Another One Bites the Dust

“and another one gone, and another one gone, another one bites the dust…”    -Queen

Another month gone, the departure date marches closer and I wonder, are we on track to get out with our sanity intact? The pace that we are maintaining in dispersing with belongings, the research we are doing into life afloat, the progress we made towards buying a boat, is it enough?

This month has contained a steady trickle of progress. We’ve dug deep into those basement shelves, taken a first pass through cabinets and closets, and purged.

We traveled to see family and participate in one last almost famous Pumpkin Parade and we met up with the Michigan contingent of our Grand Canyon crew to paddle the Pine River. I researched homeschooling options, checked in with the health department on travel vaccinations and renewed passports. We made an offer on a boat (!!) and worked out all the logistics to move forward and get down for a survey and sea trial. AND, we did normal life, supporting kids, volunteering at school, cross country meets, etc.  October was FULL, but still I look around this house and shudder as I imagine January, the final month (God willing) as landlubbers if all goes as planned.

These months are slipping by and we struggle to find a balance of nose to the grindstone, powering through and living well, being present to those around us. Can a balance be found? For years, we have valued community, being present and available to those around us. Taking time to play and just be is important to us. An uneasy truce has been reached in regards to this struggle. We are doing our best to say yes when friends reach out, when a day/evening presents itself free we look for community in those moments. It is spur of the moment and not ideal but it’s what we can do and it does much for perspective and sanity in this long transition.

I think we’ll make it, taking one day at a time with lots of grace. Still it’s painful to say, Au revoir October, you went too quickly.