Okay, here’s what happened.
It all started around October of 2010.
We had just paid a fortune to get the air conditioner fixed and I was feeling disgruntled about it. The kids had been squabbling a lot and seemed bored with everything. A mild sense of discontentment lurked in the corners of the house.
One day, while the kids were outside, digging in our boring old suburban back yard, I caught up on my blog reading. I came across Zach Aboard, a blog written by a homeschooling mom whose family lives on a catamaran. I read one of her typical posts about life on a boat – perhaps it was about collecting seashells and making candles out of them, or visiting a neighboring boat at the marina where they were moored, or maybe she just posted some pictures of a beautiful ocean sunset – but it struck a chord within me and I thought “I want to do that.”
I was bizarrely moved to tears, consumed with a deep longing that came out of nowhere. It filled me up and within a matter of hours I was trying to figure out what the heck was going on with me, why I suddenly was so dissatisfied with the life were were living. We just bought a sofa from Pottery Barn for crying out loud! That cost more than my first and second cars combined!
Eventually the longing resolved into a desire to give my kids more – more experiences, more adventures, more of everything.
Looking back, I can’t believe how quickly the vision for a new way of life took shape. By that evening, I was outlining an idea to my husband:
“Hey, how about selling our house and everything we own and traveling the country with our kids, giving them an education grounded in adventure and experience?”
I must have sounded completely off my rocker.
Or at the very least, in the throes of some estrogen induced breakdown.
Astonishingly, he took it pretty much in stride. That’s the benefit of seventeen years of marriage - he’s used to my crazypants ideas.
So that’s what we’re doing.
Selling everything we’ve spent our entire adult lives acquiring.
Leaving the only house our kids have ever known.
Going nomad.
It’s gonna be scary.
And awesome.
And that is the reason behind the garage sales and endless effing basement cleaning.
Tags: The Crazypants Idea
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:17 am
WOW, Deb!!!!!!!!!
That’s so incredibly awesome, so utterly excellent! The ONLY thing that would make this more awesome would be if you were getting on a catamaran and sailing to Australia. Maybe you could take the caravan you’ll be buying, put THAT on a catamaran, then caravan through Australia when you get here!! YEAH.
You know if you did that, I’d sell my house too, then go caravanning with you. I would, Deb.
I am so thrilled for you. Just happy to bits.
Helena´s last [type] ..done and doing
August 22nd, 2011 at 6:45 am
Oh wow! May I come visit you?? What an awesome, amazing adventure!
August 22nd, 2011 at 6:48 am
I still can’t believe that you kept that a secret for nearly one year! How is that possible? I would have been bursting from the seams.
You are simply amazing. And daring. And cool. And totally adequate to do this. I can not wait to read all about it. And to see you, when you come to Minnesota.
Kristy´s last [type] ..Vance
August 22nd, 2011 at 6:51 am
For reals???
A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!!!
The best things in life always start with a crazypants idea. I’ve had fantasies of the same kind of thing. You’ll have such an adventure. We’ll give you the full Cajun tour when you make it down this way.
Michelle´s last [type] ..Meet the Girls
August 22nd, 2011 at 7:22 am
Ok, I am overwhelmed at the idea but omg excited for you at the same time. And when your driving through my neck of the woods you have to park in my driveway and I will totally cook your family dinner. And you have to keep blogging!!! That is a big one. Maybe I can live vicariously through you, and stowaway when you come for dinner.
Marcie´s last [type] ..The Coming Months
August 22nd, 2011 at 7:30 am
So my guess of living in a yurt in Idaho wasn’t that far off!! Congratulations! My husband and I have dreamed about doing something like this. I am SO happy for you guys!
August 22nd, 2011 at 7:53 am
Ah that sounds AMAZING!!! You are brave! My own selfish concern – you will keep your laptop, right? So you can do blog posts? Because I must know what is happening on your grand adventure! Cannot wait to hear more.
hikooky´s last [type] ..together
August 22nd, 2011 at 7:55 am
I was only kidding about selling your house and moving into a SMALL space.
I don’t even know what to say!
GOOD LUCK!
Connie Weiss´s last [type] ..Friday Daydreamin’ : Day Out With Thomas
August 22nd, 2011 at 8:30 am
Hi! I think I am the guilty party you speak of above.
Someone told me to look over here. Your post made me smile and tear up as well. Making a change is such a powerful thing and kudos to you for recognizing that if you want something different you just need to commit to it. I hope to follow along with your adventures someday too.
Oh and check out my friend Wendy and her fabulous kiddos doing the RV thing here http://www.rvpuzzled.com/
Best of everything to you!
cindy´s last [type] ..gotta regatta
August 22nd, 2011 at 11:58 am
i have that dream too! but it wont be happening for us. so excited for you! hope you keep up your blog so we can follow your adventures.
Sarah´s last [type] ..quilted pillow
August 22nd, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Very exciting! You must blog and keep us updated. I can’t wait to hear of your travels.
Tressa´s last [type] ..Mt. Walker
August 22nd, 2011 at 2:19 pm
This makes total sense to me and I think it’s great. Hope you’ll keep up the blog on the road (or sea.)
April@M3RH´s last [type] ..Not Back to School Blog Hop: A Day in the Life
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:25 pm
Deb, I talked to my husband about your news last night. He had lots of questions, which I hope you answer! (I won’t tell them to you! I’ll let you decide what you want to share or not. Isn’t that kind of me?
)
Anyway, that turned into a long, “Maybe WE should travel around Australia next year” conversation. And we got excited, and I saw an Adventure on the horizon for us too!! Maybe not as Bold as selling everything, but you never know!
So, you are Officially an Inspiration. I’m so pleased I know you. (understatement!)
Helena´s last [type] ..done and doing
August 22nd, 2011 at 8:59 pm
HOLY CRAP!! That’s *huge*!! I’m excited and panicked for you all at the same time. What an amazing family adventure you will have together. I sure you you can blog and/or tweet about your travels. And make a stop in Northern MI. To knit, of course.
Kirsten is Comfortably Domestic´s last [type] ..Hooray for Megan! But, I’m Kind of Stunned…
August 22nd, 2011 at 11:11 pm
I totally guessed it!! Well, maybe not completely accurate, but i was totally in the ball park – even a little league one!!! This is so cool and I’ve have dreamed of doing it too. You know you have to blog and keep in touch right? I can already see a map on my home school room wall titled — Where in the country is Deb?! And of course, if you come near Winder, GA – you’ve got electric hook ups and showers. I might even bake cookies!
August 23rd, 2011 at 5:47 am
http://fulltimefamilies.com/gear/ftf-bookstore-2/how-to-hit-the-road/
August 23rd, 2011 at 7:10 am
I’ve had many such crazypants ideas! And I think it is absolutely fabulous that you are jumping into this adventure. How brave of your family to take on this experience of a lifetime. Best of luck and adventures!
August 23rd, 2011 at 4:49 pm
No Shit!!! That’s awesome. I hope it works out even BETTER than you plan! Are you coming to Chicago? Cuz we could MEET and eat PIZZA and have cheap wine together in my messy house.
Also, we kinda sorta have lots of educational crap for the kids, so that’s a bonus.
tracey´s last [type] ..I am SO Over..
August 23rd, 2011 at 5:09 pm
That is awesome! Where are you going first?
Applie´s last [type] ..Classification of Specimens
August 25th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Wow! I stop reading blogs for a week and look what happened. I am so envious! Look forward to lots of fun posts about traveling, etc.
Blessings
Diane
Diane´s last [type] ..Getting Back To Normal
August 25th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
I had to stop reading after a post or two last night but just jumped back on and read this to find out what you guys are doing. My husband and I have dreamed of doing this for years!! At this point in our kids lives we can’t do it (our daughter just started college and our son is a junior in high school) but we’ve decided we. will. do it. Once our youngest has graduated and they are both able to be self-sustainable – we are outta here! At least I say that now. Leaving my babies behind may turn out to be more than I could handle.
Donetta´s last [type] ..Creativity at its finest
September 10th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I’m just coming to the post now and have to say I’m super jealous! I love the idea of leaving it all behind and wandering around—though I do loooooove my home and my neighborhood, so I’m not sure we’ll get there. But, I cannot wait to hear about your adventures when you get going! I’ll live vicariously through you—and if you make it this way, please email!
Fairly Odd Mother´s last [type] ..Too old to play?
September 18th, 2011 at 6:46 am
omg i just caught up with the adventure.
f a n t a s t i c
you are all going to have such a time. we’ll follow your travels from over here, and best of luck!
grit´s last [type] ..Mid Autumn Festival