Well since getting home, our life has changed dramatically. Here I was assuming (I know, silly me), that we would come home and our crazy life would calm down for just a little bit.
I. Was. Wrong. (I really should stop thinking our lives will calm down each year. All it does is speed up and get crazier!) So what happened? Let me tell you:
Surprise!:
- Just before we left Glendale, I realized I was feeling a bit off. Yup, you guessed it – pregnant! Now, this was not a complete shock – Damon and I had been discussing adding to our family and felt the timing was right. I just didn’t expect that to happen while we were moving (that certainly made things more interesting). Unfortunately, this pregnancy was harder on my body this time around – I’ve been sick most of the time, which made chasing mini-man around so much harder.
A New Opportunity:
- Meanwhile, Damon was in a job that he liked but wasn’t passionate about. This lack of enthusiasm started to take a toll on our family. He hated being torn between our family and going to work when a new opportunity arose. A dream job that combined a lot of his passions. After his interview I saw my old, passionate Damon come back.
But Not Everything That Glitters is Gold:
- Just a few weeks into this new opportunity, we both realized this was not what we thought it was going to be. Damon was more stressed than ever – working more hours and having a longer commute was taking a toll on us as a couple, as a family, and on him as a professional.
But There’s Always a Silver Lining:
- After a few months, Damon and the new opportunity decided to part ways. I think everyone involved realized this just wasn’t a good fit. Now while this might seem scary, for us, it was truly a blessing in disguise. With me ready to pop at any time, we decided it was best for Damon to stay home with mini-man, me and our new arrival (when they came). And it has been amazing! I wasn’t sure it would work at first – Damon is a person who loves to keep busy and have projects. I was worried that he would get figety or bored, but he’s actually taken to staying home pretty well.
But Wait, There’s More!
- Of course the decision for both of us to stay home brings some financial concerns. If neither of us is working, then how will we live? How can we afford this? Well thanks to past Damon and Sharon, we are ok financially. As luck would have it, just as Damon was taking a break, our investment in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, started to rise. In a matter of weeks, our investment nearly tripled! That definitely takes the financial concerns down a notch.
A Perfect Storm of Events
- Now you have to admit, that is a lot for us to go through in just six months. However, it has culminated in our biggest decision to date. We love adventure and we love to travel – two passions that we want to pass on to our kids. This was a topic Damon and I were discussing a few weeks ago while we were out thrift shopping (one of our favorite activities). I casually mentioned an article I read about the ultimate road trip that takes about six months to do and covers all 48 contiguous United States. He was intrigued and I said I’d save the map and we’d go some day when the kids were older.
- But why wait? If not now, when? When is the right time to do anything? We always think that its at some point in the not too distant future. But before we know it, time has passed and opportunities have been missed. Why wait for adventure? Why not go now!
It’s Time to Hit the Road
- So, we’ve decided to hit the road – literally. We are searching for a trailer to fix up and start a new adventure.
As soon as the idea was in Damon’s head, he was off and running. He just seemed to know this was the right decision. Me? I have to admit, this was not an easy decision for me.
First off – traveling with two kids under three, are we nuts? I guess not:
- Many families do this
- We will have our house with us
- Since the kids are younger, they adapt very quickly to new surroundings.
Secondly – we can’t just leave our house (this is a big one for me). I consider this house the house I grew up in. I never had a childhood home. Here, I fell in love, got engaged, renovated, and gave birth to both my children. This is where I truly grew up and became the person I am. But after some discussions, Damon and I agreed:
- It’s time for something new
- It’s the perfect time to sell and use the money to travel
- We’ve done everything we can to this house
- When we’re done, we can get a different house
Lastly – what do I really want? This is conflicting for me. I was raised to believe that I wanted a life in the perfect house, in the perfect neighborhood, to raise the perfect family. I have this fear of being a bad mother for taking my kids away from this house. But then I realized, this house and this life was holding us all back from something truly great – adventure. Why work so hard to only experience our world, one week a year? Why not enjoy it now!?!
And if we fail, that’s ok. We can always come back and try something new. People never regret taking chances and going on adventures; they regret not taking those chances. I do not want to be one of those people who are retire and looking back regretting. I want to take this chance to see the world.
I hope you all will continue to follow our adventures and discover this beautiful country with us.
Heartswell Adventures 