On July 22nd Brian and I celebrated 1 year on
this CRAAAZY Adventure!
Champagne Wishes
& Caviar Dreams
It all started with a dream, as do many Adventures. A dream of getting out of debt (the hard way:
Working For It). A dream of owning a
house. A dream of a couple of new cars. A dream of independence. A dream of living like the ‘other
half’ (What was it like to have money?)
What we found from these dreams is that it isn’t always easy!
Saving money isn’t easy! In fact it’s down right HARD! But we are getting
there! Our loft 1st year goal was missed BUT we have learned some
valuable lessons and with a synch of the belt we will be able to make that up
AND continue to year number two’s goal!
A Love To Last A Life
Time
I can’t believe the changes I have seen in my husband (all
things I knew that were deep down inside)! Up before the birds? Yes! Up before
the sun? Sometimes. Brian isn’t a
morning person never has never will be. His favorite phrase to me in the
morning (that isn’t a grunt) is “Too many words.”
He has a full time job!
This came as a shocker to everyone who knows him. The last time he had a full time job was when
he was 16.
The latest “WOW, what just happened here?!” is his construction
project. He and our land lord are
constructing an 8X12 mudroom/entryway/pantry/storage unit thing. It is almost done! I’ll post before/after and
progress pictures when it is finished!
Church
We have been so blessed to find a church home. They have welcomed us with open arms and allowed
us to use our talents to serve the church. Also, this is big for me, I feel comfortable
going when Brian is at work. His schedule (4 on 2 off) rotates even if it is
Sunday or a holiday or he is sick or it’s 40-below outside.
The Oil Boom Impact
There are people everywhere, trucks everywhere, semis
everywhere. Traffic! Hair appointments are four months out. Vehicle service
booked out six weeks. DMV title and licensing three months behind. There isn’t
enough food in Wal-Mart, and even with all of the check-outs open you are still
looking at a 45 minute to an hour wait in line.
In June the city passed a ‘No RV Ordnance’. (I’ll keep my
Soap Box put away on that subject) No impact on my home, so not to worry!
What I’ve Learned
That you can live in an RV when it is below zero (we didn’t
have much of a winter so ask me how I feel after we have a real one with snow
and wind and cold).
I can be proud of my husband with out a ‘but’ coming after.
Oil clothes + non-oil clothes X same dryer = all oil
clothes.
You can live without an oven (but not a microwave).
Why have a magazine subscription when you have time to read
them in line at Wal-Mart?
There are different colors of oil! Black, Brown (like you’d
think), yellow, ‘Mountain Dew’…Montana
has the black, thick stuff.
The light WILL turn green, just maybe not as soon as you
would like.
A stop-sign is optional, always (according to the people who
drive here).
Patience! When you are at the front of this line there will
be twice as many people waiting.
Every state has a different vehicle title and sometimes they
aren’t easy to fill out! (Best, Wyoming .
Worst, California )
You can live without internet for your computer but only if
you have a smart phone!
You can watch a full series TV show (hour long episodes) in 6
weeks but only if the Library isn’t open on the weekend (for your internet) and
you put in some Saturday/Sunday Marathons.
The mountains in Montana
are gorgeous! But nothing beats a ‘big sky’ sunset in your own back yard.
We couldn’t be on this Adventure without the love, thoughts,
prayers and support of our family and friends back home. Thank you all so much!!
