Our move to Newport Coast, California was 100% crucial for me to start healing my body and mind. My husband, Vel worked hard for us as a Test Engineer at Moog Inc in Gilbert, AZ. It was a very demanding job that often required him to work 60-70 hrs. per week. He was the lead test engineer, and his experience was invaluable to the company.
I am very proud of what he has accomplished in his career. He has worked on numerous space missions, satellites and shuttle launches. As a test engineer, he recently worked on part of the Artemis2 mission that is due to launch by the end of 2025. The mission will send a rover space vehicle to the moon to look for ice on the moon. My husband worked on the box that will control the rover. This project was the most grueling and most rewarding for him thus far.
Everything Has a Breaking Point...
But with that kind of work ethic and dedication it took, our marriage and private life suffered. I have spent decades trying to help him find balance and consider what the strain was doing to our marriage, our family dynamic and personally to me. I stayed home with our (2) daughters and later in our marriage, we got custody of my niece and nephew. The financial strain was great, but the reward of raising all four children into adulthood, graduate high school and then go to their universities and graduate with college degrees was a proud mama (auntie) and daddy (uncle) moments. All four adults are doing well in their lives which have made the sacrifice we had to make worth it. But our marriage has suffered for my husband putting his job and our children before our marriage. But we are working on us now!
My health has really spiraled in the last 5 years. The air quality in Arizona, is now worse than California. So many people are moving there, the housing market has skyrocketed, and many can't afford to buy homes anymore. A classic example as too much of a good thing. After experience too many asthma attacks due to the dusty, moldy air and lack of rain to wash the dust out of the air, my asthma and allergies made it impossible to stay there. I have been talking to and trying to convenience Vel to leave Arizona and relocate to Southern California for the last 5 yrs., but he was resistant, even though my health was failing. In his Test Engineering position, it is required he be in the office most of the time.
Figuring Out a Plan A, B and C:
We started looking at other jobs he could apply for in California. He made a considerable amount of money being the best at what he did. After seeing we would have to take a 50,000+ pay cut for jobs in California, we had to come up with a plan B. He would stay in Arizona, and I would go to California, and he would commute back and forth. Being apart though was not the solution, so we needed a plan C.
We prayed and asked God to make a way for Him to stay with his current employer at Moog and open the door for a position he could work remotely. We knew if this happen, it would be because God opened that door. Moog doesn't allow its workers to work remotely out of state. So Vel prayed about it one day and put his pride aside and humbly went before his boss and explained the situation. He had also left the position of lead test engineer and took a position as a senior software engineer to hopefully give him the best job option to work remotely. We were thankful, after some consulting and time went by, Moog agreed to let him work remotely from California.
Why Newport Coast?
So, this has led to me finally being able to breathe fresh ocean air, near the ocean, in Newport. Having the ability be outside every day, work on my diet and exercise daily without the stress I was going through in Arizona and being confined indoors, was a #gamechanger. No one knows what I endured all these years and the suffering and sacrifice that took place. But I am grateful the Lord saw it and eased my suffering by opening the door for us to relocate to California. Now I am fighting for my health and quality of life!
People who have never been to the Newport Beach & Newport Coast area, ask me what is so special about it. Words can't describe the beauty, the clean air, the views and the tranquility I feel here. My allergies clear right up within days of being here. I am at total peace, feel a lot calmer and less stressed out! The ability to be able to walk outside every day and walk to the grocery store etc... is everything. Before we came out here, I sold my car. I have no desire to drive in California. Driving is very stressful for me, and I do not have a sense of direction, so I get lost, even with GPS. So, I wanted to live in the Newport area because everything I need is either walkable or within a short Uber ride away.
Focusing On my Health:
So now that I have been here nearly a month, I am down 8 lbs. and haven't felt this good in many decades. I have a long journey ahead of me. My goal is to lose 75-80 lbs. But more importantly, I am also focusing on discovering what I want to do in the second half of my life for me. I am thankful, my husband is on board and help make it possible for us to be in California by speaking to his boss and I am equally thankful to Moog, for allowing it. God heard my cries and petition and only in His timing did it happen. There are no words to describe what this hidden gen of a city in the San Joaquin Hills look and feel like, but I hope these pictures give you some sense of it. This is Newport Coast, CA.
