Our 3-year Nomadiversary 2
Today we celebrate 3 years on the road…what started out as a 6-month adventure turned into a lifestyle. Not many know our whole story. So, I thought I’d take a moment and walk you through how we got here, especially in light of our current situation.
First off, we’re not one of those families
that knew this was the lifestyle they wanted, that decided to give it all up and hit the road, that planed out every detail leading up to the launch date, buying the right rig, having the right equipment, etc. Nope, it was more like, well, how I show up in life…Life hands me lemons and I don’t just make lemonade, I make pink lemonade cos’ I have my own way of doing things. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best way…it’s just my own unique way.
The Lemons…
The year prior to our launch was my 50th, my word for the year was Sea Change…profound release and transformation. A word that when it came to me I had no idea what it meant. That year I was laid off. Aside from financial stress, a deep family secret led to the darkest night of my soul. The year and a half that followed brought more challenges, PTSD, which led to the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. We were struggling to keep our ranch. We knew if things didn’t change, selling was our only option.
The Pink Lemonade…
My gypsy soul was ready for a change of pace, our rat-race lifestyle wasn’t serving us. We knew the market at the time favored sellers, not buyers so it was a good time to sell our home. Since Doug had been working remotely for many years now, and we had already decided to enroll Keagan into an online school there was nothing tying us down to having to purchase a home right away. We thought we’d lay low for a few months and wait out the market, before finding our next home. And that’s when the idea of Rving for a few months came to me. At the time I had no idea Fulltime Rving was a thing for families, I thought it was only for retirees and the wealthy.
Purchasing Gypsy Moon…
Once we had a buyer and things were moving along “Gypsy Moon” our first Travel Trailer came into our life. The idea of minimizing and living a more simpler life appealed to us, so that became our plan. Our first six months in the TT were exciting and challenging learning the dos and don’ts of it all. But soon we realized not only did the market not change in our favor, but we were really liking this lifestyle AND…we weren’t the only family out on the road. The way we saw it, we could go back to the grind of work and paying bills or we could work and pay bills on our own terms. Before we hardly ever could afford a vacation, now we get to “live” in new and exciting places while living the daily ins and outs of life. This lifestyle is different…it’s definitely not for everyone. But those of us with adventurous souls, who get bored of the same ‘ole, well it’s a perfect fit. We get to explore and see the world around us in a different way. And this lifestyle is a wonderful way to bring the family closer and that’s a good thing these days.
That’s when we had to make a choice…
get back into the grind or live life the way we wanted to…the latter won. We invested in a 5th wheel, “Luna Bella”. And a little after our 2nd Nomadiversary we went Solar. This allowed even more freedom and opened the whole new world of Boondocking. What that means, is we became self-sustained. Allowing us to stay on BLM and forest lands without the need to hook up. It gave us the freedom to explore and go where ever we felt called. For me being in nature is healing, and I need that.
Fast forward to today…
we have loved every minute of this lifestyle. We’ve embraced it all, the travels, the adventures, long drives, weather, even the brake downs, repairs, and unexpected surprise. No different than living in a stick and brick home, only this one is a lot more exciting. We have met other amazing families on their own adventures. Some were totally prepared for it all with all the hoopla and whistles, others just dabbed their feet in it and still held on to their homes. Some have been here on the road for years while others found out it wasn’t for them after a few months or a year. As for us, we can’t stand the thought of settling down, in a home or even staying put in a park. But as fate will have it, Doug was laid off of his job of 15yrs and has struggled to find steady work. My contributions are minimal. Leaving our future uncertain…but really can we ever be certain of our futures?
Family and friends, though they try to be supportive just don’t understand this lifestyle nor the benefits that come with it. They have strong opinions about our solution being to settle down in a site, or worse yet give up our home and move into an apartment. Not understanding that doing either of those would lead to needing even more finances. Having to pay for the rental of space, which now is free being we’re self-sustained. In the end…the choice is ours.
Ultimately life is an invitation…
It invites you to dream big, get creative, think outside the box and live the life YOU want not the life others think you should live. And yes, sometimes these choices bring a whole new set of challenges…especially when you don’t conform to the traditional way of living. But this is how we grow, we are meant to experience life, all of it good and bad, life isn’t perfect that’s for sure. The key is to surround yourself with people that empower you, that dream big, that challenge you to grow in ways you never thought you would and most important to stay true to your heart.
So today we celebrate…
in gratitude for the amazing life and adventures we’ve had thus far. For finding community and new friends. For choosing to make our own rules and experiencing life in all it’s colors. For gifting our son the experience of roadschooling and freedom. And most importantly for following our hearts and experiencing life in a way that lights us up. Thank you for following us, witnessing us, and for supporting me as an artist and coach!
Moonlight Musings…
What am I reading…it’s actually an audiobook Awaken you Inner Fire by HeatherAsh Amara
What am I listening to…Scorpio Streams of Longing Spotify playlist.
What is my current ARTual practice…watercolor! My favorite watercolor mentor rebooted one of her courses and added some juicy new techniques to try. Like Puff Balls, Cacti, and Moonglows.
What am I creating…Magick! Oh, and my first workshop, bookbinding with a twist!
What am I diffusing…My New Moon in Scorpio blend for this Wild Woman Project cycle “Streams of Longing”.
Cypress~ supports energetic flow.
Juniper Berry~ supports in dispelling fear.
Ylang Ylang~ helps us connect our heart and mind.