I'll start with FAQ's because I realize how confusing we've been lately...so I'll get the basics out of the way.
Where are you?
Ha! Sounds hilarious to type that...but it's a common question I get these days. Are you done traveling for the year? Are you "home" now? WHERE is "home" now? All legitimate questions. We are indeed done with our big one-year adventure, and are back in Colorado. We did sell our previous home in Arvada and bought another home in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Wheat Ridge is one step closer to the city than we were before...only about 10 minutes from our Arvada community. We decided upon moving back that we wanted to shift gears a bit with a few things in mind. We wanted a smaller home, and we wanted our kids to be in a Montessori curriculum. Fortunately, all three boys got into the lottery at a wonderful Montessori charter school, near Wheat Ridge. And...we found a 4 bedroom...a wonderful fit for us. So, although we have swapped neighborhoods, we are able to see old friends and neighbors just the same and reconnect with our Colorado family.
I thought you were moving to Texas?
Aughh, yes...we did too for a minute! The last few months away, we felt so happy to be near our family in Texas...so we considered (actually agonized!) over whether we should live there...instead of moving back to Colorado. Since Owen was born, we've felt a tremendous amount of guilt about living away from family while raising kids...and this was an opportunity for us to figure out whether Texas could be home again for us as a family. So, we test-drove it...we explored many areas as possibilities to settle down, and we spent time hanging out with the people there we love so much. We almost bought a house in Austin...we almost bought some land and built a farmhouse...we almost lived in Denton. But ultimately, we came back to Colorado to sell our Arvada home and instantly realized that Colorado has become a huge part of who we are now...and has always been a gift we've wanted to give our kids. The appreciation for nature, the mountains, the outdoor activities...all that Colorado stands for...we want it for our kids. It took us a few days to finally say it out loud...but Colorado is our home away from home...and we decided to stay here, but committed to visiting family a lot more often to stay connected. One thing we re-learned when we were in Texas is how important our family is to us...how wonderful they truly are and how much we want them in our kids' lives. So...both are important and we will try and make both a huge part of our lives forever.
What about the house in Denton?
We own the little house in Denton still, and it's being rented for two years. Our plan is to keep it as a rental property for a long time.
Do you still have the Airstream?
Unfortunately, no. We sold it a few weeks ago to a lovely family in Boulder. They are enjoying it very much on their land (we've gotten several pics of them having morning coffee and evening cocktails in it), and plan to rent it out on Airbnb and use it as a family camper. We couldn't have handed it off to better people! Instead, we bought a pop-up camper for regular family camping trips. So far, it's been the perfect fit.
Where is Macy?
She is back in Colorado with us...despite my mom's best efforts to keep her on the ranch! ;) She is struggling a bit...getting old (12) and now has Addison's Disease, but we are managing and trying to keep her comfy.
Kipper's job?
Same. Still at NREL, going into the office three days a week now, and working from home the other two.
School?
The boys all go to Compass Montessori at the Wheat Ridge and Golden campuses...including Sawyer! He started preschool there, and he loves it (most days). The switch to Montessori has been a seamless progression for them from homeschool. For so many reasons, we feel so content and relieved with this opportunity for them.
Now what?
Currently, we are working on making a few updates to our new home, but it's all coming together. I am still home full time and keeping Sawyer home with me some days to enjoy alone time with him. Eventually, I will ease back into working part time. I'm excited about the next phase of my career...but also grateful to not have to feel rushed into that decision in this moment. I hope to find something that fits my schedule and fulfills my passions by next year, after Sawyer turns four.
In retrospect?
This past year was a gift. We will never take one second of that opportunity for granted. To be honest, I didn't know exactly why we unplugged the way we did, when we made the decision to do so, but in hindsight, it was exactly what we needed. Our kids needed it. Our marriage needed it. And, as individuals, Kipper and I needed to spend some time on who we were becoming vs. who we wanted to be. It sort of felt like when you clean out your garage...you take it all out and put it in your driveway. Then, thoughtfully you put only back what you know you'll use and organize it in a different way. It's a fresh start. It's change, which is cleansing. It's hard to make a change to something when life is moving so quickly. So, for us, it was best to stop completely to change lanes the way we wanted to.
I call it a gift...and it was...but honestly, it was also a choice. I believe it's possible for anyone to unplug, and I recommend it. It doesn't have to be for a whole year, with your whole family, away from your life, but it is worth whatever sacrifice you have to make to get what you need. It wasn't easy; a financial planner wouldn't have recommended we do it; no one really understood why we felt the need to do it; and in many phases of it, we felt really vulnerable, scared, irresponsible and doubtful of the next steps...but something in our guts told us to move forward and we listened. As far as I know, we live one time...and I don't claim to know what happens next...but...I do now know that when you create a quiet space in your life, only good comes of it, and contentment follows. Perhaps it's daily prayer, or meditation or a weekly yoga class or a trip away for a year. I encourage it in any form that works for you. Don't over-think it, just sit quietly somewhere, sometime and let the clutter fall away so the fresh air can come in.
In retrospect, we are slowly putting things back "in." We are purging what wasn't working for us before, and cherishing what fits in the picture now. Ultimately, it's been about finding quality in our lives...and learning to really spend time on relationships, passions and goals. Now, as we merge back, we are trying to stay in the slow lane.
We have missed our wonderful friends in Colorado and having a blast reconnecting and hearing how everyone is doing...so if we haven't seen you yet, let's find a time to visit!
So for now, we're soaking up the BEAUTIFUL Fall weather and watching the leaves change. We just returned from a very cold camping trip in the new pop-up camper along Boreas Pass (between 285 & Breckenridge). It snowed on us, so we came home early...but the drive there and back was breathtaking.
For Kipper's birthday, we headed to Utah, hoping for some warm weather for another camping weekend...and we were gifted with the most beautiful Fall desert weather. We biked and hiked and soaked up the sun. We even did a little four-wheel trail in the Landcruiser. Moab is Kipper's happy place, so I was so glad to be there on his birthday. Bodhi was sick one night, but he was such a trooper and it didn't stop him from wanting to hike the next day. We had some yummy dinners around the campfire and made s'mores for the birthday dessert. If you haven't been to Moab, book your trip people! It's a must-see. xoxo
