be open to expecting miracles, and you may end up living in paradise
SPAIN & PORTUGAL
The plan was to travel to Spain & Portugal in Feb 2016
Our work schedules wouldn't allow it
By May 2016, my husband Todd asked if I wanted to visit Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Meh, I wasn't thrilled
We'd vacationed in Punta Mita the previous year
(near Puerto Vallarta, but had not visited there)
But I said yes
The week we were to leave for Puerto Vallarta
I finished the book "Spirit Junkie"
The one thing I remembered about that book
be open to expecting miracles
LEAVING ON A JET PLANE?
The night before our flight to Puerto Vallarta,
I was deathly sick
Could hardly move
Todd tried to coax me into going anyway
"all you have to do is stand in line and you can sleep on the plane"
It took all my energy to walk ten feet to the bathroom
Every bone in my body ached - there was no way I could fly
Even with this pain, and the possibility of not being able to go on our trip at all
The thought crossed my mind - be open to expecting miracles
Maybe this was happening for a reason
I slept for 16 hours
And when I woke up, I felt pretty good
LET'S GO TO MEXICO!
We were only delayed one day
But due to the delay, our flight stopped in Houston
Due to the stop in Houston
We met Alan and James in line as we boarded the plane (miracle #1)
PUERTO VALLARTA
The first thing we did after arriving in the neighborhood of Old Town in PV
Was take a short walk to a restaurant, Cafe de Olla
We met a couple there from Tulsa, Jeanne and Tom (miracle #2)
And mentioned we'd been looking around the world
For a warmer place to move
To retire, or own a small business
Jeanne said "the ice cream and chocolate shops next door are for sale" (miracle #3)
we're obsessed with gourmet artisan ice cream and chocolate
(and these are the businesses we eventually purchase)
Puerto Vallarta is a charming traditional Mexican city
Amazing restaurants, culture, ocean & beach, activities, theatre, tours, botanical gardens We introduced our four new friends to each other
And had dinner with them all several times that week
Alan & James from Houston (the miracle #1 - met them boarding the plane in Houston because of the delay)
Tom and Jeanne from Tulsa (the miracle #2 - met them at the first restaurant in PV)
It felt like we'd known them forever, not just a few days
On the fourth vacation morning in PV
We were on the pool rooftop deck
I was in a Lord of the Dance Yoga Pose
The sun peeking over the mountain
The ocean was glimmering
The city was coming alive with roosters and city noise
In that moment I knew
I COULD LIVE HERE
Todd captured this photo of me during my AHA moment
And he also knew HE COULD LIVE HERE at the same moment (miracle #4)
be open to expecting miracles
After yoga we took a stroll
To the ice cream shop, Lix
(the one that Jeanne mentioned was for sale)
There was a sign on the front of the shop
"How'd you like to own a business in Mexico?"
YES!
We got the owner's information
Then we found a gorgeous historic Hacienda art gallery on the same street
Galleria Dante, where we met Claire the owner, and her daughter Gena (miracle #5)
who owns the restaurant upstairs - Di Vino Dante
Claire moved to PV from Canada thirty-four years ago
We spoke with Claire for what seemed like hours
She was friendly, informative and welcoming
And we told her we wanted to move to PV
I'm sure she'd heard that many times before
TIME TO GO HOME
We boarded the plane to Chicago with a heavy feeling in the pits of our stomachs
We didn't want to leave
Vallarta had changed us (miracle #6)
She seduced us with her beauty and charms
Introduced us to six important friends
Who already lived in PV or would move there soon
And provided us with two possible amazing biz's
By the time our flight landed in Chicago
All we could think about was how to get back to Vallarta
We decided to move there in six months
December 2016
DID THE FEELING LAST
The feeling of excitement to move to PV
Became stronger and deeper every day
Brought happy tears
Joy in our hearts
A tingling excitement
We did think about it logically at times
Logically it wasn't a good financial move
We both made good money
We didn't know if we'd get the businesses in PV
But we knew that we'd move there anyway
Something would work out
THE MIRACLES
Miracles?
Or was it a coincidence that I was sick and couldn't leave on our scheduled day?
Think about it,
If I didn't get sick
We wouldn't have met Alan and James
Nor Jeanne and Tom
We might have met Claire and Gena
We might have seen the 'for sale' sign on the door of the ice cream shop
Yet because I did get sick
And we did meet those 6 people
And learn about the business for sale from one of those people
Puerto Vallarta already felt like home
A welcoming home with people we knew
Sure we loved the weather, the ocean, the mountains, the restaurants, the theatre, the energy, the people
But the key was those 6 people
We knew we'd own a gourmet artisan chocolate and ice cream shop
We knew it was time to leave Chicago
We followed our hearts
And moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Six months later
December 2016
be open to expecting miracles
and you may end up living in Paradise
Have you had any experiences like this
Would love to hear your story
xo
Kathleen Naomi