12
The number of years Matt and I have been married! Today is our anniversary.
In the last 12 years, we have:
- lived in four homes
- lived in three cities
- raised four kids (two from Matt’s previous marriage – now all grown up teenagers!)
- survived two custody battles
- owned seven pets: six dogs and one cat. Oh, I forgot about the fish tank – not sure how many pet fishies we had, but Jacques was our favorite shrimp
- remodeled homes by ourselves (gutted to the studs)
- traveled domestically and internationally (Tour de France! Belize!)
- biked and triathloned together
- fluctuated our weight (many times over)
- started a successful photography business (for four years and then exited business to spend more time with growing family)
- coached soccer teams and DI teams, and served as room mom volunteer
- gone from grocery shopping at Walmart (cheapest and easiest on our strict budget) to shopping almost 100% organic
- been in massive (six-figure) credit card debt
- paid off that debt (HOLLA!)
- dreamed of a living life on a boat and traveling the world… so we
- bought a sailboat. 🙂
18
The number of weeks until we move aboard and begin our adventure!
Holy Cow! Only 18 more weeks… Our goal date to be full-time liveaboard cruisers is July 1. Although depending on when our house sells/closes, we might end up onboard a few weeks sooner. We just had a second showing of our home to friends of friends. We don’t even have it on the market yet, but are hoping to bank a little extra $$ for the boat kitty by avoiding realtor fees. From our conversations with the buyers, we should be expecting a contract soon. They even mentioned possibly closing in April and then letting us do a leaseback so the boys can finish the schoolyear and I can finish a work event at the beginning of June. In a very short 18 weeks, our eight-year dream will come true… aaahhhhhhh!!!!
16
The year our life changes – 2016.
Yes – we know we are still going to be the same people we are now – but in a tiny, tiny amount of space. And whatever “issues” we have on land will probably be magnified on a boat. HOWEVER, we also hope that the experiences we get to share as a family exploring new cities… and the ability to leave the comfort and sameness of our current suburban life to visit new countries and immerse ourselves in new cultures… and the zen feeling we get from the salty life aboard… and the lack of middle school peer pressure our boys will have to experience…we hope that all of that will keep us from full-on killing each other in that tiny, tiny amount of space. 🙂
Cheers to 12, 18, 16! A perfect combination.