All week long I’ve been saying goodbye to our winter family here in Bandera, Texas. I don’t use the term “family” loosely; I love these people as much as I love my blood relatives. I’m going to miss them very much.

After four decades of wandering, one would think that saying goodbye gets easier, but it doesn’t. If anything, it’s gotten harder, and I think that’s because I’ve realized my mortality as I’ve gotten older, and I understand that life can change in a heartbeat. I’ve begun saying, “God willing,” anyone asked if we were coming back next year.

Nowadays I don’t take things for granted like I used to when I was younger. I’m grateful for learning to appreciate ‘today,’ and everyone and everything that goes along with it.

I’ve been incredibly blessed to have lived an unexpected life–one that’s been filled with adventure, both planned, unplanned, and occasionally surprising. The people I’ve met, the friends I’ve made, and the experiences I’ve had have enriched me in ways I never could have imagined had I stayed in my hometown my whole life.

Please don’t misunderstand; I love my hometown! It’s just that it wasn’t in the cards that I live there forever. I guess I could blame it on Dave Russell, but the reality is that we both took a chance when we left St. Louis to see what it would be like to live on a boat,

A while back I read that everything one could ever want was just one step beyond one’s comfort zone, and I’ve found that to be true. It’s only when I work up the nerve to try something new that I find out what I’ve been missing–like learning how to dance the Texas two-step this winter. Being on the dance floor is much more fun than sitting on the sidelines, just watching.

So now we’re on the cusp of another adventure, one that will take us back to Kentucky. We have at least two weeks of exploring before we settle into our workamping gig at Hillman Ferry Campground in the Land Between the Lakes. Even that will be an adventure because part of it is working a cash register and, believe it or not, I’ve never done THAT before!

One of my favorite sayings is from Grandma Moses: “Life is what we make it. Always has been. Always will be.” I have no idea what adventures lie ahead, but as long as I remain open and willing, the sky’s the limit. Expect the unexpected. I can hardly wait!