It is so crazy to me to think about where we are today compared to last year. While having a baby should be an obvious start to a new chapter in life, its like there’s things that I saw before, but still didn’t see the same way as I do now that I am a mom. Living is more than understanding sometimes. It isn’t even that this is the first time I’ve started a new chapter as a waking being. It’s just my perspective on what’s changing or already changed and its become part of my normal day to day.
Last year we were still moving into our 2 bedroom apartment in Austin. I’m not sure if the moving company had even dropped our things off yet. (We were probably still living with just two camping chairs and our new mattress in the apartment still!) I was 7 months pregnant and had been having complications on and off. We had been traveling in a small Subaru Crosstrek with our two dogs. And, I believe, we had more things than we have with us now in our much larger minivan.
Between living expenses, medical bills, furniture and baby things to acquire we were feeling a little strapped on cash when we first moved in. We ended up having to spend a much larger amount on a last minute place to stay while we waited for the beginning of our lease. We also were waiting on our trailer to sell which meant we didn’t have much cash on hand. I spent every morning for the first few months of our lease stalking facebook marketplace and craigslist for good deals on pieces of furniture we could use. I found all of it, had it picked up and hauled back to our place for under $1200 total. (Although I didn’t lift any of it of course).
This year, we went on the road the same month we got the keys to our apartment. Everything we own is now either in a storage unit in Austin, or with us on our trip. The minivan is worlds more comfortable than the Crosstrek for travel. We have plans to travel through the end of the year, possibly part of 2024. And we have our now 10 month old daughter and two dogs traveling with us.
There’s a little more breathing room in our budget with medical bills paid off, family to stay with for a couple months to cut our costs down and no need to collect any new baby things while we are on the road (for the most part). Rather than drowning in debt, we have our credit card paid off each month. And by July 15th we will have all of our “rent” paid through the end of the year. We have plans to start saving money for Valerie’s future as well as our family’s future. And we have the cashflow to follow through with our plans realistically.
I keep seeing the shifts in our lives as we go along, and I am so excited for the future we have unfolding. While we have a clear-ish plan, nothing is set in stone past December. It truly feels like this is a new chapter of life. We are hopeful that by this time next year we might be able to get back into a house of our own, although we know that might be far fetched. We also have thought about finding another year lease, or potentially just staying on the road until the time feels right to buy our forever home. But, we will see what wisdom this year brings us.
Until next time, Cheers!
