Last weekend marked a big milestone… We officially got a chance to take the Imagine Beyond out on its inaugural voyage, but we also celebrated 1 year in our new house!!
It is strange looking back at the last 7.5 years and realizing all the changes we went through in what was seemingly a short amount of time! The transition to full time RV life in April of 2019 happened quickly. We sold nearly everything we owned including our 3K sq ft Atlanta suburb home, moved into a 30ft travel trailer and said goodbye to a life that was holding us hostage. We were finally free to live life on our terms and create our own path. It was an extremely hard transition and the first year living in the RV was full of challenges but with time, our path and what we wanted from life became crystal clear. RV life was never a FOREVER, it was a means to reach our forever!
Our inaugural trip in the Imagine Beyond took us to a Texas State Park only 1.5 hours from home. Let me tell you, going from a 35ft 5th wheel to a 25ft Airstream is an adjustment in more ways than one! YES, the 5th wheel was essentially a home on wheels. We are talking full size bathroom, electric fireplace, residential couches and refrigerator, massive panty, and AMPLE counter space all being reduced down to an airstream (lol). If you’ve never been in an airstream RV, this might be hard to understand but listen, it’s an adjustment!
But, and this a HUGE BUT, we went on a weekend trip, cooked every meal in the RV, showered in the tiny closet shower, didn’t freeze despite not having my cozy electric fireplace, and watched movies while lounging every night… and here is the kicker… we actually went on a short weekend getaway which NEVER happened in the ReImagine. The ReImagine was so large, cumbersome, and stressful to plan trips with that we never went on spontaneous adventures because we literally couldn’t!! Its size required planning and its size often limited us to certain state parks who may or may not have big rig availability so planning months in advance was required.
The Imagine Beyond has opened up the leisure travel style for us. We can hitch up and go with minimal planning, get into spots most RVs can’t fit, and explore Beyond the boundaries that once held us back. If it weren’t for the holidays coming up, trust me, we would be out in southern New Mexico and Arizona right now!! I am so ready to explore again! The falling of 2 major New Mexico Landmark formations has reminded me of how little time we actually have and I am no longer weighed down by the stress of The ReImagine.
I have lived the last few years of my life with a new motto… “If you have the power to change it, don’t settle for living with it.” I continue to live within my circle of control… If I cannot control an issue that bothers me, I have to let it go and not focus on that but instead, put my energy towards what I can control and change. The ReImagine caused roadblocks and stress and was actively keeping us from traveling freely… This transition to The Imagine Beyond has removed those roadblocks, relieved undo stress and opens up a whole new way for us to travel and explore.
Returning home after our impromptu weekend getaway was also a big moment. One Year Anniversary in our forever home. Everything we sacrificed, every minute of unknowns these last 7.5 years, it was all so that we could eventually have our safe haven. This house is special, it is truly our safe space. We walk in the door and it’s just that feeling…. that comfort… the warm hug, that “welcome home” feeling, that calm and settled heart and mind… I never realized how “unsettled” I was until now. When we return from a trip no matter how long or short, having that feeling of “Home” is indescribable. In the past, returning home from a vacation often immediately brought with it the return of all the stress you tried to escape from during your vacation. But now, returning home is just a highlight to the end of our trip. Returning home is wanted, anticipated just as much as the trip itself. To say we LOVE our home, our life here on Sandy Acres Orchard is a dream come true! OH, YES, I forgot to tell you, I officially named out little slice of heaven… SANDY ACRES ORCHARD!! The “Sandy Acres” is easy to understand because the ground is made up of the softest finest sand (hints why we are having an issue with getting grass to grow in the photo lol), but the orchard part… well that’s in the works!! We will be planting an Apple Orchard on the property eventually so I am just foreshadowing with my property name!
Our next adventure won’t be till after the holidays but I have a ton of Glass Masterpieces to make to keep me busy until then!! I hope everyone has a blessed and safe holiday season and I’ll be back with more adventures to share in no time!
