December 2015:
Two years after my incurable diagnosis, we decided to elope to New Zealand. Over the past two years the inflammation in my body had subsided significantly. We’d completely eliminated processed foods from our diets & were making everything from scratch. We removed all environmental toxins from our home & cleaning products. And we’d sought out toxin free beauty & personal care products. We were completely empowered to be our own health advocates through learning about functional testing. We regularly saw an acupuncturist & had monthly appointments for chiropractic care. And then came the second most extreme flare I’d experienced. In preparing for our big 30-day multi-island trip to New Zealand my stress was through the roof. I begged my acupuncturist for a steroid cream prescription before leaving on our trip. In hindsight, my skin has always been my tell. Anytime I’ve been physically/emotionally/spiritually out of harmony, a rash would crop up in some unsuspecting spot.
Once we hit the soil in New Zealand, everything improved. My skin was more clear than it had ever been with no consistent steroid cream application necessary. Justin & I spent the next 30 days in a 10’x20’ van exploring & adventuring to our hearts’ content. It was on this trip that we discovered all of the material things we’d been striving to acquire for decades truly meant nothing in the big picture of our lives. We were ready to be on a farm; we were ready to give up everything if it meant our dreams of living a sustainable life were realized as soon as possible.
July 2016:
When we arrived home from our trip in January, we had a note from our realtor telling us the market was low on our style of house. Against Justin’s best judgement I reached out to her & asked what she thought we’d get out of the sale of the house. When her projection came within $2K of what Justin needed in our savings to feel comfortable quitting our jobs, we knew it was go time! Our 5-year turned 3-year plan came to fruition in six short months & by July 4, 2016 we had sold everything we owned, downsized to a 30 foot travel trailer, moved onto our first apprentice farm, & were five months pregnant with our first daughter. Yeehaw!
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