8 Moments of Joy

What a year it has been…! Hello, hello dear friends and family; we are back into the swing of things since settling into the house and navigating what is truly a bizarre year across the board.

I hope all of you have been safe and healthy. It’s been a wild ride and I wish I could get off for just a moment to catch my breath. I’ve thought about this blog and The Freedom Adventure often over the last few months. To be honest, it’s one of the more ‘routine’ joys I’ve missed and wished to relish in as the days turned to weeks, then into months, during this pandemic.

Struggles & Stressors

Brian and I have struggled these last few months. As we sorted through our own range of emotions and stressors, we pushed ourselves to keep trying to see the bright side. We have been fortunate enough to remain working through this craziness, though our workload increased exponentially to incredibly intense levels. While many folks seemed to welcome some time off, we felt like we were suffocating. We still do, in some respects. I have spent much time telling myself that things could be worse. They really could.

My anxiety has been sky-high lately; not a whole lot of sleep, too much work, and the constant concern of humanity, in general. What happened to genuine kindness? What a mess this world is in.

I’m trying to focus on the joy. Re-shifting your energy when you are running low is a serious effort, but it’s worth it (I think?). It’s especially difficult as an introvert. My mind is constantly ticking and working out all sorts of scenarios. All I can do is keep working, keep trying, and keep looking up.

8 Moments of Joy in 8 Months of Crazy

Sometimes you need to see things in black and white to really visualize a concept or experience. When I felt down, I would try to counter my thought with a positive one…but I haven’t written down those moments of positivity until now.

Road Trippin’ in March

Before ‘life’ got locked down, Brian and I ventured out to Knoxville, TN to visit a good friend of ours. We had an absolute blast eating and drinking our way around town. He took us to some old stomping grounds and gave us a mini-tour of some properties he worked on…It definitely got Brian and me talking about some investment properties around the area! We cannot wait to go back.

Putting on the Finishing Touches in April

We have been diligently working on our townhouse since February. With Dad’s help (THANK YOU, DAD!), we rebuilt and painted our deck, painted our house, and repaired a few things. April 5th was the first meeting we had with our realtor. After taking care of the finishing touches and getting everything COVID-ready, our townhouse officially hit the market on April 29th. Our agent (and personal friend) was fantastic and did an excellent job. It was SO exciting to see our hard work come to life in pictures, video, AND MULTIPLE OFFERS! We received 5 offers in the first 48 hours!

Mother’s Day and Dad’s Birthday in May

As we carefully adjusted to the new COVID lifestyle, our family ensured social distancing and proper disinfecting so we could gather for a Mother’s Day feast, and later, a birthday rendezvous. Making memories is the ultimate joy. It felt really nice to have some normalcy in the home, even though the world outside was going nuts!

Ending a Chapter in June

The townhouse officially sold June 12th. After 5 offers and my own obsessive research, I accepted the very first offer…from a family starting out in this country. Brian and I had one last drink on the re-built deck and bid adieu to the home that housed my 20s, countless memories, a marriage, and a world of freedom. We ended that chapter to begin a new one. It’s where I lived and I am grateful. For me, I closed that chapter in my life, as well. Thank you, house, for letting me be me.

Taking a Dip in July

Luckily, our yearly family vacation was still on. The resort was operating with reduced amenities and at only 30% capacity. Masks were required in all public spaces, hand sanitizer stations were plentiful and located throughout the property, and the pools were closed at specific times for thorough cleanings. In this COVID world, we felt that they were doing what they could to ensure a safe, clean environment. It was GREAT! We LOVED how quiet it was. Family time was wonderful – we got to play Scrabble, Cards Against Humanity, and UNO! We hit the pool, soaked in some Vitamin D, and really embraced our vacation.

Getting Fit in August

So, we realized we packed on some LBs over the course of the disaster that is 2020. Instead of wallowing like we wanted to do for a split second, we decided to take on Beachbody’s P90X program! We have been on it ever since, and are down to the last 3 weeks.

Shelf-building and Sister-bonding in September

I finally discovered the right kind of book shelf I would like for my mini-library! It took me a while to narrow down. I originally thought having expansive, oversized honeycomb-shaped shelves would be so neat, but then I realized that they wouldn’t be able to carry the weight of my books! I found a rendering of an abstract shelf design and asked if my dad would be interested in replicating it.

He is doing AN AWESOME JOB!!! THANK YOU, DAD!! He has since installed the center anchor and a couple of the branches. It looks SO cool.

My sister turned 25, so we had the family over, shared a great big feast, and celebrated her birthday!! We had lots of bonding over delicious food, a new puppy friend, a movie event, and a porch nightcap. It was lovely.

More to Come in October

Brian and I ventured down south and had our first solo trip this year. Sadly, it wasn’t a vacation since we were glued to work…but it made us realize that there must be more to this life. The Freedom Adventure is meant to be a ‘life unchained’. We are in crazy times right now, but this isn’t all there is to life.

This blog began as an outlet to share our adventures, explore new roads, and take on different journeys through this life. I have a feeling that we are about to embark on a new chapter. I appreciate our readers. If you are reading this now, I appreciate the fact that you have stuck with us and have come back to check in on our journey. With TFA on my mind so much lately, I’m happy I have taken the time to sit down and write. This journey is never-ending. Trust me, there is more to come.

To Better Days

Cheers to all. May you stay healthy, safe, and sane for the days ahead. Life is very strange right now, but I wish for you to relish in the joys of this insane adventure.

Talk soon.