Welcome to the expat forum, RebeccaWriter! We all seem to be zeroing in on the Chapala/Ajijic area.

As far as shipping things goes, it might be a good idea to put the things you think you might want to bring down eventually into storage, and only bring some things that will make you feel more at home, rent a furnished place for six months, and then decide what you want to do.

If you are planning on driving down, be sure to check out insurance and other restrictions, and learn something about problems with police, etc. for foreign drivers.