Adventure

The last few days I've been catching myself feeling bored and craving adventure. It gets me feeling really restless and unfulfilled and it makes me stop and think about where I want my life to be heading. The funny thing is that I should be slapping myself whenever I begin to think these thoughts because I think I've had far too much adventure this year already and I was so overwhelmed by my adventure that I refused, at times, to continue with it as planned. (note my sudden onset of pteromerhanophobia.) Iit's a massive inconvenience not only for me. Sorry, again, everyone. I was reading a blog recently about a young woman who toured the country with a Winnebago and that sounded so fun! I've always wanted to travel in with one of those small trailers on the back of our old Ford Ranger (The one that took us from Michigan to Vermont and then from Vermont to Alaska when we were first married.)  Anyway, Moving from Alaska to Georgia and then onto Maine should have been enough adventure to last me a lifetime but it doesn't seem that wonderful because I didn't take the time to enjoy it. I focused on my anxieties when it came to traveling, and moving and stariting a new life in general, and let those anxieties get the better of me when, looking back, it could have been a great adventure that I was able to share with many friends and family.

Dream Camper

I flew from Juneau to Ketchikan and spent Halloween with Betty's Grandma & Grandpa. We went Trunk-or-Treating in a parking garage in Ketchikan. And through an unforeseen turn of events I was able to spend extra time with my parents watching shows about Bigfoot and being afraid to fall asleep at night because I kept picturing Bigfoot watching me through the windows in their trailer. Then my Sister-in-Law and I hopped a train in Montreal and rode it all the way to Chicago where through another unforeseen turn of events we were both able to make it all the way up to northern Michigan to spend a day with my aunt Lisa in Traverse City... There were several unforeseen turns of events on this trip, again, Sorry everyone.

Kylie playing with Betty in the mall playground in Traverse City

Betty playing on the floor while my Grandpa watched





Betty wearing the John Deere Sweater her Auntie Lisa got for her. so cute!





Betty after Trunk or Treating in Ketchikan

My little Tractor Fairy

Outside Union station in D.C.

a poorly taken photo of a short lived reunion in D.C.



My toilet and sink and window to the hall and bed in my train cabin. seemed really cool at first. It was nice to be able to sleep in peace and lock my door for sure.



Betty with her Auntie Lisa

The red line is where I flew, The blue is where we traveled by train and the Green is where we drove. It was quite the experience especially with a toddler.

I've discovered that I love traveling by train and I'm hoping this summer to take the scenic train tour from Portland to Boston. It's like less than $40.00 and then we'll have a whole day in Boston to go sightseeing and have mini-adventures. I think my problem this last time was that my trip was too planned out and too big. It was really scary for me and I was overwhelmed which means I lost out on a lot of good memories and experiences because I couldn't get away from my fear of them - mainly of losing Betty somewhere. She is a trooper, by the way, completely unfazed by my lack of composure. Even though now I can look back and say those were some good memories, next time I'll know not to bite off more than I can chew and just take it easy and enjoy everything. It sounds weird to give advice to myself on my blog but I think I need to realize that, with my personality, my whole life is going to be an adventure and I need to relax and enjoy it. I hate to say I'm going to stop and smell the roses but seriously, I love the way roses smell... Next time I think I'll make sure Chad is along with us as well. Everything is more fun if he's there too.