course, 15 Days to a Healthier You.

A question we have gotten asked over and over again in recent years -- and especially since we started sharing our story on the podcast! -- is, "Why did you move to Nashville?"

In this episode, we share what challenges led up to us considering moving to Nashville and why we ended up making the move. 

When I first started this podcast, I thought Jesse and I would just do one episode sharing part of our story. I never envisioned we'd spend 8 whole episodes on our story!! But it has been so good for us to take the time to recount our 16 years of marriage and share the highs and lows of our journey.

Thank you for listening in, sending such kind emails, and encouraging us to take the time to share our story. Your willingness to show up, show interest, and listen in has been a gift to us!

And now we can finally start doing topical episodes together! We're excited to dive into some of the topics you all have written in and suggested!

In This Episode:

[02:58] - I'm so happy Jesse is back home! He shares why he went out of town, why he was grateful he got to go, and I share how I have so much respect for all the single parents and parents who are often flying solo!

[04:37] - Jesse got some great reading in while he was traveling and he has a book update for us!

[06:18] - I chat about a book I finished last week -- which I almost didn't talk about because of the crass language. But I found it so fascinating that I had to share.

[08:37] - My current drink (and what’s saving my life!) is a mix of Dandy Blend and Morning Motivator.

[12:21] - If you’re ready to live a healthier life, check out my 15 Days to a Healthier You course! It’s half off during the month of April, so this is the perfect time to get started.

[13:01] - Jesse and I recap where we left off in our story the last time that we talked about it on the show.

[15:14] - We started asking for help and bringing on some business and personal help, which made such a difference.

[17:15] - I talk about how much MoneySavingMom.com exploded during this period, as well as a specific opportunity that gave us enough money to start looking at houses.

[20:13] - It was so thrilling to finally be able to buy a house with cash... and we thought it was going to be our "forever home."

[21:52] - But then, we began to take a hard look at our lifestyle and what we had worked so hard for. Was this what we really wanted?

[25:22] - Jesse was feeling antsy, burnt out, and exhausted and we knew it was time for a change. So we began praying about what that would look like. And Tennessee just kept coming to our minds.

[30:26] - It felt crazy, but we decided to take an 18-month leap of faith and try relocating to Tennessee and renting a house. To play it "safe", we didn't sell our house in Kansas so that we could easily move back if we decided that Tennessee wasn't a good fit. Well, that was five years ago. And we are so grateful to be here... even on the days when it's been a challenge and we've missed Kansas and our extended family. We know this is where we're supposed to be.

Links and Resources:

• Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
• Troublemaker by Leah Remini
• Dandy Blend
• Morning Motivator
• How to Earn Free Gift Cards with Swagbucks
• 15 Days to a Healthier You
• Say Goodbye to Survival Mode by Crystal Paine
• Crystal’s Favorite Things on Amazon
• CrystalPaine.com
• MoneySavingMom.com
• YourBloggingMentor.com
• Crystal’s Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)
• Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: [email protected]