Our journey began early July, 2016. We went to a nearby RV park, in-spite of the ridiculous Texas heat and rain, to try-out our new motorhome. Within the first half-hour Turk made a newbie mistake.  Randomly pushing buttons, he accidentally turned off the 12-volt switch which shut down all power to the coach, including our AC. 

Fortunately, our friends Tom and Karen had escorted us on this maiden voyage and were helping us find a way to get our A/C running again. As the temperature inside rose to a miserable level we all searched frantically for what had failed/blown/short-circuited. Finally, the guys resorted to reading the Owner’s Manual! 

Thirty-six months later, many big changes and many more lessons learned, and we are excitedly counting down the days until we move into our new home. No more living in an RV every day. Each day one of us will say, “You know what’s gonna’ be cool about the new house?  We can… Fill in the blank…. I often wonder if it’s our way of managing or our sadness over an imminent ending, or maybe it’s simply the giddiness of our anticipation. 

Knowing things will be new and unfamiliar once again I find myself pondering the times I didn’t want to be somewhere I was, or wanted desperately to be somewhere I couldn’t. A few times I thought, “Did I give up all of my precious stuff’ for this?” Whatever the circumstance were at the time I know I will miss this… life in our RV. I am full of gratitude for the amazing experiences, the wonderful people we’ve met (or gotten to know better) and the spectacular places we’ve seen. I will miss the places I’ve become lovingly familiar with. 

This time has made me prioritize what, and who, is most important in my life. I am inspired by the words of poet Caroline Randall Williams, “To keep what’s good, honor what was hard, and look to how we can do better moving forward.”  

Her words speak not only to my new adventure but to how we can all pause and reflect on this culminating year and apply what we’ve learned as we usher in a brand new year. Personally I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Instead I set goals about what I’d like to accomplish and how I want to feel along the way. 

This year I will focus on my next book and on the people I love. I want to feel grounded and welcoming. If you’re ever in my neighborhood in the afternoon, you’re always welcome to stop by for a visit and cocktails!

XO Donna