It's been a long and exhausting few days, but we have finally experienced freedom from home ownership. Donetta and I are officially "homeless" and ready to travel the world to pursue our dreams.
I thought saying goodbye to our home would be difficult, but after 48 hours of living through moving hell, the only tears I shed were from the pain and suffering of loading trucks with shit I no longer cared about or wanted. Perspective is everything!
What I won't miss about home ownership.
I won't miss those annoying, yapping dogs next door, whom I've prayed would be taken by hungry hawks, for sure. Nor will I lose any more sleep while plotting the merciless killing of gophers that destroy our yard. Then there are the lazy neighbors who refuse to mow their lawns, and the constant stress of home repairs that chip away at my beer money. These are just a few reasons home ownership was exhausting – things I'm happy to finally say goodbye to!
But more than that, it's kept us from experiencing a robust and exciting life outside of Yukon, Oklahoma. So, closing on the house and signing off for the sale is such an AWESOME feeling!
It wasn't all bad on Hyacinth Hollow Drive.
While I celebrate the freedom from home ownership, our previous "home life" wasn't horrible either. Donetta and I had many laughs and shed many tears in that house.
We raised our kids there for 12 years and created so many awesome memories together. It's where Bandit joined our family and would spend the final days of his life. We survived tornadoes and earthquakes in that home. Overall, we were blessed to live on Hyacinth Hollow Drive.
They say home is where the heart is, but our hearts haven't been there for a while. We've wanted to leave for years. Now, we're finally able to close that chapter of our lives.
As I sit in my room at Staybridge Suites in Oklahoma City, it feels good to know that a new journey awaits.
Oklahoma will always be home.
Even though we no longer have a permanent place of residence, Oklahoma will always be considered home. Freedom from home ownership doesn't mean we have lost our roots.
While Oklahoma doesn't have the ocean or mountains or progressive culture we long for, it does have our kids, family, and friends we truly care about. There's a lot we love about this state, and we'll return every few months for a visit.
So what's next for us?
Many of our friends and family have asked us where we're going first or what our immediate plans are. The truth is, we don't really know right now. Our priority for the next several days is to recover from the move and have adult beverages by the pool. Beyond that, who knows?
We also have to get back to work because even though we made some money on our house, we definitely aren't independently wealthy. Plus, we have to wrap up loose ends in OKC before we can hit the open road.
Our goal is to officially leave on August 3rd, 2020, and go to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for a new business opportunity. Then we'll head north towards the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming for the first leg of our trip. But we're at the mercy of COVID-19 and the ever-changing rules of each state, so who knows what's in store for us.
Now that we've finally experienced freedom of home ownership and are living the dream in real time, you can expect more fun updates (or possibly horror stories) from the road. Our goal is to chronicle the entire experience so others who desire to travel full-time can learn from our adventures.
Either way, we will do our best to keep you entertained!
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