Chipotle Shrimp Salad

Welllllllllll…………..

Today is my last Wednesday in Ontario, and in 3 more sleeps (which probably won’t be my best in terms of quality), I’ll be leaving for Vancouver. #HolyFreakingSmokes. Words can’t even begin to express how excited I am that this is finally happening. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that stomach has been in a constant state of flip flop since last week. We’re talking backflips and cartwheels for dayyyyyys.

Guys, cross-country moves are stressful! Those of you who have moved a bajillion times – especially those of you with kids – are probably thinking “girl, you have noooooo idea.” My last really big move was from my hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, over to the Middle East. I definitely didn’t appreciate it at the time, but looking back, I can only imagine how super stressed out my parents must have been in the process. Not only were we moving a whole family, but we were off to a foreign country with very different customs, laws, and a whole bunch of unknowns that we discovered as we went. My move out to Vancouver seems so minor in comparison, but in my own little brain, it’s been a lot to handle.

Over the course of the past 7 days, I’ve packed and re-packed the same suitcases at least 3 times. List after list after list has been made to remind myself of all the remaining to-dos. Bags of clothes and stuff I just can’t take with me have been donated to friends and to charities. My car has been packed up with plastic tubs of my stuff, unloaded into my mum’s car, and taken back to her house for storage (because my mum is awesome like that.) I’ve been Kijiji and Craigslist-ing furniture like crazy and lightening up my life in in all sorts of material ways, but my head is rammed with thoughts like…

“What am I forgetting?”

“Will I really use this when I’m out west or would it be cheaper to just buy a new one?”

“How can I pack this bag so that more fits inside?”

“Is all of this going to fit into the back of my car, under the cargo cover, and will it be less than the shipper’s weight allowance of 150lbs?”

“Have I printed off all of my flight info and do I have my passport?”

“Is the condo clean for the prospective new tenants that are coming to take a look this afternoon?”

“Have I remembered to send my change of address to everyone who sends me mail?”

“Are you SURE this bag isn’t going to be over 50lbs?”

“Did you remember to pack the Vitamix?”

“Who do I still need to say goodbye to/try to see before Saturday?”

“What can I make for dinner to use up x, y and z pantry items?”

“How the heck did I accumulate SO MUCH STUFF?!”

Are you tired yet? Because I am.

With all of the gears in my head turning at high speed, there’s no doubt that this is one of the most stressful times in my life so far. In fact, I can’t really remember a single thing I heard on the radio while driving to work for the past week because the noise in my head has been too loud. They say that making big life decisions can be scary and stressful, and that if you feel those things, then you’re doing it right. That’s how you know you’re growing.

The funny thing is that I’m not scared at all about the whole being in Vancouver bit. In fact, I can’t wait to board the plane on Saturday. It’s just the process leading up to it – the getting my stuff out there and tying up loose ends here in Ontario – that has my cortisol levels soaring through the roof.

It’s a wonder that I haven’t (knock on wood) been sick, been hit with a migraine, or experienced any other misfortunes as a result of having my mind in a million different places at once. But I think what’s keeping me going is the prospect of what it’s all going to be. Where my head will be at this time next week. What I’ll be thinking months and years from now when I look back on March 2015 and see it as the transition into a new season of life – a life I’ve been planning out so vividly in my head for the last 3 years.

There are SO many things I’m looking forward to doing, people I can’t wait to see, and adventures I can’t wait to have once I arrive. Meeting up with friends that I normally only get to talk to via FaceTime and email, spending more time outside, running along the sea wall, spending weekends at the beach, walking to work, getting settled into my new career, and exploring everything else BC has to offer. And the food. Oh the food.

This week’s featured recipe stars one of the tastiest things I’m looking forward to most, and that’s the unbelievably delicious, melt-in-your-mouth, super fresh seafood – specifically, shrimp. The weather is warming up, winter jackets are going away, and with that, it’s time for a new wave of salad inspiration. I’m starting now with this Chipotle Shrimp Salad, and if you’re a shrimp fan, I hope it brings just you just as many foodgasms as it has for me. 🙂

Alright, over to you! I’d love for you to tell me…

• What’s the most stressful move or other life change you’ve made? What or who helped you persevere?
• What’s your favourite way to enjoy shrimp?