We finally locked in our D7 visa appointment for April 15th in San Francisco — and then, before we could even finish celebrating, our realtor called with an offer on the house. This might actually be happening.
Update: But wait!… Disaster strikes.

Six months without retirement pay, enough paperwork to fill a small suitcase, unexpected costs, our home country fumbling with the chaos of war — and we're still going. Here's where we are on our journey to Portugal.

Traveling from Seattle to Rochester reminded us that social media still holds the power to reconnect lives and rekindle old friendships in meaningful ways. Yet using it well takes intention — choosing connection over noise while preparing for a life that will soon stretch across oceans.

We don’t know exactly when we’re leaving, when the paperwork will clear, or even where we’ll technically “belong” for a while — but we do know the kind of life and friendships we’re chasing on the other side of the uncertainty. Moving countries isn’t just about visas and logistics; it’s about navigating shifting relationships, unpredictable timelines, and finding the courage to rebuild community from the ground up.

Preparing to move to Portugal hasn’t looked like cafés and coastlines — it’s looked like crawl spaces, inspection reports, and five trips to Home Depot in one day. It’s hard work, but it’s also proof that big life changes aren’t impossible, just demanding.

What looks like a dream move to Portugal is actually built on scraped knuckles, hard choices, and a lot of letting go. We’re selling two homes, shedding decades of stuff, and walking toward a better-aligned life—together.