Memories and Dreams

There is something about this time of year that makes some, OK, me reflect on times that were and times that are yet to be. The memories are much like a file cabinet and I can open any drawer and pull out whatever memory I want to replay, those I want to relive, some I don't want to relive but the total sum of the things stashed in that file cabinet have made me the person I am. I wish I had made some different choices along the way but I really have no regrets. I've learned many valuable lessons and I figure if I've been busy learning stuff there is no room for any regrets.


When Dan and I embarked on our life together we knew we had many things in common, one of those things was a love of the outdoors. We had no idea we would spend six years living in a motor home. Soon after we got married we bought our first tent and Dan had most of the camping goodies one needs to make the tent experience great. Nothing like breakfast over a campfire, yes memories. I can just smell the bacon. We moved up to a small travel trailer, including the tongue it was a huge 20' long piece of adventure. We thought we were hot stuff...we had an RV. I remember like it was minutes ago....Dan was busy setting up the outside doing blue (guy) stuff and I was inside playing domestic goddess. In my circle of RV friends I was doing what we refer to as pink stuff. Dan came marching in and announced he needed more room than this trailer allowed, why if he wanted to change his mind he had to go outside to do it. We went from the tent to the trailer then to a small motor home then the fulltiming bug bit and nothing do but we had to have a 40 foot diesel pusher. That gave the RVing experience a whole different perspective.


My greatest memories, my greatest blessings from six years on the road are the precious friends we made, all the terrific folks we met. We saw places that were breath taking and I wouldn't take anything for what we saw but the crown jewels are the friends. The RVing community is made up of a lot of very good and decent people. Yes, I treasure my friends, my memories.

Now we are approaching Christmas, there's just something about this time of year that makes me reflect, makes me count my blessings, makes me aware of where I've been and where I'm headed. We are happy to be home, we needed to come home if for nothing more than to take stock of us and map out our plans. Dan has done an incredible amount of work on the house and has it looking good. That hard wood floor is still waiting...we aren't in any hurry. It's a journey after all.

We have done minimal decorating even though we have the things to go all out. This time of year is not about lots of lights and bells and whistles...it is about the birth of Jesus and we are choosing to make that our focus. I appreciate all the folks who want to go all out and we have done that but not this time. If we want lots of lights we will take a drive one night and see all the lights we want. In the mean time I will admire the nativity scene Dan made many years ago. My father in law built the wooden structure that houses the scene.

We have this scene and our small fiber optic tree and the wise men all on a table in our living room. It is a beautiful sight.

We received this beautiful wreath from our dear friends, Peggy and Michael. It is perfect. Peggy and Michael......thank you!!!

Our hometown friends, our first ever RVing buddies, Bill and Janice, brought over this poinsettia and I saw this as an opportunity to display Dan's collection of old world Santa's. This is on our breakfast table. It's the first time we've ever had them out of their boxes. Bill and Janice...thank you!!!

We are very happy to be home for the holiday season. We have had time to reflect on what makes us happy. This brings us to our dreams....we are planning on another RV. This time it won't be a bus, it will be a rig that we can have fun with, maybe get in some fishing, who knows maybe spend the summer back in those Colorado Rockies we came to love so much back in the day. We learned to live a simpler life during those six years, we don't need nor do we want lots of stuff. Stuff is not what brings happiness. Happiness comes from within, from living, talking, walking our Christian lives, from surrounding ourselves with our friends whom we love so much.

Memories and dreams....they manage to come full circle and they come together. Who has time for regrets.....not us.

Merry Christmas dear, precious friends. God Bless You!!!