Well its all sinking in a bit more...mostly, kind of...not really.

So I have had a few hours to ponder and I am excited-ish, mostly, not, maybe...you know everything that a major change brings.

I know a lot of you are in shock, well, I am too. I have been trying to get a gig that pays more than I am making for a long time now...I'm kind of in a weird spot, cause I want to be a good parent to my kids and continue to write and work. etc. For whatever reason, I haven't been able to hook up a gig that I love that will pay well and still provide me some freedoms. I venture to say that I won't be that free in China, at least job wise, but the job is fun and I will be able to hire help to do the cleaning and stuff so I can devote time to writing and raising my kids while adventuring in a foreign land. When I come home, I hope to be able to move my life to the next level as a higher paid writer. I know that a move around the world seems converse to that, but there will be some trade offs that are (hopefully) gonna be worth it.

Part of me can't wait for the adventure, the smells, the foods, the experience and part of me is as scared, hurt and terrified as I have ever been. When you bring your whole family with you on a journey like this...well, its a lot to take on.

Big Diva's first response was "Can I buy shoes in China?" eeek. But I must say Big Diva has been the biggest, most excited cheerleader of all of us, my sis, Diva Dad and my mom are a close second. I'm the only one that is a little more trepidatious, but I'm the one making the big change in my life.

I know a lot of you are shocked and trust me so am I. I applied on a whim at the recommendation of a friend for a job being a creative, energetic, teacher who sings, acts and can teach a Disney styled curriculum in China as a SUMMER JOB!!!! Did you guys read that??? I applied for a Summer Job. My thinking: this would be a fun way for me and the kids to get out of dodge and enjoy a crazy summer abroad. When a recruiter ask me for some extra paperwork about three months ago, I totally blew them off. I figured it would be too expensive to transport the crew for what they were paying for only two months, so I sent a kind email back saying that I didn't think it was a good fit at this time, well a WEEK ago, I received another email asking me if I would reconsider, that my resume and experience seemed to really fit their needs. So I answered the questions and figured "hey, why not it won't hurt it is only two months" Then I got an email saying I was on a short list...and that IT WAS GOING TO BE FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. When a job I really wanted and was "this****" close to getting fell through (was given to the other candidate), I was crushed, and so I continued to answer the Disney Recruiter's emails, until, I started to think that this might be happening. Today, I had my interview and was told that there was no need for another interview, I was HIRED. The only problem they had was the job they had for me was in Beijing, not Shanghai. Well my sister convinced me that Beijing was actually better for us, because it was less populated, less polluted and probably a better fit for Big Diva, I said "yes" to the job.

Now there are a few unknowns still to sort out that may or may not make this deal a go. One of the reasons they wanted me so badly was because I worked for Disney before as a face character (Snow White, Cinderella etc.) I assured them, that I am NO LONGER, that person and I don't look AT ALL (not in any way shape or form...literally) like a Disney Princess and she assured me that she had seen my picture on my website (www.loriehope.com for the curious) and that this would not be a problem. The OTHER reason they hired me was because I ran a home daycare and had experience with young children, especially teaching an arts based education. So....here is the problem, since I ran my own business, I may have a problem getting a Visa for Beijing, they are going to try to get the Chinese government to accept it, but it may not work. So they have told me that I may be placed in a smaller Chinese city as a result. We are all hoping for Beijing and (Daycare Baby Moms, ie, close friends, I may need letters of reference from you.) So we will see if the Chinese government accepts my Visa documents.

I also have some pretty solid ideas about the worth of children and their place in the future of the planet, they really liked these ideologies.

But...I will be less reverent about all of it...I still think that this is MiniMall Disney English for kiddos, but I'm not going to be sanctimonious, its a good gig and a big adventure.

So...I was going to try and sublet my place and keep it, but I have been convinced and I mostly agree that my stuff is old, and a clean break for a full adventure is better than stressing about what I leave behind. I must say at this point this is the hardest of my decisions as I would really love to just come back home and not sell off everything I own...but what kind of adventurer would I be if I didn't really take the plunge.

But I have to say I have four little kids in my living room watching Phantom of the Opera (they wanted something scary) and they are enthralled, so I am introducing them to Andrew Lloyd Weber and opera and they are loving it and I'd be lying if I said, I wasn't going to miss this with all of my heart.

So, tonight 7 hours after I accepted a job half way around the world, I am exiting the numbness of shock and starting to piece together my new life...