The Who
We are a family of five. Me, the mom (36), my DH, Bill (36), and our three children: Jessica (10), Liam (8), and Kyla (7); along with our dog, Bandit –a farm dog: half German Shepherd, half Husky—and our cat, Dash –aka long-and-lanky.
The What
We will be moving into a 2010 Jayco Jayfeather quad bunkhouse for the immediate future. Fortunately, our little truck, a 2001 Dodge Dakota 4x4 (quad cab), can pull it. Are we crazy? Certifiable. Can we do it? Over three years of wanting to and a year of preparations says we can.
The Where
Mostly Denver, Colorado, because that is where DH works. We have student loans, car payments and the trailer to pay down. Following Dave Ramsey’s principles, we’ll be able to travel freely around the country in a couple years. But there are always short trips around the state and surrounding areas that we can visit!
The When
We are in the process of preparing the house for sale. Living in Keenesburg (a small farm town forty five minutes northeast of Denver) has been an experience we will always cherish. But my family and I are not high plains folks. We knew it from the start, but had our reasons for moving so far out of town. We love the mountains and are excited to be close to them once again (think Lakewood and Golden). So our target date is in July 2011. God willing.
The Why
As far back as I can remember adventure and travel were in my blood. My parents moved around often when I was young. We lived in the middle of the beautiful Arizona desert and in Payson, along the Mogollon Rim. My favorite house was the log cabin on top of a mountain with a pot-bellied stove for heat. Then moved to California for a year, to be close to my mom’s family, and finally, to Colorado. As pastors, we started new churches and assisted in others. We put down roots in Denver when I started eighth grade.
I joined the Navy during my senior year at Westminster High School and left for boot camp after graduation. There I met my future husband, Bill. He finished his schooling in Florida and New York. I went to Massachusetts and then down to Florida for mine. I had never been east of the Mississippi and it was very exciting.
I left for Spain before my DH finished school. So right before my second trip onto an aircraft carrier as a radioman (CTR), I flew to New York and met him there. After ten months of letters and phone calls, I figured we needed face time before getting married. “Hello, my name is Mellisa and we are getting married in a week!”
We spent our honeymoon visiting family in Colorado, Arizona and California (a road trip, of course). I left for Spain (in tears) and he flew to Hawaii. Though I travelled all over the Mediterranean, through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and into the Gulf of Oman, and also into Adriatic Sea –I missed him desperately.
All the sights I saw in Greece, Egypt, Italy, Israel, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates I wanted to share with him. Finally, I was able to get to Hawaii after nine months apart. Talk about paradise!
We lived there for almost five years. Still the longest I’ve ever been in one place besides Denver. Unfortunately, DH was a nuclear electrician on subs and spent most of his time on the boat travelling in circles to places I wasn’t allowed to know about –something about “need to know”.
DH, in his travels, was able to visit Japan, Guam, and other ports of call along the Pacific. All of this travel, of course, continually fueled our love of places and people.
We finally got to spend a whole year together under the same roof four years into our marriage. It was bliss. So much so that we decided the Navy life wasn’t for us and hot footed it back to Denver. DH spent all of his youth in the general vicinity of Arvada and Littleton (suburbs of Denver). He joined Civil Air Patrol in middle school and stayed with it until graduating high school. Always with the idea of living in the mountains at the back of his mind (think “Red Dawn”).
After moving around so much in the Navy, we naturally put it into practice as civilians -but quickly discovered that it gets expensive. A short stint in Arizona (where DS and DD #2 was born), we decided that the desert was for the birds (snow birds, that is) and consequently moved back.
We loved doing things together, so getting our bachelor’s degrees in tandem made sense. Not easy with three small children (not to mention, costly), but we muddled through. Three years later, we walked across the stage, proudly wearing our cap and gown with parents and children waving wildly in the crowd. Me, as a magazine writer and DH, as a freelance photojournalist.
The How
DH works for DOI. For right now, we are staying in Denver, Colorado to get stabilized and figure out where to go from there. I'm considering Clear Creek RV park for the winter and using State and local parks for the summer.
This move has been a long time coming. Though we may be called dreamers and absolutely bonkers for making this decision. It will be worth it. Since we home school (have for the last three years), the transition will be easier. The kids are over-the-moon excited about the move, though we are approaching it a little more pragmatically.
But above all, our heavenly father has blessed this move. Literally kicking us out the door. Because through him, all things are possible.
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