We started dreaming back in 2016, it seemed so far away in time, almost unreachable. Would 2023, get here fast enough? Both of us in our 50’s… we knew there was more to life and were coming to a crossroad and preparing for changes. We were going through the grind day in and day out, both working long hours (some 12-14hr days), running the child to school, practices, band concerts, and trying to have family time.
My health kept me in check and there were days, I was scared out of my mind wondering if I would wake up. After a frightening episode in 2015, I had to do some serious soul searching. I realized that I wanted to be walking through Lamar Valley in Yellowstone, with our grandkids, when I was 94. So, I took my health into my own hands and made some drastic changes. It seemed my body didn’t like being de-hydrated, and would let me know it from time to time. I had a few things to work on:
*1- I was ‘alot’ overweight (about 276lbs, and 5’7″), and stage 3 liver disease.
*2- I had developed an intermittent heart problem while pregnant with Kaitlyn.
*3- I have fought debilitating migraines since I was 16.
Fast forward to summer of 2019, we bought our first trailer (the Komfort). We took a two week adventure to our happy places (Wyoming and Montana) and the day we came home, I knew I had to begin my journey. August 2019-December 2019, I lost 50lbs. By March 2020, 77lbs.
March 2020: Covid-19 hit the world, everyone stopped and re-evaluated what was important. I was already on that mission. We, like every other family in this world, secluded ourselves in hopes of stopping the virus in it’s track. It didn’t work. To maintain our sanity, we adventured out on a quick trip to visit my in-laws, for 4 days, completely sequestered in our self contained travel trailer, masked up and germ-x happy. That trip lasted six weeks, and the decision was made. It was time to reassess our priorities and get on with living.
September 2020: the ugly “C”, took my mother in-law, our beloved Gamma, after a long battle with a rare respiratory disease. We were notified in a parking lot of the hospital, grieving in front of the world. THAT moment will haunt us forever. It was horrible and no family should ever have to experience that pain. It stopped our family in our tracks. How do you not hug your Dad, when he’s lost the love of his life? You hug him anyways!
After our mandatory quarantine, the plan started developing. What was our exit strategy to get out of the rat race and live how we wanted, while we could? We were all working from home, or going to school online, we had the opportunity to see that remote school and work, actually was doable. We always knew that education happened everywhere and not just stuck in a desk memorizing what adaptation or edition of history this school district wanted taught, or what common core math could make a mom drink(!!) trying to explain something even she didn’t get (2+1=3).
Spring 2021, it was on!!! We quit our jobs, and jumped into prepping the house to sell it and go live our dream. Painting a 3200 sq. ft. home by yourself takes time… and energy (Kevin was a trooper!). It sold within a week, and we found ourselves thrust into “oh my God, it’s really happening”! How do you downsize a 3200 sq. ft. home, to a 150 sq. ft. travel trailer, and not lose your mind? We upgraded from the 2003 Komfort, to a 2017 Grand Design 3150bh, that had barely been used and was spotless, but no matter how much we tried to sell and downsize, we still have things in storage. (really WHO CARES? We are living the dream!) Life waits for no one, so we threw everything left in storage and hit the road.
Today, November 9, 2021, finds me 134lbs lighter, and half my old self. The picture below was taken in August, near Cooke City, Montana, after having climbed and hung off a cliff on top of the Beartooth Highway (no way, could I have done that 5, 3 or even 2yrs ago).
Today, we are traveling, enjoying family time, simple things like making Kaitlyn a hot breakfast, or helping her with school work, and seeing new places, learning new things daily. Kevin has become an expert on driving a 60 foot rig, backing up into a spot without losing his mind, and the edit king! I never knew what a FIRE ANT was til one found me a few days ago (holy cow! ouch *&%!!)… onward!
Follow along on our current adventures on all of our social medias. Dawn
