Update from Portland: The Honeymoon Period

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The honeymoon period is fading. Our life is beginning to feel uncomfortable.

honeymoon period

No, I’m not talking about my marriage with Heath. I’m talking about the honeymoon period with Franklin, the RV.

It’s not because we haven’t used real silverware in a month or because the shower floor is covered in laundry, but because the glamorous “vacation” feeling is wearing off. The magical, adventurous high of travel is waning and our dream is simply a reality now. We assume when we achieve our goals, that everything becomes easier, but it’s the opposite. You just find new goals that grow bigger, so you’re always reaching.

Some people say starting, just taking the first leap, is the hardest part of any new venture. From experience, I know how terrifying it can be, but it is exhilarating. New is fun and full of energy.

Showing up day after day making a consistent effort is harder. What was fun before is the norm. What you once never dreamed would happen is now an ordinary day in the life.

We still love traveling and seeing each new city, but as we adjust to nomadic life, homesickness is setting in.

I blame Portland, for lying to us and pretending to be just like Austin. (Austin is better.) Or maybe it’s because yesterday we ate tacos and Heath asked if the restaurant served queso. She didn’t know what we meant. Queso is just normal cheese up here in the Pacific Northwest. It’s awful.

This is a turning point. Our dream is a marathon. We are only on day 41 of about 200, assuming we stay on schedule. (We are about a week behind schedule right now.)

So far, our trip is beautiful, just jaw dropping gorgeous and crazy, exhausting fun. We’ve visited some of the most stunning landscapes this country offers. I mean, we played in the snow on July 4th! And I’m staring out the window looking at a volcano right now. Can’t do either of those things in Texas.

We’re done with the first few miles of the marathon when you still have your energy and your wits about you. Now our endurance and longevity will be tested.

We will be in Portland for a full week, which we aren’t at all accustomed to. We are honored to join the film crew for the World Domination Summit. Most of my life I’ve been told to say no, but some pretty unforgettable life experiences have come from saying yes to opportunities.

We will spend the week surrounded by equally crazy people. We’ve already met a full-time pastor/pub owner, an author who’s visited every country on the planet, and a guy who plans events to break world records. These people do crazy things.

It’s refreshing to find people who not only understand what I’m doing, but do equally unorthodox and inspiring things themselves. It makes me feel sane, when most of the days I’m the person on the receiving end of wide-eyed stares when the old motor home tries to turn a corner in the grocery store parking lot.

These gawkers remind me how important it is to have an understanding community. Here at #WDS2014, the community appreciates our “job” and help inspire us to dream bigger and work harder. Even though our honeymoon period is over and now we’re acclimated to full-time travel, we still get to dream bigger dreams. Who knows, soon I may be telling you our documentary will be on the big screen.