Anna Stoddard, 34, decided to upgrade her family and move 5000 away from her American house to Spain – the mother revealed why she needed her ex to go with her and her husband
A mother decided to move 5000 miles away from her house, but made the daring decision to take both her husband and ex with her.
Anna Stoddard, 34, said she was desperate to leave the US because of the political climate and the increasing costs of living, so she decided that she would leave Arizona for Spain. The mother said that her husband Matt, 32, was completely on board, but feared that her plan would not work if she didn’t take her ex -partner with her. Anna feared that her move was a non-starter because she was her four children, 14, 11, 8 and 6 years old, co-parenting of her ex-husband Josh Stoddard, 40.
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New husband Matt suggested that she just asked Josh if he would be interested in coming to them for a new life in Valencia and he shocked them all by agreeing. The mixed family of seven is busy selling almost everything they have to move in the coming months.
Anna, a molecular technologist and writer from Mesa, Arizona, said: “A big part of it is that the political climate is a bit unstable in the US. We had started talking a bit about potential somewhere else.
“In April we received a report that the real estate tax and the insurance of homeowners went up again. It went up last year to hold $ 5,000 and went to $ 400 a month. We thought we should sell the house, so why not move?
“The idea of co-parenting from the other side of the world sounded miserable and I would never want to bring my children into the position not to see their father regularly. So I stuck out my ex-husband and I had something like:” How do you feel about moving to Europe? “
“I didn’t expect him to say yes, but the worst thing he could do is say no. He came back a few days later and said,” I think this would be really good for the children. “
Anna and Husband Matt, a software engineer, discovered that Spain encouraged them after the “slower pace of life” caught their attention by seeing research and others on social media who lived there.
Anna said: “The training is also better there. In Europe, food is more regulated and less processed. The school days are shorter. [the children] You don’t have to worry about shootings at school.
“I brought all this to my ex and he said,” Let me think about it, “he said,” Let’s do this “. In the first place we want our children to have a relationship with both parents.
Anna and her ex-husband continue to live and live separately, as they did in the US. She said, “Have commentators online said,” Do you all live in the same house? ” We will continue to live apart.
“I wish more people can think about what is best for their children and not being small to give their ex-partner what they want.” Anna has put her house on the market in the US and hopes it will sell “with a few months” so that they can move.
Anna’s ex -husband Josh said that his “first instinct was to say” no “when Anna asked him to join the family and move abroad. Josh said:” I was not really fond of the idea of leaving my family – parents and brothers and sisters – and going to another country where I could not easily visit them with their greats.
“But after a while to really consider it, I realized that it could be a very good experience for my children. I can honestly say that I like Matt and think that Anna has made a good choice with him.
“But the most important thing is that my children like. They only told me positive things about how he is with them and, including my own observations, he has always treated them well.”
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